I find there to be profound wisdom in proverbs, sayings and quotes and I marvel at the way they are so succinct in communicating messages to the reader. Mostly anonymous, they come to us from past generations and from across cultures. They speak of the experiences of lives lived and lessons learned. Quotes, like proverbs, make us think more deeply about something.
Each Thursday, I post a Proverb or Saying and a Quote that I find thought-provoking.
I hope you will too.
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in –Greek Proverb
People who don’t take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks make about two big mistakes a year
–Peter Drucker.
Peter Drucker, hitherto unheard of by me, (for clearly I have led a sheltered life – lol), was apparently an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings have come to be regarded as landmark foundations of the modern business management. Sufficiently interested?
Read more here
The proverb above has featured in many different forms, stating a similar sentiment. I find it interesting to be ascribed as a Greek proverb. Have you heard this proverb before?
If so where?
And how does Peter Drucker’s words alter your perception of risk?
Something to Ponder About this Thursday
Something to Ponder About 
The Drucker quote is great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So you agree with Peter D. Nick? There may be an argument that says those who don’t take risks make fewer mistakes but what is the cost of being so sure of oneself? Perfectionists often suffer from anxiety and workaholism it seems?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Drucker seems to be saying that you can’t control the cards you’re dealt, so you might as well play your hand. On another note, workaholism has never been a problem for me, alwaysonholidays. Great blogs, great writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I think that is true. Better to concentrate one’s energies on what you can do as opposed to what you can’t. Glass half full versus glass half empty. If you are always on holidays is it an issue for you to re-energize and recharge? Mind you, prior to returning to work, this was me too and it was never a problem but I did always have the outlet of volunteer work.
LikeLike
Great quotes Amanda. I love the Greek quote. It comes down to someone expecting something from the tree in the form of fruits and shade, but when an old man plants the tree, he knows full well he is not going to live to see the tree grow up and bear fruit or even enjoy its shade, but still he does it so that the future generation can be benefited by it. That is unselfish behaviour in all its glory. 😀
I also think what Drucker is trying to say is that even if you don’t take risks, you will still make mistakes. Avoiding risk is sometimes easier but business wise it’s sometimes better because you never know what the outcome will be. If you made a mistake, tough .. but if the risk paid off well, then good. We all do learn from our mistakes. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a wonderful sentiment in the Greek proverb. The innate desire to ease the way the way for future generations. It is a forward thinking philosophy that considers the long term. Quite rare in the developed world.
As for Drucker: I feel his words and motivation were financially angled but still, they may also have wider applications. Thanks Sonel. I appreciate your comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Furthermore, your comment about still making mistakes even if don’t take risks is right.This should be enough to convince skeptics that some level of risk is natural and shouldn’t necessarily be avoided.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Greek proverb is an interesting one. Unlike Sonel, I’m a bit on the fence about that quote. True that our ancestors may have laid the foundation for the society we live in today. Or we might be the “old men” who are planting the trees right now trying to give future generations opportunities in the future. But it really is up to us or the future generation if we want to make the most of this “tree” planted – or whether we want to simply eat the fruit or sow the seeds of labour. That is, our choices will determine whether society will succeed.
The second quote: no matter what choice you make, you are probably going to experience challenges and fall flat on your face at least once. Why not get up and try when you are going to make mistakes anyway? Might as well try along the way rather than sitting down.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hadn’t thought about ancestors but I did see us as the old men. Too often mankind sees the world as something to exploit and use and abuse. Our world will flourish if we can maintain and nurture it as it needs. The altruistic gesture speaks of a culture that values children don’you think?
LikeLike
I think so. To think of oneself all the time is selfish as the world really doesn’t revolve around us. There is nothing to be gained if we sow the seeds for our ownself. As cheesy as the saying goes, sharing is caring. When we share, we have the opportunity to build upon each other’s strengths and who knows where that will take us 🙂
LikeLike
Oh Yes that is true. When we share we also build a sense of commonality and community. This is important for emotional well-being, and development of all parts of that community. Who knows where that would take us, you asked? That is the exciting unknown realm of possibilities!
LikeLike