Timeless wisdom shared

What did Eleanor Roosevelt mean by that? Famous phrases explained

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams": iconic quotes like this inspire us, and "Well done is better than well said" captures an important life lesson. If we keep these words in mind more often, life might be a little easier. Here are 10 famous phrases by remarkable people and what they really mean.

Chores and work pile up for everyone, and the beginning is often the hardest part. But once you do, even with just one tiny task, that’s enough to get you going. Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) was an aeronautical engineer, astronaut, and the first human to set foot on the moon as commander of the Apollo 11 mission.

Spoken on July 20, 1969, these words marked the crowning moment of the U.S. space program during the Cold War. The phrase contrasts the literal step Armstrong was taking with the broader achievement it represented for humanity.

Sometimes we want to motivate others and even ourselves to "think different", as Apple once said, and no one embodied that better than Steven Paul Jobs, more popularly known as Steve Jobs (1955-2011).

He was an influential entrepreneur, industrial designer, and media mogul who co-founded and was the CEO of Apple. Jobs delivered this iconic line during Stanford University’s commencement speech in 2005. Essentially, it is a call to maintain an insatiable curiosity and desire to learn ("stay hungry") and an openness to risks and unconventional ideas without focusing on the possibility of failure ("stay foolish").

How many times have you had a rough day or been through something that made you feel like giving up? This famous quote by Dr. Marguerite Annie Johnson, better known as Maya Angelou (1928-2014), reminds us that true defeat comes when we give up and that resilience helps us get up after every fall. In other words, success isn’t about avoiding failure but about refusing to let it break you.

She was an internationally acclaimed writer, poet, singer, and civil rights activist. She published seven memoirs, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), three books of essays, and several collections of poetry.

Just when we can feel like we are a walking paradox, words have the unique ability to connect opposites. Muhammad Ali (1942-2016) was an American boxer, activist, and one of the most influential sportsmen of the 20th century. He is widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time and was also known for his poetic flair.

This famous quote brings together his love for language and legendary fighting style. It describes how he moved effortlessly around the ring before delivering his sharp knockout blows.

You’ve probably faced moments of doubt in your life, a trip that seemed impossible to take, or a job that felt out of reach. But there comes a point when we must remember the things we dare to imagine are the blueprints for where we are headed.

That’s exactly what Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) meant by this phrase. The former U.S. First Lady, tireless civil rights advocate, and U.S. delegate to the United Nations was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. She didn’t just write these words; she lived by them. This quote reflects her belief that ordinary people can make a difference if they dare to dream and have the perseverance to act.

Sometimes the most important ideas sound the simplest, but they were once said by people who were so different from the rest that they made difficult ideas seem easy. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was one of these people. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, as well as a politician, scientist, and American inventor.

Franklin’s maxim, published in his Poor Richard’s Almanack (1737), means that taking action and achieving concrete results is much more important than merely talking about things without getting anywhere. Ultimately, it is the 18th-century equivalent of "Actions speak louder than words."

Topics such as foreign policy can seem distant and complex, but Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), an American politician who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909, and vice president in the preceding term, made the idea easier to understand and applicable to everyday life.

This phrase, often cited as a proverb, was popularized by Roosevelt in reference to foreign policy. It means that one should negotiate peacefully and respectfully ("speak softly"), while sustaining a constant and credible threat of power in reserve ("carry a big stick") to back up one’s words.

How often are we afraid to go after what we want? And when we finally do, how many of us are strong enough to keep going and face the challenges ahead? Amelia Earhart (born in 1897, missing since 1937, and declared dead in 1939) was a pioneer in American aviation, having been the first woman to cross the Atlantic nonstop and alone, and the person who said these words.

They remind us that the mental hurdle of starting something new and facing one's fears is often the hardest step. Once you commit, however, overcoming the obstacles that will arise requires determination and endurance.

At times, the most obvious truths are the hardest to explain, but not for Hillary Clinton (born in 1947). She has had an internationally acclaimed career spanning roles as a politician, diplomat, lawyer, and philanthropist. She was the 67th United States Secretary of State, served in the United States Senate, and ran for president in 2008 and 2016.

Her quote was delivered in 1995, when she was First Lady, at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, in Beijing, China. This iconic statement dismantles the excuse that women’s issues are either cultural or secondary, and instead establishes that protecting women is an essential component of universal human rights.

Another issue that often appears to be complex is the structure of government, but another great American politician, Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), who was a lawyer and served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865, helped us understand it better.

Lincoln spoke these words in 1863 during the Gettysburg Address, which is considered one of the clearest definitions of American democracy: power derives from the consent of the governed (the people); it is exercised by their representatives (by the people); and it exists there to serve the public welfare (for the people).

Unique ceremonies

Discover 10 of the weirdest traditions from around the world!

