all streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. humility gives it its power. if you want to govern the people, you must place yourself… - Laozi

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all streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. humility gives it its power. if you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. if you want to lead the people, you must learn how to follow them.

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About Laozi

老子 Lǎozi (c. 6th – 5th century BC) was a Chinese monist philosopher; also called Lao Zi, Lao Tzu, Lao Tse, or Lao Tze. The Tao Te Ching (道德經, Pinyin: Dào Dé Jīng, or Dao De Jing) represents the sole document generally attributed to Laozi.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Ancient Boy Ancient Master Old Boy Old Lord Old Master Sage Ancestor Venerable Master Hsuan Yuan Huang Ti Hsuan Yuan Huang-ti Hsuan-yuan Huang-ti Lao Chun Lao Chun Tzu Lao Chun-tzu Lao Dan Lao Jun Lao Jun Zi Lao Junzi Lao Kiune Lao Tan Lao Tse Lao Tsee Lao Tseu Lao Tsu Lao Tze Lao Tzse Lao Tzu Lao Tzŭ Lao zi Lao ʒze Lao-chene-tsee Lao-chun Lao-chun-tzu Lao-kiune Lao-tan Lao-tse Lao-tsee Lao-tsu Lao-tze Lao-tzse Lao-tzu Lao-tzŭ Lao-ʒze Laochun Laocius Laodan Laojun Laojunzi Laotan Laotse Laotsee Laotsu Laotze Laotzse Laotzu Laotzŭ Li Boyang Li Dan Li Er Li Erh Li Po-yang Li Tan Lâo ʒze Lâo-ʒze Sheng Tsu Kao Shang Ta Tao Chin Ch'ueh Hsuan Yuan T'ien Huang Ta Ti Sheng Tsu Kao Shang Ta Tao Chin Ch'üeh Hsüan Yüan T'ien Huang Ta Ti Sheng Tsu Kao Shang Ta Tao Chin Chueh Hsuan Yuan Tien Huang Ta Ti Sheng Tsu Kao Shang Ta Tao Chin Chüeh Hsüan Yüan Tien Huang Ta Ti Sheng Tsu Ta Tao Hsuan Yuan Huang Ti Sheng Tsu Ta Tao Hsuan Yuan Huang-ti Sheng Tsu Ta Tao Hsüan Yüan Huang Ti Sheng Tsu Ta Tao Hsüan Yüan Huang-ti Sheng-tsu Sheng-tsu Kao Shang Ta-tao Chin-ch'ueh Hsuan Yuan T'ien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao Shang Ta-tao Chin-ch'üeh Hsüan Yüan T'ien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao Shang Ta-tao Chin-chueh Hsuan Yuan Tien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao Shang Ta-tao Chin-chüeh Hsüan Yüan Tien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao-shang Ta-tao Chin-ch'ueh Hsuan-yuan T'ien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao-shang Ta-tao Chin-ch'üeh Hsüan-yüan T'ien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao-shang Ta-tao Chin-chueh Hsuan-yuan Tien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Kao-shang Ta-tao Chin-chüeh Hsüan-yüan Tien-huang Ta-ti Sheng-tsu Ta-tao Hsuan Yuan Huang-ti Sheng-tsu Ta-tao Hsuan-yuan Huang-ti Sheng-tsu Ta-tao Hsüan Yüan Huang-ti Sheng-tsu Ta-tao Hsüan-yüan Huang-ti Shengzu Shengzu Dadao Xuan Yuan Huangdi Shengzu Dadao Xuanyuan Huangdi Shengzu Gao Shang Dadao Jinque Xuan Yuan Tianhuang Dadi Shengzu Gaoshang Dadao Jinque Xuanyuan Tianhuang Dadi T'ai Shang Hsüen Yüan Huang Ti T'ai Shang Hsüen Yüan Huang-ti T'ai-shang Hsuan Yuan Huang-ti T'ai-shang Hsuan-yuan Huang-ti T'ai-shang Hsüen Yüan Huang-ti T'ai-shang Hsüen-yüan Huang-ti Tai Shang Hsuan Yuan Huang Ti Tai Shang Hsuan Yuan Huang-ti Tai Shang Hsüen Yüan Huang Ti Tai Shang Hsüen Yüan Huang-ti Tai-shang Hsuan Yuan Huang-ti Tai-shang Hsuan-yuan Huang-ti Tai-shang Hsüen Yüan Huang-ti Tai-shang Hsüen-yüan Huang-ti Taishang Xuan Yuan Huangdi Taishang Xuanyuan Huangdi Xuan Yuan Huangdi Xuanyuan Huangdi
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Shorter versions of this quote

If you want to lead them you must place yourself behind them.

Additional quotes by Laozi

Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.

Rushing into action, you fail.
Trying to grasp things, you lose them.
Forcing a project to completion,
you ruin what was almost ripe.

Therefore the Master takes action
by letting things take their course.
He remains as calm at the end
as at the beginning.
He has nothing,
thus has nothing to lose.
What he desires is non-desire;
what he learns is to unlearn.
He simply reminds people
of who they have always been.
He cares about nothing but the Tao.
Thus he can care for all things.

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Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time,' is like saying, 'I don't want to.

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