Jerry Weinberg finds wisdom in Japanese proverbs in this post on the AYE blog.
If I were to give advice to a young professional starting out in the world, I could do no better than quote three Japanese proverbs:
We learn little from victory, much from defeat.
So, do not think in terms of Win or Lose, because you cannot always win.
Think instead of Learn, for Win or Lose, you can always learn.
Even a thief takes ten years to learn his trade.
There is no quick road to success. Be prepared to persist through some hard times, and you will outlast your competitors who burn themselves out with too quick a start.
If you believe everything you read, better not read.
Take my books, and the books of others, as if they were tempting meals.
Taste everything, but swallow only what tastes right to you.
