A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler.
God always takes the simplest way.
All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. As far as I’m concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue. True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.
I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.
Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism – how passionately I hate them! He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice. Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.
You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.
If the facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts.
Albert Einstein ( 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a theoretical physicist, philosopher and author who is widely regarded as one of the most influential and best known scientists and intellectuals of all time.
_____________________________________
FRANÇAIS (merci Marie-Christine!)
Un homme doit chercher ce qui est et non pas pour ce qu’il croit devoir etre.N’importe quel fou intelligent peut transformer les choses plus grandes et plus complexes. Il faut une touche de genie – et beaucoup de courage pour changer de direction – Tout devrait etre aussi simple que possible, mais pas plus simple.
Dieu utilise toujours la facon la plus simple. Toutes les religions, les arts et les sciences sont des branches issues du meme arbre. Quant a moi, je prefere le vice a la vertu ostentatoire. La vraie religion est la vie veritable, en la vivant avec toute son ame, avec toute sa bonte et sa justice.
Les grands esprits ont toujours rencontre l’opposition violente des esprits mediocres. Le bon sens est l’ensemble des prejuges que l’on a accumule apres l’age de 18 ans.
L’heroisme sur commande, la violence insensee et toutes les absurdites audieuses qui se rallient sous le nom de patriotisme – je les hais avec une telle passion! – Celui qui marche joyeusement au son de la musique en rang et file a deja gagne mon mepris. On lui a donne un grand cerveau par erreur, car pour lui seul la moelle epiniere suffit. Deux choses sont infinies, l’Univers et la betise humaine; et je ne suis pas sur en ce qui concerne l’Univers.
Vous devez apprendre les regles du jeu et ensuite vous devez jouer mieux que personne.
Albert Einstein (14 mars 1879-18 avril 1955) etait un physicien theorique, philosophe et auteur, qui est considere comme l’un de scientifiques et des intellectuels les plus influents et les mieux connus de tous les temps.”
{ 123 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
Tutto segue la legge della semplicità, ma l’uomo, per indole, tende a complicare sempre quando è possibile. La complicazione attira chi non si accontenta della grandezza della semplicità. Per risolvere molti dubbi, molte domande, spesso ci si trova a scegliere la strada sbagliata che tende ad aumentare gli interrogativi. Vivivamente è come trovarsi tra le radici di un albero:
- se si seguono le varie diramazioni verso il basso ci si perde senza ottenere nessun risultato
- se si segue verso l’alto la radice più grande e semplice, si raggiunge anche l’albero, la “risposta” e tutti i suoi frutti.
Ciao Paulo…
i simply love u. u r a great inspiration to me.
Hoy en día hay genios oscuros,genios que trabajan de barrenderos,que trabajan en la agricultura, etc . . . porque en mi país a los únicos que se les da la oportunidad es al primo de fulano o al primo de mengano.No es rencor,es realidad,a veces pienso que siendo personas normales con ciertas cualidades y con unos sueños por vivir, la sociedad nos entierra vivo . . . Deberían existir Presidentes ” genios” que nos saquen a flote . . .
El genio en mi opinión tiene unas cualidades que Dios le ha dado´más la vida le ha enseñado. . .
I enjoyed reading this. Thanks, have a nice day.
Muy Muyy bueno! GRACIAS!!!
“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.(…) Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler. (…)”
I agree that everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler.
I think that is possible when we are body and soul – here and now. The past is memory, and the future image. Just humbly look, listen and be.
‘True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.
I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.’
Thank you. the whole Einstein writing is truth to me.
he was the best
Bom dia Paulo e pessoal,
Boa escolha de personagem da semana, ele fez e faz história. Eu adoro as quebras de paradgimas do Einstein, minha frase predileta dele é:
“A imaginação é mais importante que o conhecimento”.
Abraços,
Diogo Guedes
Hi Paulo,
I am a fan of both Einstein and you!
My favorite lines, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.”
Mediocre minds can only become critics! Critics of everything and everyone!!!!
Yes :) God always takes the simplest way.
And that’s why I love simplicity because all the wonder lies exactly there.
Love, Jolita A.
My favourite quotation from him is the one on Gandhi’s funeral:
“Generation to come will scarcely believe that such a man ever walked on earth in blood and flesh.”
I don’t understand about the message of changing the fact if it doesn’t fit theory, anybody can explain? Thx b4.
Caro Paulo,
anche in risposta a Rod Den Draham:
senza la conoscenza non si va da nessuna parte, neppure a passeggio in un bosco, ma senza l’immaginazione non si arriva neppure a capire che passeggiare in un bosco può essere esaltante e sopratutto che quello può essere il punto di partenza verso la scoperta di un universo o “dell’universo.
Quindi, conoscere, conoscere le regole (che peraltro non sono sempre giuste, perchè non sono sempre al servizio del bene dell’umanità), giocare meglio degli altri ma, perchè no, con l’uso dell’immaginazione.
Quante cose sono state scoperte con l’uso dell’immaginazione?
