Random Thought

Look up for temporary aspirational motivation but look down for long lasting inspirational drive.

Quote of the Day

"The history of the failure of war can almost be summed up in two words: too late"

- Gen. Douglas MacArthur

J.F.C Fuller on Education and being Educated

Reading Gen. J.F.C Fuller's gem - Generalship, Its Diseases and their Cure and found this rather succinct point on the aim of education (staff generals in his case but conveys a telling point, nevertheless):

It does not really matter much what a certain general did at a certain date, but what is of importance is - why he did it in a certain set of circumstances. The object of education is not so much to discover 'what to think' as to learn 'how to think'. What is, or was, the governing reason of an action? What is, or was, the nature of an army's machinery; what can it, or could it, make? These are the types of questions an educated mind should ask itself.

I remember once attending some French maneuvers, when after an exercise, General Debeney asked a divisional commander to explain his plan to him. The officer began -- 'My machine guns, ...' whereupon he was cut short by Debeney who excitedly roared out : 'Damn your machine guns, I want your ideas."

Quote of the Day

Though it was referring to Clausewitz specifically, it seems so applicable to many in general:

" Clausewitz was a genius, and geniuses and clever men have a distressing habit of assuming that everyone understands what is perfectly clear to them"

- Lt-Col. G. F. R. Henderson

Top 10 Warren Buffet Quotes

A collection of some of my favorite quotes from the famous Omaha Investor. I like to think about them as a way of peeking into how he sees things:

1. "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." (To his son Howard)
   
   
2. "Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you should look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence , and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it's true. If you hire somebody without the first, you really want them to be dumb and lazy"
   
   
3. "I gave a talk last year; some student at Harvard asked me, 'Who should I go to work for?' I said go to work for whoever you admire the most. I got a call from the dean about two weeks later. He said, 'What are you telling these kids? They're all becoming self-employed.'"
   
   
4. "I want to be able to explain my mistakes. This means I do only the things I completely understand." (On Investing)
   
   
5. "Do a lot of reading" (On how to determine the value of a business)
   
   
6. "If they need my help to manage the enterprise, we're probably both in trouble." (On how he expects his managers to run the show)
   
   
7. "Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule. No. 1" (Investment Philosophy)
   
   
8. "The fact that people will be full of greed, fear, or folly is predictable. The sequence is not predictable."
   
   
9. "Wall Street is the only place that people ride to in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway."
   
   
10. "It has always been a fantasy of mine that a boatload of 25 brokers would be shipwrecked and struggle to an island from which there could be no rescue. Faced with developing an economy that would maximize their consumption and pleasure, would they, I wonder, assign 20 of their number to produce food, clothing, shelter, etc., while setting five to trading endlessly on the future output of the 20?" (Poking Fun at Option Traders)
    
    

(From : Warren Buffet Speaks - Wit and Wisdom from the World's Greatest Investor)

(Picture Credit : Mark Hirschey)

Top 10 Patton Quotes

Strange that we don't see colourful figures like this anymore:

1. "You are not beaten until you admit it"
   
   
2. "Lack of Orders if no excuse for inaction. Anything done vigorously is better than nothing done tardily"
   
   
3. "We received a number of replacement captains. I had initially assigned them to companies under lieutenants until they had learned the ropes. While this is not authorized in the regulations, I did it in both this and the First World War, and it works." (On training tactics)
   
   
4. "Do not take counsel of your fears" (Letter of Instruction No. 1, issued to Corps, Division and Separate Unit Commanders)
   
   
5. "There seems to be an unwitting conspiracy [by higher command] to make me lose my self-confidence, but so far it has failed"
   
   
6. "I don't want to get any messages saying 'I am holding my position'. We are not holding a goddamned thing. Let the Germans do that. We are advancing constantly and we are not interested in holding on to anything, except the enemy's balls. We are going to twist his balls and kick the living shit out of him all the time. Our basic plan of operation is to advance and to keep on advancing regardless of whether we have to go over, under or through the enemy." (Speech to Third Army)
   
   
7. "I have studied the German all of my life. I have read the memoirs of his generals and political leaders. I have even read his philosophers and listened to his music. I have studied in detail the accounts of every damned ones of his battles. I know exactly how he will react under any given set of circumstances. He hasn't the slightest idea of what I'm going to do. Therefore, when the time comes, I'm going to whip the Hell out of him" (On the importance of knowing your enemy)
   
   
8. "It is always best, when practicable, to drive to the front, so that the soldiers can see you going in that direction, and to save time, fly back by Cub plane so that you are never seen going to the rear." (On Leadership)
   
   
9. "May God deliver us from our friends; we can handle the enemy" (On the fatal ineffectiveness of SHEAF, High Command)
   
   
10. "I have taken Trier with only two divisions. Do you want me to give it back?" (Telegram in response to an order from SHEAF not to take the city of Trier anything less than three divisions, which was ignored and promptly conquered with two divisions)
    

Quote on taking action

I can't remember where I heard this one from but its pretty much something to mull about when you get indecisive over whether to stand up and go for something or not :

"Why aren't you going step up to do something about it? Don't you feel that there are enough live people passing off as dead people already!?"

Gimme a bump if you know who said this (or something close ) so I can attribute it properly.

Preparation and Teamwork - A Gunfight Analogy

Doing something without preparation is like going to a gunfight with a knife.

Doing something with preparation would be bringing the right gun to the gunfight. But it still doesn't mean you'll win.

Now, if you can add in the right dosage of good teamwork, it would be going to that same gunfight with four friends and a tank.

A Journey of Self Discovery

" A Journey of a Thousand Li (miles) Begins with a single step "
~ Chinese Saying

Life is a journey where you shouldn't focus on getting to the destination. It is filled with wonders and joys that you can only see if you keep your eyes and mind wide open. The destination is just the ending to it all.

Have fun and don't forget to smell the roses on your way there!