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best quotations about

Adaptation


and Flexibility

Adaptation

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Quotations

Charles DarwinIt is not the strongest of the species that survives, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

—  Charles Darwin, 1809-1882, British scientist

36 likes
Arthur SchopenhauerWe forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.

—  Arthur Schopenhauer, 1788-1860, German philosopher

12 likes
Charles DarwinBuilding a better mousetrap merely results in smarter mice.

—  Charles Darwin, 1809-1882, British scientist

12 likes
Lao-TzuThere is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, yet for attacking things that are hard and strong there is nothing that surpasses it, nothing that can take its place.

—  Lao-Tzu, 6th cent. BC, Chinese philosopher

11 likes
Wallace StevensHuman nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.

—  Wallace Stevens, 1879-1955, American poet

8 likes
George Bernard ShawThe reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

—  George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950, Irish writer, Nobel 1925

8 likes
T. S. EliotIf you haven’t the strength to impose your own terms upon life, then you must accept the terms it offers you.

—  T. S. Eliot, 1888-1965, British poet, Nobel 1948

7 likes
St. AmbroseWhen in Rome, do as the Romans do.

—  St. Ambrose, 340-397, Bishop of Milan, Church Father

7 likes
NapoleonI am sometimes a fox and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

7 likes
Joseph CampbellWhatever the hell happens, say, “This is what I need.”

—  Joseph Campbell, 1904-1987, American academic

7 likes
Nicolas Gomez DavilaWhoever says that he “belongs to his time” is only saying that he agrees with the largest number of fools at that moment.

—  Nicolas Gomez Davila, 1913-1994, Colombian writer

6 likes
NapoleonThe greater the man, the less is he opinionative, he depends upon events and circumstances.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

5 likes
Ayn RandMan’s unique reward, however, is that while animals survive by adjusting themselves to their background, man survives by adjusting his background to himself

—  Ayn Rand, 1905-1982, American writer & philosopher

5 likes
Michael CaineThe difference between a movie star and a movie actor is this: a movie star will say, “How can I change the script to suit me?” and a movie actor will say. “How can I change me to suit the script?”

—  Michael Caine, 1933-, English actor

5 likes
Bill CosbyI don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

—  Bill Cosby, 1937-, American comedian

4 likes
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.When you can’t change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails.

—  H. Jackson Brown, Jr., 1940-2021, American self-help writer

4 likes
D. H. LawrenceInstead of chopping yourself down to fit the world, chop the world down to fit yourself.

—  D. H. Lawrence, 1885-1930, British writer

4 likes
Lord ChesterfieldTake the tone of the company you are in.

—  Lord Chesterfield, 1694-1773, English statesman & writer

3 likes
Otto von BismarckWith a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and with a fraud I try to be a fraud and a half.

—  Otto von Bismarck, 1815-1898, German chancellor

3 likes
Margaret AtwoodYou can’t help what you feel, but you can help how you behave.

—  Margaret Atwood, 1939 -, Canadian writer

3 likes
RumiWherever you stand, be the soul of that place.

—  Rumi, 1207-1273, Persian mystic & poet

3 likes
Albert EinsteinToday the atomic bomb has altered profoundly the nature of the world as we know it, and the human race consequently finds itself in a new habitat to which it must adapt its thinking.

—  Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, German-Jewish physicist

2 likes
Nicolas ChamfortOften a person endowed with superior qualities cannot adapt to society. People don’t go to the market with gold bars. They go with coins.

—  Nicolas Chamfort, 1740-1794, French writer

2 likes
RumiIf all you can do is crawl, start crawling.

—  Rumi, 1207-1273, Persian mystic & poet

2 likes
Arthur ClarkeThe dinosaurs disappeared because they could not adapt to their changing environment. We shall disappear if we cannot adapt to an environment that now contains spaceships, computers — and thermonuclear weapons.

—  Arthur Clarke, 1917-2008, British Sci-Fi writer

2 likes
Italo CalvinoThe ideal place for me is the one in which it is most natural to live as a foreigner.

—  Italo Calvino, 1923-1985, Italian writer

Luigi PirandelloI present myself to you in a form suitable to the relationship I wish to achieve with you.

—  Luigi Pirandello, 1867-1936, Italian writer (Nobel 1934)

Baltasar GracianBetter mad with the rest of the world than wise alone.

