Chapter 17 Maxim 281～300

281．win the favor of smart people A flat "yes" from a truly exceptional person is worth more than the applause of a mob.Why be complacent about the praise of the uninformed?Wise men are full of understanding, so their praise brings lasting satisfaction.The far-sighted Antigonus was famous for admiring Zeno, and Plato considered Aristotle as worthy of his whole school.Some people just want to fill their stomachs and don't mind eating poor feed.Even dictators need someone to write their biographies. They are more afraid of the brush of a rafter than of a portraitist. ①Antigonus (Antigomus Gonatas), the king of Macedon, highly admired Zeno, the founder of the Stoic school.

282．Earn respect by not showing your face Public appearances damage one's reputation, but one's absence adds to it.The faceless person who was originally seen as a lion becomes a mouse when he shows up.If a gift is always played with, it will lose its brilliance, because most people can only see the fur, but not the essence.Imagination has more energy than sight.Deception comes in with the ears, but usually comes out with the eyes. 283．Be creative, but be realistic Creation shows the utmost ingenuity, but who can get to this without a tinge of madness?Those who are good at creating are flexible in mind; those who are good at choosing are cautious in words and deeds.Creativity is also a rare gift, since most are good at choosing, but few are good at creating wisely.It is this few that in time stand out.ahead of time.Novelty attracts people, and if it succeeds, it will be more colorful.The pursuit of novelty has its dangers when judgment is called for, for things often contain the specious; but for wisdom, the pursuit of novelty is laudable.When judgment and wisdom are combined, it is admirable.

284．mind your own business If you don't mind your own business, you won't be humiliated.If you want to be respected by others, you must first respect yourself.Be hard on yourself, don't indulge yourself, go where you are welcome and you will be treated well.Don't come uninvited, don't go uninvited.If you take the initiative to take responsibility, you will be resented if you fail, and you will not be appreciated by others if you succeed.Interfering in other people's affairs is easy to become the object of ridicule; intervening in things that should not be intervened, most of them can only return in embarrassment.

285．Destroy yourself in haste by the bad luck of others If you know someone who is in misfortune, you can expect him to seek your help to share the trouble.People in distress want someone to share their troubles with, so they reach out to people they previously dismissed.Think twice before rescuing a drowning person, as you can only help them if you are in danger yourself. 286．Don't be overly indebted to all or any one Don't be overly indebted to all or one person, or you will be reduced to a mediocre dependent person.Some people are born luckier than others; they do good and others accept it.Freedom is more precious than the gift that deprives us of it.It will make you happier to have many people dependent on you than to be dependent on one person.The only advantage of having power is that you can do greater good.Above all, when accepting favors, don't think of them as a matter of pleasure.Most of the time, it's just the intention of those who favor you to put you in the position of beneficiary.

287．When moved by emotion, don't act Don't act when you're emotional, or you'll make a mess of everything.A man behaves badly when he cannot control himself; passion always drives a man out of reason.At this time, you should consult a third party who is not moved by this situation, because the authorities are confused, but the bystanders are clear.When a prudent person perceives an emotional impulse, he immediately controls it and subsides it, otherwise his blood boils and he acts recklessly.Short bursts can leave a person stuck for days and even lose their reputation. 288．Adapt to the times

All matters such as managing affairs, judging and reasoning must be done in accordance with the current situation.Do it while you can, the timing waits for no one.Let not life be bound by conventions, except to manifest a virtue; nor should desires be bound by strict laws, for what you despise may tomorrow be hard for you to give up.Some people are ridiculously unrealistic, expecting that circumstances will accommodate their whims and help them succeed, rather than changing themselves to suit the times.A wise man knows that prudence consists in adjusting oneself to the times. 289．Worst personal humiliation: Frivolity

When others find him full of spirit, they no longer hold him sacred.A frivolous person does not get the respect due to a person.Frivolity is most self-deprecating, because it is the exact opposite of respectable character.A frivolous person has no content, and even more so in old age, for the older one is the more prudent he is.Frivolity, though frequent, invites extreme contempt. 290．Love and doting are not to be confused If you want to be respected, you must not be loved too much.Love is more free than hate.Affection and respect are not the same thing.Not too scary, not too lovable.Love makes each other too familiar, and it also makes each other no longer follow the conventions of mutual respect and love.Therefore, to be loved by others, it is best to respect and love, not to spoil.

291．know how to measure others You have to use keen observation and good judgment to penetrate the other party's surface prudence and reserve.To measure others requires great judgment.Knowing the character and temperament of people is much more important than knowing the quality and characteristics of stones and herbs.This is a very delicate thing in life.You can listen to its sound when you can distinguish metal, and you can listen to its words when you distinguish people.Words can reveal a person's character, and actions can reveal more about a person.To succeed in this respect requires extreme caution, deep observation and discernment.