Image: Dan Parlante

When you think about it, traditions are a truly unique breed, aren’t they? After all, they come in all shapes and sizes, from a small family tradition involving a special breakfast treat to an annual activity shared by an entire community. In that sense, some traditions around the world may seem downright strange to a keen observer. That’s why we’ve decided to highlight 10 of the weirdest traditions from all over the world for your enjoyment. Keep reading and have fun!

Image: Vantha Thang

It’s no secret that Canada is a cold country, and Yukon is definitely one of the coldest regions, with temperatures reaching -81°F in winter. While these harsh temperatures can certainly be challenging, that doesn’t mean residents can’t find fun things to do in the cold. Locals have a unique tradition that involves dipping their heads into the waters of hot springs and waiting for the cold air to freeze them in place, leaving behind some fun icicles in the process.

Image: Katrin Leinfellner

You might have some fond childhood memories of rolling down a hill, surely in a safe and controlled environment. However, "Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake," an event held in Gloucester, England, is nothing like those childhood tumbles. For starters, there’s a concrete reward for whoever reaches the bottom of the 200-yard-long hill first: a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese, which is rolled downhill in front of all participants who chase after it. This beloved tradition has been held in Gloucester since at least the 19th century.

Image: Jonathan Gensicke

Every year, the city of Lopburi, Thailand, organizes a thank-you banquet for some of its most unique residents: the thousands of monkeys that dwell there. Lopburi is famous for its monkey population, which has adapted to city life and is regularly fed by the locals. However, once a year, during an event known as the Monkey Buffet Festival, people offer fruits and vegetables to the city’s monkeys.

Image: CHUTTERSNAP

When you think about it, weddings involve a fair share of weird traditions: from wearing something blue to tossing a bouquet to an excited crowd, newlyweds have to go through an extremely unique checklist. In that sense, the German tradition of Polterabend, while definitely unique, doesn’t seem all that out of place. In this tradition, wedding guests break porcelain to bring the new couple good luck in their marriage. Polterabend is based on an old German adage, "Scherben bringen Glück," which translates to "Shards bring luck."

Image: philippe collard

All Americans have fond memories of carving a Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween: after all, this holiday is characterized by the scary, creepy, or even goofy faces we carve on our pumpkins. In that sense, the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, holds an annual event every December 23rd known as Noche de Rábanos, which is Spanish for "Night of the Turnips." On this holiday, thousands of people carve intricate and detailed scenes into overgrown turnips, with the most creative carvings competing for several prizes.

Image: Imad 786

Scrambled eggs are a fun, nutritious, and delicious way to start your day, and in the lovely Bosnian town of Zenica, they have a special significance. On the celebration known as Cimburijada, which loosely translates to "Festival of Scrambled Eggs," residents of Zenica gather to enjoy a communal meal of, of course, scrambled eggs. This celebration is held on the first day of spring, making it a wonderful way to welcome the warm season.

Image: Pixabay

As we mentioned before, weddings often involve some rather quirky traditions, but Denmark takes it a step further. If you’re Danish and happen to be unmarried by the time you turn 25, be prepared for your friends and family to throw cinnamon at you. Not only that, if you turn 30 and are still unmarried, you might find yourself covered in another type of spice: black pepper.

Image: Immo Wegmann

Let’s take a quick break to pay homage to a staple of '80s TV shows and movies: the food fight. We could mention countless examples of iconic scenes in which unidentified scoops of food go flying into the faces of joyous teenagers, while someone excitedly yells, "Food fight!" to the crowd. With that in mind, we’d like to highlight some massive, real-life food fights that happen all around the world. For starters, we have La Tomatina, a festival held in Buñol, Spain, where attendees hurl tomatoes at each other. Another example takes place in Ivrea, Italy, during Carnival, where thousands of people enjoy hurling oranges at anyone in sight.

Image: Tyler Donaghy

Up until now, we’ve been focusing on weird customs from abroad, but the truth is that we Americans have our fair share of quirky traditions. One of them is even broadcast from the steps of the White House. The Presidential Turkey Pardon has been a staple of every administration since George H. W. Bush issued the first ceremonial "pardon" in 1989. The pardoned turkeys are then sent to live out their remaining years on a farm or at a petting zoo.

Image: Steve Wrzeszczynski

We’ll end this article with what is probably the weirdest tradition we could find. Groundhog Day is a truly unique celebration that takes place in the United States and Canada on February 2nd, a tradition that dates back to the first European settlers in both countries. The basis of this tradition is an old superstition that states if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, winter will last for six more weeks. The most famous Groundhog Day celebration in America is held in Punxsutawney, a borough in western Pennsylvania, and revolves around a famous groundhog known as "Punxsutawney Phil."