—  Baltasar Gracian, 1601-1658, Spanish writer

Giordano BrunoIt is a poor mind that would think with the multitude, because it is multitude. Truth is not altered by the opinions of the vulgar, or by confirmations of the many.

—  Giordano Bruno, 1548-1600, Italian monk & philosopher

Nicolas Gomez Davila“Finding himself,” for modern man, means dissolving himself in any collective entity.

—  Nicolas Gomez Davila, 1913-1994, Colombian writer

Ambrose BierceThe only distinction that democracies reward is a high degree of conformity.

—  Ambrose Bierce, 1842–1914, American writer

Joseph JoubertWhen my friends are one-eyed, I look at them in profile.

—  Joseph Joubert, 1754-1824, French author of maxims

Victor FranklAn abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior.

—  Victor Frankl, 1905-1997, Austrian neurologist

Bertolt BrechtNo one can be good for long, if goodness is not in demand.

—  Bertolt Brecht, 1898-1956, German writer

Theodore AdornoThere's not much need for prophets who are in synch with their society.

—  Theodore Adorno, 1903-1969, German philosopher

Theodore AdornoHe who integrates is lost.

—  Theodore Adorno, 1903-1969, German philosopher

Theodore AdornoPeople know what they want because they know what other people want.

—  Theodore Adorno, 1903-1969, German philosopher

Robert Louis StevensonThe true wisdom is to be always seasonable, and to change with a good grace in changing circumstances.

—  Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894, Scottish writer

Marshall McLuhanThere are many people for whom “thinking” necessarily means identifying with existing trends.

—  Marshall McLuhan, 1911-1980, Canadian academic & media theorist

Sri AurobindoRather hang thyself than belong to the horde of successful imitators.

—  Sri Aurobindo, 1872-1950, Indian nationalist, yogi & philosopher

Hermann HesseA man who is ill-adjusted to the world is always on the verge of finding himself. One who is adjusted to the world never finds himself, but gets to be a cabinet minister.

—  Hermann Hesse, 1877-1962, German writer, Nobel 1946

John Kenneth GalbraithIn any great organization it is far, far safer to be wrong with the majority than to be right alone.

—  John Kenneth Galbraith, 1908-2006, American-Canadian economist

Henry MillerThere is no salvation in becoming adapted to a world which is crazy.

—  Henry Miller, 1891-1980, American writer

Henry MillerWhatever there be of progress in life comes not through adaptation but through daring.

—  Henry Miller, 1891-1980, American writer

Marilyn MonroeI don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it.

—  Marilyn Monroe, 1926-1962, American actress

Frank HerbertThere is not secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.

—  Frank Herbert, 1920-1986, American sci-fi writer

StendhalThe more one pleases everybody, the less one pleases profoundly.

—  Stendhal, 1783-1842, French writer

Nicolas Gomez DavilaTo think like everybody else is a recipe for prosperity and stupidity.

—  Nicolas Gomez Davila, 1913-1994, Colombian writer

Latin Quotes

Latin phraseHomeland is where your life is good.

Ubi bene, ibi patria.

—  Latin phrase

45 likes

Ancient Greek

MenanderWe live, not as we wish to, but as we can.

Ζώμεν γαρ ού ως θέλομεν, αλλ’ ως δυνάμεθα.

—  Menander, 4th cent. BC, Ancient Greek dramatist (New Comedy)

48 likes
DemocritusFor the wise is easy to go anywhere. Because the whole world is home for a good soul.

Ανδρί σοφώ πάσα γη βατή, ψυχής γαρ αγαθής πατρίς ο ξύμπας κόσμος.

—  Democritus, 470-370 BC, Ancient Greek philosopher

10 likes

Proverbs

French proverbAt war as at war.

A la guerre comme a la guerre.

—  French proverb

3 likes
English proverbIf the cap fits, wear it.

—  English proverb

3 likes
Turkish proverbIn the company of the blind, close your eyes.

—  Turkish proverb

2 likes



Similar categories & topics of Quotations






Similar Topics

Compromise

Understanding

Quitting

Resilience

Similarity

Imitation

Diplomacy

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Contrary Topics

Obstinacy

Disliking

Resistance

Difficult people

Noncompliance

Firmness

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