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The 20 Best Friedrich Nietzsche Quotes That Apply to Business

Freidrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche was a philosopher, philologist, poet, composer, and cultural critic who was born in Prussia in 1844. His work has had a profound influence on modern intellectual history, and he is known for favoring perspectivism over truth. He is also known for developing influential concepts such as Ubenmensch and the doctrine of eternal return. According to Wikipedia, Nietzsche died in 1900 after a long period of ill health. Although he is dead, he remains influential to the philosophers of today, and his words are considered inspirational and motivational. Here are the 20 best Friedrich Nietzsche quotes that apply to business.

20. On Supporting Your Team

“One repays a teacher badly if one remains nothing but a pupil.”

If you have had the good fortune of having someone who has taught you well in life, then you should repay this by teaching others. In business, you should pass on your knowledge, skills, and expertise to your team. This will equip them to do their jobs better and make them feel valued and empowered.

19. On Aiming for Greater Things

“I know of no better purpose in life than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible.”

An interesting Friedrich quote that applies to business and is listed on Everyday Power is this one. If you want to become successful in life, then you need to aim high. Setting your goals at the same level as everyone else will mean that you only achieve moderate success. Aim for things that push you to your limits.

18. On Drawing Positives from the Negatives

“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.”

Everyone will go through negative experiences in their life, both personally and professionally. During these times, things may seem hard. However, you must draw some positives from the experiences so that you can overcome them and move forwards. Although it may not feel like it at the time, negative experiences can make you stronger, and they are a useful way of learning how to do things better the next time.

17. On Considering Different Perspectives

“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.”

A blinkered approach where you do not consider other views or options can limit your chances for success. It is important that you can consider different views or perspectives as this will widen your options and increase your chances of success.

16. On Riding the Highs and Lows of Business

“Extreme positions are not succeeded by moderate ones, but by contrary extreme positions.”

When you go into business, you can expect your business journey to have both highs and lows. It is almost impossible to avoid having some low points, but this balances out the good times. When you are going through a rough patch in your business, use it as a learning curve so that good times will follow.

15. On Using Your Mistakes as a Learning Process

“When one has finished building one’s house, one suddenly realizes that in the process once has learned something that one really needed to know in the worst way- before one began.”

Nobody can go through life without making mistakes. It is part of the human condition, and it is how we learn to do things better. When you make mistakes in your business, think about it as a positive rather than a negative. It will help you learn how not to do things and you will think about ways that you can improve the way you do things in the future.

14. On Finding a Positive in Every Day

“We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.”

Running a business or working in a leadership position is often a hard ride. You have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, and you must work hard all the time. One thing that will get you through is a positive outlook. Try not to focus on the negatives too much, such as what went wrong, what you are worried about for the next day or the fact that you are tired. Instead, try to end the day by looking back at the positives. Think about what went well, the progress that you have made, the problems that you have overcome, or even something funny that someone told you. This will help you to remain positive and stay motivated.

13. On Getting the Work-Life Balance Right

“In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play.”

Everyone needs to have some fun or the chance to relax away from work. A common mistake that business people make is to think they can only become successful if they devote every waking hour to their business. This is not true and it can even have a detrimental effect on your chances of business success. Getting the work-life balance right is essential You must make sure that you have time away from work for fun and relaxation. Getting enough rest is important for you to focus during the working day, and having fun will help you to maintain your mental wellbeing. In turn, you will function better at works in terms of efficiency, focus, and productivity.

12. On the Ongoing Process of Learning

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.”

This Friedrich Nietzsche quote is listed by Brainy Quote. Every person in business wants all the tools for success straight away. Unfortunately, there is a learning curve that you must go through first. You need to gain experience in your business before you will become fully equipped for success.

11. On Learning from Your Experiences

“The doer alone learneth.”

There are many ways to learn, and one of the most important of these is through experience. Academic learning is a good starting point, but there are some things that you cannot learn until you experience situations for yourself. You must have these experiences, both good and bad, to teach you what you need to know to become a successful businessperson.

