ACHIEVEMENT MAXIMS
“Quit while you’re ahead.” That’s tried-and-true advice. But did you know it goes all the way back to Baltasar Gracian, a Jesuit scholar who lived in Seventeenth Century Spain? As military chaplain and confessor to the mighty, Gracian observed men in positions of power and concluded that, with intelligence and a rein on one’s emotions, almost anyone could master a situation and be successful. So he set down three hundred maxims to instruct his contemporaries in the art of achieving. Recently retranslated and a best seller, they are as appropriate today as they were three centuries ago. Here are some of the best: Keep matters in suspense. Being too obvious is neither useful nor tasteful. By not declaring yourself immediately, you keep people guessing. Cautious silence is where prudence takes refuge. Once declared, resolutions lie open to criticism. If they turn out badly, you will be twice unfortunate. Know your best quality. Foster your most outstanding gift and nurture the rest.…
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