Summary: Proverbs offer timeless wisdom and practical guidance for overcoming life’s challenges. “Example is better than precept” teaches that actions speak louder than words; we must lead by example to inspire others. Similarly, “Action speaks louder than words” emphasizes the importance of doing rather than just talking. “To err is human, to forgive, divine” highlights the significance of forgiveness as a noble, divine quality. “Time and tide wait for no man” reminds us to use time wisely, as it never returns. “Speech is silver, silence is gold” underscores the value of speaking only when necessary, while “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” inspires perseverance in all endeavors. “A kite flies against the wind, not with it” reminds us that adversity strengthens us, and “A stitch in time saves nine” teaches the importance of timely action. “Look before you leap” advocates for caution and careful planning before making decisions, and “Where there is a will, there is a way” encourages us to overcome obstacles with determination and self-assessment. Together, these proverbs offer profound motivation and insights for navigating the complexities of life with wisdom and resilience.
Present article explains some of the Proverbs which are useful for having a positive mindset and motivation so that we are better equipped to face challenges of the world.
1. Example is better than Precept – It simply means that we must do what we preach, and not simply boast with practically doing nothing. The world admires and appreciates those who have given best performance in their field and who are a source of inspiration to others by their deeds and not merely sayings.
2. Action speaks louder than words – This proverb states that it is better to act than to speak irrelevant matter. We should act and do some concrete activity and the world will notice. If we only speak words with no action and results, it is all in vain and nobody will appreciate it.
3. To err is human, to forgive, divine – This proverb states the human tendency that to err (to make/commit mistake) is quite natural, but it is equally important to forgive, which is a divine quality that one must imbibe in himself.
4. Time and Tide wait for no man – Just as the tide continuously comes and goes without waiting for anybody, similarly, time is of such essence, that it cant be regained back at any cost. Money, relationship etc. may come back but time once gone never returns. The conclusion is that we must plan our work such that all important work is given proper justice and in such manner that in future we must not repent for not using time in a priority manner for all the important tasks.
5. Speech is Silver, Silence is Gold – This simply means that it is better to speak only when it is necessary instead of talking continuously without any purpose or irrelevant talks. Silence is depicted as Gold because a silent man does not talk nonsense and talks only when it is necessary and useful in the present context. Due to this habit, such a person is respected everywhere and people come to him for guidance etc.
6. A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step – This simply implies that all greater tasks were once started with humble beginnings. For Example: A small company in 1995 had turnover of Rs. 50,000/- slowly and gradually increased , year by year to Rs. 500 crores in 2024. So it is evident that patience, carefulness, competency, integrity, hard work, consistent efforts even in the face of failure etc. are some of the traits which make successful enterprise or career or for that matter, any worthwhile work.
7. A kite flies against the wind, not with it – A kite flies against the wind means that kite flies against the wind resistance, and in real life situation also, we come across many resistances while completing our tasks. Nothing is possible without hard work and only after overcoming the resistances, we will be able to achieve desired results, which gives a great sense of satisfaction.
8. A stitch in time saves nine – The above proverb means that sometimes, at proper time, if we take some precautionary measures/actions, we will be able to stop some big losses from happening in future. So, it is our duty to ensure that we should not be lethargic in taking suitable steps and take corrective measures at proper time to avoid problems and losses at future date.
10. Look before you leap – This is a very important proverb which advises us to be careful in advance while doing any work. Before taking any action, we should think about the pros and cons , what would be the effect (positive or negative) and only after properly evaluating the same, we should move forward i.e. looking before taking a leap.
11. Where there is will, there is a way – It is easy to give advise to others and it is really hard to achieve in our own life. But the fact remains that, at any point of time, if we want outstanding results, we can evaluate ourselves, find our own shortcomings, and required changes to implement in the future years and achieve the desired results, we had always dreamt of. Failure is only a temporary phenomenon, and at any point of time, we can gather our courage, skills and find out how we can complete a particular task.
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