10. On Focusing on Your Goals

“Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of their goals.”

Setting goals is a crucial part of becoming successful. Without goals, you are working blindly without trying to reach targets. Goals will keep you on track and will help you make decisions that are purposeful. You should set both short and long-term goals. The long-term goals are where you ultimately want to reach. The short-term goals are stepping stones that will help you reach your long-term goals.

9. On Being Yourself

“What does your conscience say? You should become the person you are.”

No matter how successful you become, you should always remain true to who you are. Do not try to become someone else, simply try to reach your full potential and be the best person you possibly can in life.

8. On Making Changes to Yourself

“The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die. Aa well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be mind.”

The most vital element of your business and your potential for success is you. Therefore, you should make sure that you are the best that you can possibly be. This is not about changing who you are as a person, but about making improvements in your areas of weaknesses. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses is a crucial step in self-improvement. Once you have identified these, then you can use your strengths to your advantage and take steps to improve in your areas of weakness.

7. On Coping with the Critics

“The higher we soar, the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly.”

This Friedrich Nietzsche quote is listed on Goalcast. The more successful a person becomes, the more there is a tendency for people to criticize them. In some cases, this is because of jealously, while in other cases people perceive the steps you have taken to become successful as being wrong. It is vital that you find the strength to ignore the haters and focus on those who have supported you along the way.

6. On Coming Back from Failures

“You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flame. How could you rise anew if you have not first become ashes.”

Experiencing failure does not mean the end of the road. You should not give up on your dreams simply because you failed the first time around. Use your failure as a learning experience. Think about where it went wrong and what you could do differently next time to achieve better outcomes. Pick yourself back up and try again.

5. On Taking Control of Your Destiny

“No one can construct for you the bridge which precisely you must cross the stream of life, no one but you yourself alone.”

The only person who is responsible for what happens in your life is you. If you want to achieve great things, then work out what steps you need to take to get there and then do something about it. Don’t waste your time blaming other people or circumstances for your lack of success. Instead, spend your time focusing on doing what it takes to achieve your dreams.

4. On Taking Risks

“The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously.”

While safety offers comfort and security, the best results in business are often achieved by taking risks. It is best if these are calculated risks where you have thought through the pros and cons of your decision and the potential outcomes. Sometimes you will not know what will happen if you take a risk. However, it is often worth taking a chance.

3. On Finding What Works for You

“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”

In some cases, there is no clear right or wrong way to do something. You just need to find the way that works best for you. This can sometimes mean an element of trial and error is involved in finding the ways that work best.

2. On the Importance of Having a Purpose

“He who has a why to live can bear almost anyhow.”

If you have a purpose in life, then you have something that will keep you motivated and will get you through the tough times. Your business success is a strong purpose, so focus on achieving your goals, and this will help you to keep going. Setting yourself short-term goals in addition to the long-term goals will mean you have small successes along the way, and this will help to motivate you in the long-term.

1. On Gaining Strength from Negative Situations

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

According to Fearless Motivation, this is one of the best Friedrich Nietzsche quotes that apply to business. It is inevitable that you will go through some tough times on your business journey. While these are often unavoidable, they are not necessarily a bad thing. There are lots of positives that can come from negative experiences. First, it will make you a stronger person who is more able to cope with any difficult situations in the future. Also, experiencing a tough time is a chance to reflect on the situation. You can work out what went wrong and what you should do differently so that you achieve better outcomes next time.

Dana Hanson

Written by Dana Hanson

Dana has extensive professional writing experience including technical and report writing, informational articles, persuasive articles, contrast and comparison, grant applications, and advertisement. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic (particularly business and lifestyle), because as a lifelong learner, she loves to do research and possess a high skill level in this area. Her academic degrees include AA social Sci/BA English/MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology.

Read more posts by Dana Hanson

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