Nicolau Machiavelli is known as an important philosopher and his figure is often framed in the Italian Renaissance, he was also a well-known diplomat, official and writer. Throughout this article, we will discover some phrases by Nicolau Machiavelli that will allow us to approach your way of thinking to get to know it better.
If you have never read anything about him, we recommend his book The Prince, a treatise on political doctrine published years after the philosopher’s death. If you like the politics and perspective that philosophy can bring, no doubt this book written by Machiavelli, considered the father of modern political science, will be a real delight.
“Nothing big has ever been achieved without danger. “
This first sentence of Nicolau Maquiavel allows us to reflect on the fear that sometimes prevents us from acting to achieve certain goals or objectives, we are talking about a fear that causes paralysis and, as a result, few people are able to achieve what they have. in mind.
Therefore, Machiavelli reminds us that in the big events there has always been a risk, a risk that he calls danger and, therefore, requires an exercise of courage and perseverance, if there are difficulties, it will allow us to grow and learn. down the road.
“Not many people see who we are, but everyone sees who we are. “
This idea is extremely important because, in many cases, we are not aware that, to improve the image we project, we wear a mask, is it not true that we do not behave in the same way with our brothers and our boss at work?Why do people think we are shy and withdrawn when with those with whom we have a relationship of trust, we will never hear these characteristics?
Sometimes we get frustrated because we can’t get the people around us to see us as we are. It’s hard. Our parents and brothers have lived with us since we were children, they knew us in our good and bad times, but what about the others?Perhaps much of this misunderstanding is a consequence of masks.
“It is better to act and repent than not to act and repent. “
This third sentence by Nicolau Machiavelli deals with a very important topic that allows us to talk again about the fear we mentioned earlier, that fear that reigns in our lives and prevents us from doing what we want.
If we look at the limits we put from a different perspective, we would find that we can overcome them without any problem. They exist only in our minds and are much more harmful than any physical limitation we may have.
“This excessive confidence doesn’t make you naive, and this exaggerated confidence doesn’t make you intolerable. “
Who never realized he’d ever gone to the extreme?When we rely too much on someone, it can prevent us from seeing that the person is trying to manipulate us to achieve their own goals.
At the same time, as Machiavelli observes, over-trusting someone is also not good, because the disappointments we may face when we meet people who have that profile that we define can take us to the other extreme: that of intolerance.
“A change always leaves the way open to others. “
This last sentence by Nicolau Machiavelli speaks of the changes and their importance. Right now, we tend to fear change, believing that what is already known is better than what is to come, precisely because of the uncertainty surrounding the future.
However, whenever there is a change, there is an openness for others to happen, which despite the uncertainty they can create, are necessary. Even the changes in ourselves are essential.
We hope that all these phrases by Nicolau Machiavelli have allowed him not only to reflect, but also to approach the way of thinking of this philosopher, if you want to delve into this topic we recommend the book O Pr’ncipe, which we mentioned in the beginning, or one of the documents that we will leave in the bibliography of this article.