Anche Dio ha immaginato quando ha creato il tutto dal nulla?
Conosceva o immaginò?
Conosceva le regole o le ha scritte man mano che gli sono venute in mente?
Sarò uscita dal seminato con questi miei pensieri o con la mia immaginazione?
my favorite part of the it:
“God always takes the simplest way. All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. As far as I’m concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue. True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.”
Certainly revere Einstein for his genius. But there does seem to be a irony in the proponent-of-atom-bomb suggesting peace. Looks like, for a brief moment, He chose to like the “nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism”. Just like many of us.
Yes…:-))
I think this might be one of my favorite characters of the week entry:) Not too many geniuses were as witty as this… well, except you! HA!
‘les grands esprits ont toujours rencontre l’opposition VIOLENTE des esprits MEDIOCRES’
tous les genies ont subi cela,et meme dans la vie courante,les personnes AUTHENTIQUES
Eintstein – really a great scientist and one of the few greatest contributors to the world we live in today. Excellent words uttered by him can be always helpful in driving our lives whenever we are stuck. Thanks Sir.
Ah ! Que bonitinho !
Eu concordo com ele em muitos pensamentos.
Linda foto !
Beijos,
“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be. ” – Perhaps, he should keep dreaming about what he thinks he should be? – It might elevate him to a different level from where he is and it will keep him moving towards his destiny? Dream ?
Dear Paulo and WoL,
-Yes, no doubt he was genius and he proved himself through his intellectual(ism).
-He also considered himself as not very well or reputed writer. Though, he wrote many books.
-He is very rare scientist who wrote all his journals as a single author. But he had several contributing authors for conference papers that he published.
- This is also what he said:
“I was born intelligent but education ruined me.”
we humans are such crazy lot; when we are out to crucify someone we see only negatives in them, and when we want to euolise someone, we cannnot see anything -ve in them, even -ves are taken as positives. Surely einstein was a great sceitist, but when he initially presented his theory, everyone said ‘humbug’, later… we know.
“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” so its important to win, afterall.
“A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.” that is a scientist, a for a visionary looks for not what is but what can be, what should be.
love
PS : how could education ruin him, he was not much educated in the traditional sense of teh word, or am i wrong
What a happy smile on Albert Einsteins face in this photo. This week end I attended an online 3 days conference with 35 presentations and educators from 60 countries!
Well, one of the presenters had Albert Einstein up as an example of embodying skills necessary as 21st Century skills. We need; Imagination, Curiosity, Self Awareness, Perseverance, Courage and Adaptability. Most of all Albert Einstein asked ingenious questions. Tons of them. For instance, a child of 4 years has a very high ‘curiosity quotient’, but unfortunately this is lost by the age of 8 years old! So, the clue is to find back to being these curious human beings willing to take risks to solve problems.
Did I sound like a teacher now! lol (Why are teachers so booooring! One of my concluding thoughts after this week end. But bless their souls for all what they do for the students.)
Dear Heart,
-You do sound like a teacher but teacher are not necessarily boring. (ha ha ha…)
-Very true about ‘curious child’. We all have it inside us that very child only thing is that we kill it when we become mature.
Thank you !
einstein, good man but not in the school and i sometimes behave like a einstein in bad exam results
Dear heart. U rightly said dat v kill our curiosity .bt dats due to changing environment n by d people around us which compel dem to limit their curiosity.perhaps humans r d only enemy of humans
Гениальность-это компилятивное чутьё.
I respect this man very much!By the way did anybody here about his book about travelling in the surfacee?
I really appreciate how you brought up Einstein by comparing ingeniousness and pure character..
“When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come close to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.”
A. Einstein
He loved walking … and of course “mind wandering”…
Satora
“The truth was a mirror in the hands of God.
It fell, and broke into pieces.
Everybody took a piece of it,
and they looked at it
and thought they had the truth.” Rumi
Quite a humbling quote.
Olá Paulo Coelho, vi por aqui um modo de entrar em contato, admiro muito seu trabalho, muito bom, está de parabens.
Gostaria de entrar em contato, estou em desespero, alguém para me explicar sobre vampirismo.
Nunca chego a conclusão alguma, um retorno seu sobre o assunto, séria ótimo.
Obrigado,
Victor
Mentes brilhante. Geralmente são formadas num período de transição, entre o querer, e o não poder ser. Montando então um esquema de superação para transpor o não desejado.Mas sim, o adquirido.
AT THE VERY END OF THE QUOTE WE COPY: ‘You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else’.
I ADD TO IT: AND THEN WE BECOME THE RULES.
AND WE BECOME THE GAME.
Wow!
striking words: “and then become the game”
This is our determination:
to be a unit with the creator, the origin, … the game.
“God always takes the simplest way.” Yes, what could be simpler than “God is Light”? When Jesus walked among us He said, “Love God. Love your Neighbor.” Five words.