292．Let your character take precedence over your job requirements Your personality should take precedence over your job requirements, not the other way around.No matter how noble your position, you must show that your character is nobler than it.No matter what your profession, your superior talents are more prominent and more visible.It is easy for a narrow-minded person to sink into trouble, and finally lose his reputation by being overwhelmed by his duties.The great Augustus was not proud of being a king, but of being a man.In this regard, we need a noble spirit and down-to-earth self-confidence.

293．On maturity Maturity is evident in one's appearance, but even more so in one's habits.The value of gold is found in its material weight, the value of man in its moral weight.Being talented and being well-mannered and decent in words and deeds should win people's respect even more.Mature souls appear poised on the outside.Fools regard this kind of demeanor as the numbness and sluggishness of a fool, but they don't know that it is a kind of calm majesty.Those who have such a mature state will speak wisely and act successfully.Your maturity is directly proportional to the perfection of your personality.When you start to act dignified, not like a child, you already have a certain sense of spiritual majesty.

294．Reticent Everyone has various opinions as they please and cites various reasons to support them.But most people's judgments are always driven by emotion.It is common for two people to discuss each other and stick to their own opinions.But the truth is not deceiving, there are no two faces.In this case, it should be handled with care and tact.Sometimes it is advisable to stand on the other side's standpoint, carefully revise your own views, and examine your own motives from the perspective of other people's thoughts.Only then will you not blindly condemn others or blindly justify yourself. 295．Less bragging, more practical work Those who have the least reason to be proud are often the most proud.They say everything wonderfully, and quite badly; they are chameleons who want nothing but applause, and make people laugh out loud.Vanity is always a nuisance, but this situation is more ridiculous than vanity.Some people seek fame like beggars begging for food, or accumulate honor like ants storing food.Even if you have great talent, you should avoid vanity as much as possible.Do your own thing with peace of mind: you can say what others like to say.Credit can be discarded as much as possible, and it must not be sold for a price.Don't be exaggerated, vain, unnatural, and ridiculed.Rather than appearing heroic on the surface, it is better to actually have heroic conduct. 296．talented person The greatest gifts make the greatest men.A great gift rises above a crowd of mediocrities.Some people choose the bigger one for everything they use, even with ordinary utensils.Great men should strive for great spirits.As all things of God are infinite, so all things of a hero must also be vast, so that all his actions, and even all his words, may appear magnificent. 297．Everything you say and do, think that someone is watching you The prudent man knows that others will see him or will see him.He knows the truth that walls have ears, and anything that is not done well will always spread.Even when he was alone, he acted as if the whole world was watching him, because he knew that sooner or later everything would come to light.He acted with the feeling that he was surrounded by witnesses who would come forward to confront him at any future rumor.The man who wanted everyone to watch him didn't care when people came to search his house. 298．There are three things that make a great person There are three things that make a great man, and they are the best material for nobility: rich intellect, deep judgment, and pleasant, decent taste.Imagination is a great gift, but reasoning and understanding goodness are far greater.Wisdom should be sharp, not sluggish; it should be a product of the mind, not of the spine. A 20-year-old has the strongest willpower, a 30-year-old has the strongest intelligence, and a 40-year-old has the strongest judgment.Some people have the sharpest understanding, like a cat's eye, but they are the best at reasoning and judging when they are in the darkest.Some people are good at grasping the most critical point.No matter how chaotic things are before their eyes, they can be analyzed in an orderly manner.Ah, what a wealth of wit!As for good taste, it can spice up a person's whole life. 299．make people feel hungry Let people always have a little sweet liquid on their lips.Respect is measured by desire.For example, to deal with thirst, it is only appropriate to reduce the degree of thirst, but it is not appropriate to completely relieve thirst.Good things are more beautiful only when they are few.Things that come a second time are often less valuable.Satisfied pleasures are dangerous: they mock even that which is eternally superior.There is also a law of making people happy: open their appetites, but never let them be full.The urge to wait is more powerful than the feeling of satiety after a full meal.The longer we wait, the stronger our pleasure. 300．A Thousand Words, A Ten Words: Be a Saint This sentence is more important than anything else.Virtue is the chain of all good, the center of all happiness.She makes you prudent, discerning, shrewd, sensible, wise, brave, careful, honest, happy, honorable, true... In short, makes you a perfect and fearless hero.There are three things that make a man happy: holiness, wisdom, and prudence.Virtue is the sun of this mortal world, the hemisphere of which is constituted by conscience.Virtue is so lovely that she wins the favor of God as well as all men.There is nothing so lovely as virtue, and nothing so hateful as vice.Only virtue exists for the sake of truth, everything else is false.Talent and greatness are determined by virtue not by luck.Only virtue is self-sufficient.She makes us love the living and remember the dead.