Albert Einstein was a German physicist and genius who created the world famous equation “e=mc2” which helped to unlock some of the mysteries of the universe. He was responsible for developing the theory of relativity in modern physics. His many papers and works published during his lifetime on both scientific and non-scientific subjects have earned him the title of genius and he certainly had some wise guidance to offer on many aspects of life. Here are some of the most inspirational Albert Einstein quotes.
Imagination
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany. Even as a child he displayed a remarkable curiosity for science. He also developed a passion for playing the piano and the violin which followed him into adulthood.
It was in 1905 while working as a patent clerk in Bern, Switzerland that he obtained his Doctorate degree and published several research papers, one of which, the Special Theory of Relativity was to set him on the road to discovery and fame
Ten years later Einstein was to complete his General Theory of Relativity and in 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Insanity
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
This is a great quote and bizarrely enough it is something many of us do. It may be that we go from one relationship to another always ending up in the same situation as before by not learning from out past mistakes.
Or we expect to receive better fitness results but we don’t change our exercise routine so we end up feeling like we are perpetually knocking our head against a brick wall.
This quote is telling us that if we are doing something and it is not getting the desired results, then clearly we need to change our approach.
Inaction
The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.
Inaction is the reason why many bad things continue to happen in the world. If good people don’t stand up and fight against evil, then what hope do we have?
This quote is saying that it’s not so much about people committing a heinous crime which is the problem, as it is about the people who stand by and let it happen.
Einstein himself was a passionate humanitarian who spoke out on many global issues.
Think outside of the box
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
This is a very valid piece of advice. If we approach our problems with the same mindset we had when we created them, we are not going to get very far. We need to learn, discover and understand and view things from a different perspective if we are going to solve our problems.
If you cannot get out of your old mindset and you need to address a particular problem, ask a friend to give the issue some new perspective. You will be surprised at what a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ can achieve.
This quote was the original ‘think outside of the box’ advice.
Carry on
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.
If you find that somebody is projecting their own fears onto you about what you can and cannot achieve in life, then this is a good quote to remember.
All the greatest thinkers, artists, and achievers in the world have come up against opposition of some kind. If you believe in yourself and your dreams, then carry on. You will get there in the end.
Look at the facts
A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.
From Einstein’s perspective we can see that this quote makes a lot of sense, especially when it comes to scientific research and discovery. But what about when this guidance is applied to our own everyday lives?
Sometimes in life we are so busy focusing on what we think the outcome should be that we can miss out on valuable insights and experiences; we can be blinded by what we want to believe.
Einstein is instructing us to look at the facts and see things for what they really are, not what we think they should be.
Make other people’s lives better
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.
We can all get stuck in the rut of believing that material trappings and accomplishments are the most important things in life, but leading a truly valuable life is the one where we live our lives making other people’s lives better, by adding value and being of service to others in some way.
The only source of knowledge is experience.
Although the things we are taught at school and learn at college are all worthwhile, the real knowledge comes once we apply what we have learnt. We can only truly have knowledge of something through experience, by putting what we have learnt into practice and learning from it.
It’s a bit like driving a car, what we learn during driving lessons is how to pass the driving exam, it’s only once we start driving in the real world that we really learn how to drive.
Control your anger
Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools.
We all get angry at times; the trick is not to hang on to it. It is a negative emotion which can literally eat us alive and cloud our judgment. Einstein was aware of this and recognizes the destructive element of holding onto anger with this quote.
Imagination
Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.
It is not really any surprise that one of the greatest minds that has ever lived is a great proponent of using the imagination. After all, this is exactly what Einstein did.
This does not mean that he dreamed up unworkable theories, but that he saw something in his mind, and manifested it into being. Just in the same way that other great people did, such as Leonardo Da Vinci with his paintings and designs. They all started with the imagination.
Everything is a miracle
There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.
And let’s face it, everything is a miracle. The fact that we are alive each day is a miracle. If we can find the wonder in mundane everyday things, the quality of our lives would be so much better. We can chose to see everything from a negative viewpoint, or live life always full of wonder, just like Einstein did.
Peace
Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.
This is as true on the world stage as it is in our personal lives. We cannot force resolutions or people to see things from our viewpoint; we can only open ourselves up so that people might understand who we are and what we do. Peace can never be kept by force; it’s about understanding and compassion.
Weakness
Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.
A poor attitude can affect all areas of our life. If we have a negative or laissez faire attitude about the way we treat ourselves or others or about life in general, it can lead to a weak character.
A strong positive mental attitude is an invaluable tool to help us through the ups and downs of life, strength of mind and heart is the most powerful weapon we have.
Limits
Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.
We all need to be realistic about what we can achieve and our skill sets, but once we have accepted our limits, there is no reason why we cannot push them forward so that we always have something to aim for.
We can make our limits work for us in the best possible way, by always pushing forward. Once we identify our limitations without judgment or shame then we have the opportunity to propel ourselves forward and redefine what’s possible.
Albert Einstein passed away on April 18, 1955. His legacy to the world was huge. You can see the practical applications of Einstein’s theories in the development of many appliances today from DVD players to laser beams to computer chips to name just a few.
I leave you with one final quote:
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
Tell us, do you have your own favorite Albert Einstein quotes?
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