When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
Lao Tzu is the name attached to the author of the Tao Te Ching, the founding text of Taoism, composed in China around the sixth or fourth century BC. Whether he was a historical person or a collection of several authors has been debated for centuries. The book works through paradox and restraint, and opens by warning that what matters most cannot be put into words.
About this theme: Growth
Growth is one of the few subjects the Stoics and modern psychologists agree on: a person is not a finished product. What shifts across the centuries is not the belief that we can change, but how comfortable that belief is made to sound. Ancient writers treat growth as a duty, almost severely — Seneca opens his letters by reproaching himself. Contemporary writing prefers the language of potential and possibility.
More by Lao Tzu
- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
- Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
- Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
- A leader is best when people barely know he exists.
More on Growth
- An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.— Benjamin Franklin
- The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.— Confucius
- True life is lived when tiny changes occur.— Leo Tolstoy
- Associate with people who are likely to improve you.— Seneca
- He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.— Confucius