Welcome to the Daily Quote, the podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, and this episode is brought to you by the Great News podcast. Because great news should be heard, and the link is right here in the show notes.
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Today’s quote is from Plutarch.
Plutarch was a Greek historian, biographer, and philosopher who lived during the early part of the Roman Empire.
Plutarch once said…
”The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”
SOURCE: Plutarch, On Listening to Lectures. The Loeb Classical Library translation (1927) reads: ”For the mind does not require filling like a bottle, but rather, like wood, it only requires kindling to create in it an impulse to think independently and an ardent desire for the truth.”This is an interesting idea. We can fill our minds with information without really understanding it. And without a genuine interest in it. We can pour more facts, more noise, more data, until the container feels full. Our brain feels strained and tired.
Or we can become curious, ask questions and make connections. When we are passionate and motivated to learn a subject, our a fire is ignited and we have no limitations.
Instead of feeling tired and strained we feel empowered and energized.
Plutarch's point is that a mind isn't really a container at all. You can sit through hours of lectures and end up with nothing but some admiration for someone else’s passion.
Or you can catch a spark of your own. An idea that motivates you toward originality and instils a desire for truth and that fire keeps burning long after the course ends.
A great teacher doesn’t just give you the answers. They help you develop the desire and confidence to find the answer yourself.
If you are curious then you can be a life long learner.
Don't just ask what you can learn. Ask what might light you up.
What idea, what question, what small curiosity is worth kindling? Because a filled vessel stays where it is. Heavy and full. A kindled fire spreads with an unlimited appetite.
If you are open to it, sometimes a single conversation, a book, an experience or even an encouraging word can awaken an interest that changes the direction of our lives.
So here’s the question:
Is there a subject that sparked your curiosity so strongly that you wanted to learn everything you could about it? What would happen if you allowed yourself to follow that curiosity and ignite your passion and desire to learn more.
The goal of learning isn’t simply to know more. It is to become more. More curious. More thoughtful. More valuable. And more willing to discover what is possible.
That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for now, but I'll be back… tomorrow! Same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.
