Inspirational and Thoughtful Quotes

I believe that one must ponder about the philosophy of life in order to live meaningfully. I resonate much with the dutiful mind of Confucianism, the freeness of Taoism, the discipline of Bushido, and optimism of the Transcendentalists. Recently, the question I have is "how to live as a scientist?" Here, great characters like Einstein and Feynman are my heros. I think there's a bit of philosophy to learn from everyone. Below are just a few of those condensed wisdom.

---------------------------------------------------

Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich Starker. 
(What doesn't destroy me makes me stronger)
				    -- Nietzche

The mind that faces and beats one opponent is the same mind that faces and beats a thousand. (paraphrase)
				    -- Miyamoto Musashi, ancient Japanese samurai

To fight and conquer all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence is breaking the enemy's resistance without a fight. 
				     -- Sun Tsu

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. 
				    -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Aspirations should remain lofty and far-sighted. Look to the precedents of the wise. Detach from emotions and desires; get rid of any fixations. Elevate subtle feelings to presence of mind and sympathetic sense. Be patient in tight situations as well as easy one; eliminate all pettiness.
				    -- Zhuge Liang, ancient Chinese strategist

The practice of a cultivated man is to refine himself by quietude and develop virtue by frugality. With out detachment, there is no way to clarify the will; without serenity, there is no way to get far.
				    -- Zhuge Liang, ancient Chinese strategist

Success only depends on the strength of our will.
				    -- Akio Morita, Sony founder

Poets say science takes away from the beauty of the stars - mere globs of gas atoms. I, too, can see the stars on a desert night, and feel them. But do I see less or more? 
				     -- Richard Feynman

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool. 
				     -- Richard Feynman

The idea is to try to give all the information to help others to judge the value of your contribution; not just the information that leads to judgment in one particular direction or another 
				   -- Richard Feynman

Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.
				    -- from a fortune cookie, but attributed to Albert Eistein

I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
				   -- Albert Einstein

Good fortune--appreciate, cherish, and cultivate it.
				   -- Master Cheng Yen of Tzu-Chi

Never compromise. You have only one professional life.
				    -- Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO, in a speech to students