#Tao te ching leadership quotes series#

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides. Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins. It is better to do one’s own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it. In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve. If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When cleverness and knowledge arise great lies will flourish. If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. I do not concern myself with gods and spirits either good or evil nor do I serve any. How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men? He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough. He who does not trust enough, Will not be trusted. He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. He who conquers others is strong He who conquers himself is mighty. Great indeed is the sublimity of the Creative, to which all beings owe their beginning and which permeates all heaven. Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it. Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.įill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. The world is beyond the winning.ĭo the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small.