5 quotes from Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) was one of the most important philosophers of his time. In fact, his works are the most difficult for researchers to interpret since Hegel tried to cover as many topics as possible. But, in addition to his studies, this philosopher left us some phrases that are a good invitation for reflection. Therefore, today we will discover 5 phrases by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel that, perhaps, are familiar to us.

Before we must not forget to mention that Hegel is considered the representative of philosophical idealism. Among his most notable works are the Science of Logic, Phenomenology of the spirit , Lessons on the philosophy of subjective spirit, Philosophy of law and the Encyclopedia of philosophical sciences. Now, let’s discover the phrases of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

1. Only the brave make mistakes

It is likely that we have read the first of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s sentences on several occasions; Making mistakes, unfortunately, is still something frowned upon by today’s society. The fear of making a mistake, of screwing up, seems to be intolerable.. However, that is when we learn the most.

The General Council of Psychology of Spain (COP) states that “fear is not an immobile emotional state“, but HE It feeds on feared stimuli, anticipation, self-critical thoughts, the vicious circle caused by negative experiences, the habit of ruminating about what happened… How can we get out of these tendencies, which usually give rise to circles that we go through over and over again? Having the courage to make mistakes.

2. Calm always wins

This second of Hegel’s phrases allows us to reflect on the importance of learning to better manage our emotions, especially those that are related to anger or rage. These urge us to act without thinking about the consequenceswhich increases the probability that we will end up regretting it.

Without calm, as this philosopher indicates, it will be difficult to defeat the enemies, since we will lose control and, therefore, all possibility of victory. Meditate, practice mindfulness or doing yoga are activities that can help us improve our emotional management. Although, of course, also ask for professional help.

3. To go far, you need passion

In this third of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s phrases passion is addressed. That enthusiasm that urges us to set goals that we really want to achieve. Despite the criticism, the “you’re making a mistake” or “that’s not going to get you anywhere”, Passion is like an engine that urges us to continue, even if there are difficulties.

Is only passion necessary? No, discipline is also essential to carry out projects, ideas, undertakings… But passion is the answer to the question that may arise on more than one occasion: ““What am I doing this for?”. If there is enthusiasm for what is being done, we will have no problems answering this question.

4. The difficult decision of choosing

This fourth of Hegel’s phrases invites us to a very special reflection on decision-making. All of us know what good and evil are, so choosing between these two options is not difficult. Whether we choose one or the other, we know what can happen next. However, What if the decision is between good and good?

When we choose between good and good, here the terrible fear of making mistakes arises again. Since both options are feasible, the insecurity is greater. It is true that it is an important decision and this is when we have to be braver. Analyzing all the alternatives can help us choose well. But what happens if we are wrong? Absolutely nothing, because we will have learned.

5. Wanting everything leaves us with nothing

This last of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s phrases talks about greed and the desire to want everything. If we always want everything, in reality, we are not defining what our objective is. As a consequence, this will get us nowhere, since we don’t know what we want. Will we achieve anything? The answer is no”.

Although, perhaps we should ask ourselves an essential question, “what do we want?” The answer will give us an idea of ​​where to go, what decisions to make, where to focus… Because wanting everything, sometimes, is synonymous with emptiness.

Did you know Hegel? Do you recognize any of these phrases? All of them invite you to look a little inside yourself to reflect on different aspects of yourself that perhaps need polishing. In the bibliography you can find the mentioned works so you can take a look at them. Enjoy them!

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