A new survey polled people on various proverbs and aphorisms to see which they actually agreed with.
Most agreed-upon proverbs included:
“Actions speak louder than words” (92 percent agreement, one percent disagreement)
“Honesty is the best policy” (82 percent agree, four percent disagree)
“Never judge a book by its cover” (81 percent agree, five percent disagree)
I agree that these three proverbs are true most of the time.
The proverbs people disagreed with most included:
“If you can’t beat them, join them” (49 percent disagree, 23 percent agree)
“The customer is always right” (47 percent disagree, 31 percent agree)
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” (43 percent disagree, 37 percent agree)
I also disagree with these three proverbs most of the time.
I especially hate “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I think some people possess a fixed mindset as young people and can rarely be taught new tricks, and some develop that mindset as they grow older and suffer a similar fate, but I think a substantial number of people continue learning, evolving, and developing regardless of how old they get.
Respondents were split on:
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
I think this proverb is ridiculous. While it may be true for some people, in certain circumstances, it’s certainly not the case most of the time for most people.
And this is coming from me, for whom this proverb is probably true more often than for most. Unfounded criticism, insults, and similar cruelty tend to impact me far less than most people, but even I recognize the insidious nature of name-calling and the like.
I wish it were true for all people in all circumstances, but it’s not.
Broken bones are often forgotten. They heal.
But name-calling, insults, and cruelty are often remembered for a long, long time.
Men and women often favored different proverbs.
Women were considerably more likely to agree with:
“Cheaters never prosper.”
“Good things come to those who wait.”
Men were more likely to agree with:
“Nice guys finish last.”
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
“Fortune favors the bold.”
The difference between these two lists says everything about the differences between men and women and explains why female-led corporations have higher average profitability metrics and better stock price resilience over time.
However, of all the proverbs on the list, my favorite, and one that I say constantly, is “Fortune favors the bold.” I say this to my risk-averse students — children and adults — who miss out on opportunities because of their hesitancy, fear, and nervousness.
Everyone is nervous. Everyone is scared. Everyone is worried about failing.
Those who succeed acknowledge these truths and step forward anyway.
Fortune really does favor the bold.
A few others I like a lot include:
“We do not see things as they are; we see them as we are.”
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
“Tell me the facts, and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth, and I’ll believe. But tell me a story, and it will live in my heart forever.”
“Relationships move at the speed of vulnerability.”
My own proverbs (not yet universally known but still damn good) include:
“Boring is a failure of attention, not circumstance.”
“A story is just a moment plus meaning.”
“The most important audience you will ever have is yourself.”
