Epigrams by Leonardo Da Vinci

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgement will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.

Experience does not err. Only your judgements err by expecting from her what is not in her power.

He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards the ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast.

It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.

Marriage is like putting your hand into a bag of snakes in the hope of pulling out an eel.

Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory.

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.

While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.

You do ill if you praise, but worse if you censure, what you do not understand.

He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year.

One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.

Shun those studies in which the work that results dies with the worker.

As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.

How to WIN Lottery

Harry has slogged for a large part of his life to support his family. He already holds a full-time job and takes on 2 part-time jobs to supplement his income. Still, he only earns enough to put food on the table for his family of 6. His parents needs money for medication, his daughter needs new shoes for school and his son will be starting high school soon. He needs money, in fact, Harry needs a small windfall.

He concluded that the only possible move is to win the lottery. Being a religious man, he prays daily to God. But this time round, he wants to be more specific in his prayers and prayed to win the lottery.

“Dear God, I really need the money for my family. There’s no need to strike 1st prize, a small windfall will do. I will use the money wisely. Please let me win!”

He prayed hard everyday. Nothing happened for a week, and the same thing on the 2nd week. Then, he heard news that his neighbour won 1st prize the previous week!

“Dear God, I hope you are hearing my pleads. My parents really need the money for their medication. I can’t bear to see them suffer. Please let me win!”

The next day, his colleague won 1st prize and treated the office to dinner.

“Dear God, I know you are a busy man. My son is entering high school soon and I can’t afford his tuition fees and books. I can’t let my daughter wear those shoes anymore. Please let me win!”

Suddenly, the ground beneath him starts to shake and a loud booming voice came down from above.

“You idiot! How can I let you win when you don’t even buy a ticket??”

There are many things in life we want and pray daily for, but we never realize we need to take the first step, we need to “buy a ticket”! No one, not even God, can help if you do not first create the circumstance to make it possible to achieve your dreams in the first place.

So go! “Get your ticket” now!