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“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” — Napoleon
Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was a famous French military and political leader who became the first Emperor of France in 1804. He is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history and the many snappy quotes he has left us reveal the intensity of his focus. Although many of his memorable sayings refer to the affairs of the battlefield, they can just as easily be applied as maxims to everyday life.
Napoleon’s vision was grand, if perhaps megalomaniacal – and he is considered by many to be a “flawed genius”. Conquest was his game – and at the peak of his career he had won the great majority of his 60 battles and controlled much of continental Europe. His military campaigns and strategies are still studied to this day – however it is worth noting that his defeat at Waterloo in 1815 was total, and his people turned against him, forcing him into exile.
This quote speaks for itself, essentially stating that fortune favors the one who seizes the moment. And so often it is so true. We hesitate “because we want to move when the timing is perfect” but this in itself suggests weakness. Instead, he believed it better simply to begin – and then rise to the occasion.
The quote is thus really a statement on avoidance strategies – subconscious “excuses” the mind makes to delay the feared moment of action. Deciding that the time is NOW and taking action appropriately will cut through all that mental chatter. Allons y!
