The Quote
“Make the most of the best and the least of the worst”
Robert Luis Stevenson, 1850-1894, Scottish writer and poet
VOCABULARY
To make the most of something means to get as many advantages and to extract as many benefits as possible out of an opportunity.
The least – the minimum possible of something
Thoughts on the Quote
A common analogy we use in English, is that when a person looks at a glass filled 50% with water there are two types of people; those that say the glass is half full, and those that say the glass is half empty. In other words, society consists of optimists and pessimists. Evidently, author of the quote, Robert Luis Stevenson, was a ‘glass half full’ kind of guy.
The quote is encouraging us towards optimism by telling us to extract as much as possible out of the best experiences in life and not to dwell on the worst. This sounds simple and logical, but we probably all know someone who seems incapable of completely enjoying anything (even fabulous experiences and special moments) without complaining about something and when times are hard they appear to revel in the gloominess of life.
Stevenson’s quote means that although there are always ups and downs in life, we will ultimately be happier if we accentuate the positive things and in turn, accept and minimize the negative.
Are you a person who sees the glass as half full, or half empty?
Do you know any people who live their lives according to Stevenson’s quote?
What are some strategies for making the most of the best and the least of the worst?