And again, “Unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.” When my son was less than two years old, I was driving home from the sitter one day and stopped at a traffic light. I was waiting impatiently for it to change, when I noticed my little one, leaning forward in his car seat and peering up through the windshield. He had a faraway expression on his beautiful little face. “Sweetie,” I asked him, “what are you looking at? What do you see.?” And in that same dreamy tone, he replied, “God.”
I will have to read a few of Einstein’s books in the future, he seems to have a grasp on life; its limits and infinities
Kealan,
here are some of them…
1. The World As I See It
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/essay.htm
2. Ideas and Opinion
There are many other books but he always considered himself as not very so good writer.
“Einstein – his life and Universe -” by Walter Issacson
is a very good book to read also – full of wit and not too much theory.
Have fun! :)
Ciao Paulo, Albert Einstein splendida creatura praghese! Un uomo che ha saputo essere geniale semplicememte essendo se stesso. Un eterno giocatore che ha sempre messo in gioco se stesso per primo con i propri sentimenti, le proprie passioni, le proprie convinzioni e le proprie intuizioni. Un uomo vivo che ha saputo rimanere vivo per sempre e che ha continuato a dire agli uomini di essere vivi e di non stancarsi di giocare! Ciao Rosetta
I watched a TV documentary on Einsteins life last year,according to the researcher for this programme seemingly Einsteins faithful wife was also a talented scientist,and worked hand in hand with him on many theories but seemingly her genuis was erased from history… and Einstein , a bully at home eventually had her committed to an asylum. …
Love Breda
When nothing makes sense anymore, everything makes perfect sense all of a sudden.
Love it! Especially the part about simplicity: “Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler.”
Thanks for sharing Paulo :)
‘You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else’.
In order to proceed we have first to LEARN. Knowledge leads to wisdom. As ‘there is nothing new, under the SUN’ great discoveries were just ‘games played better than anyone else’!;-] It is hard work together with … genius, synchronicity and open-mindedness. The … diving of our fantasy into the Akashic records. The EUREKA minute!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
http://revistaepoca.globo.com/Revista/Epoca/0,,EMI159149-15228,00-PAULO+COELHO+DIZ+COMO+TRANSFORMA+IDEIAS+EM+OURO.html
Dearest Paulo Coelho, SYNCHRONICITY struck again!! We have thought and said the same Solomon’s phrase today: “There is nothing new, under the sun”! ;-] Rosa has just put this link in facebook! Thank you Rosa the ROSE, my beautiful friend.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
The Chinese pictograph for the word ‘busy’ is composed of two characters: ‘heart’ and ‘killing’
i just love this man. look at his photograph. that is joy.
Einstein did have a curious mind, and he wasn’t afraid to think differently than other people around him believed.
He dared to think that the speed of light was constant, and that’s why he reasoned that time and distance must therefore be relative! And this was totally contrary to what everyone, including the world’s leading scientists, believed.
Brilliant!
Love and Gratitude
Annie
Einstein’s face makes me a wink ! I love his freedom of thought, his humor and mockery. It reminds me anedocte at the time I was preparing my exams. That day, I wasn’t motivated and very bad mood. At dinner, I found a gift bag on my plate and my father said: “This is so you don’t get lost your motivation.” I opened the gift and I burst out laughing. It wroten on a t-shirt one quote from Einstein who said: “If your difficulties in mathematics you worry, I can assure you mine are still greater.” A good lesson for a state of mind ! Thank you for everything Mr. Einstein! :)
Light & Love,
I agree with you
but that not why I’m here for, I saw in my dream paulo saying:it’s never too late.
It’s very important to me if you wanna hear the whole story
Al – my buddy -
As I have said before ;anyone that can get the entire US Congress to discuss his theory of relativity is to my mind a genius.:)
Just look at him – one can see the inner child within – how mischevious!
I agree with the description of “heroism on command and all the nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism”.
and yes,… true religion is believing in yourself.
Have a nice week end everyone.
Love and beijos
He is SO funny, I had not seen this picture before!! :D
Simplicity Is genius… Thank god for Einstein!!
I also like this quote:
“The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge.”
Love and Kisses
xxoo
This is my favorite quote of Einstein’s!
“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
I enjoyed this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wod0UoOHhvo&feature=related
Thankyou Paulo, love to all,
Jane xo
What if one arrived at age 18 with no prejudice? Seriously. What then?
I love the whole post, but several phrases are really touching. Like the infinity of stupidity, and I love best the last phrase, ”You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
He knew why he said so. He really had courage and inspiration, but what a pity others used his invention to kill lot of people( the atomic bomb).
Just noticed that the last phrase, is maybe similar to that of abbot Burkhard Ellegast, when he said” Do it differentely”….
ALSO: “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”… Albert Einstein
This is one of my favourites sentences. :-)
Kisses from Barcelona,
Miriam
“…one of the strongest motives that lead men to art and science is escape from everyday life with its painful crudity and hopeless dreariness, from the fetters of one’s own ever-shifting desires. A finely tempered nature longs to escape from the personal life into the world of objective perception and thought.”
“The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge.”
Simply great
KISSES FROM BRASILIA, BRAZIL.
DEN ROD
Next Comments →