“The great art of life is to play for a long time, but to play for a small stake.”
What this quote means
De Quincey compares life to a game where the key is to last, not to win big. This resonates in a world that values risk-taking and quick gains. The wisdom here is to prioritize sustainability and moderation over excessive boldness. In life, it applies to managing our resources – time, energy, money – to avoid burnout and catastrophic losses. It's a call for balance and prudence.
How to apply it daily
Choose an area where you're taking too many risks (financial, professional) and reduce your stake to ensure longevity.
Continue
Related quotes
Same author or same theme — keep reading.
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”Create visual
“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”Create visual
“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”Create visual
“To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it.”Create visual
“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”Create visual
“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.”Create visual
More quotes by Thomas De Quincey
“If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.”Create visual
“Books, we know, are a substantial world, both in themselves and in their relations.”Create visual