Why shouldn't we believe in popular sayings?

Haste is the enemy of perfection. Soft water on hard stone beats until it sticks. Unless you've lived away from society since birth, you've surely heard these and many other phrases with knowledge pills, better known as popular sayings.

These sayings are known as popular not only because everyone is supposed to know them, but because, as we learn from an early age, they are true and contain lessons that we should take to life and follow without a second thought.



But look around and think: what do you think of the world we live in? Do you think that continuing to spin at this frequency will make us get to a better place or do you think it is necessary to question some dogmas and false certainties established in order to direct life to a more advantageous path?

In order to prove that many of these sayings can direct us to a bad place and make our mind operate in a way that prevents our well-being and success, we have prepared a list of sayings that need to be questioned so that we can live in a more harmonious way. . Check out:

Haste is the enemy of perfection

Perfection, as we well know, does not exist. Although this saying has a prudent meaning, which is to do things calmly and without getting in the way, it carries with it another meaning that can be quite bad, which is to never put something in the world, be it an idea, a project or a behavior, because I think it's still not perfect. The truth is that life often requires us to play and take a little risk, without waiting for unattainable perfections.

Why shouldn't we believe in popular sayings?
Karolina Grabowska / Pexels

Soft water on hard stone so much beats until it pierces

Persistence is often a commendable quality, right? Everyone gets excited when they hear about someone who didn't give up, faced adversity and finally managed to overcome everything and conquer what they dreamed of so much. The truth, however, is that life is often too short to waste much of it investing in something that we know has no chance of succeeding, so we need to normalize the idea that it's okay to give up sometimes. Nobody needs to be strong all the time.



Water under the bridge do not move mills

Going over pains, regrets and longing for the past doesn't get us anywhere, but we are only here, in the present, because we dedicated ourselves to it in the past, so yesterday is an inexhaustible source of lessons and learning for us, because it allows us to rethink our postures, our behavior, our actions and the actions of the other with us, helping us to avoid further falls. Not live in the past? OK. Ignore it, however, as if it didn't exist? Not. Past waters no longer move the mill, but they have moved it, so they are still important.

Friends, friends, business aside

This saying is commonly used when there are traces of dishonesty, disloyalty or exploitation in a negotiation or an agreement between friends. Of course, in professional or business environments, both sides need to seek fair situations for themselves, but when acting dishonestly with someone dear, such as a friend, the situation is quite different. It is possible to do business and maintain friendship, loyalty and honesty. Neither business nor friends aside. Commit to both.

Why shouldn't we believe in popular sayings?
fauxels / Pexels

Dog that barks, does not bite

When we see a threat, whether coming from someone or a situation, we usually rely on this saying to justify to ourselves that those who threaten too much don't get to fulfill what they are promising. On the other hand, thinking like that can get us into big trouble. If you feel threatened or see a danger, it doesn't have to make you give up, but use rationality to act with prudence and avoid ignoring dangers that can have serious future consequences.


the early bird catches the worm

There is, in our society, a crystallization of the idea of โ€‹โ€‹meritocracy, that those who try more can achieve more than those who try less, but it is enough to think about two or three situations in your life to realize that it is not quite like that... How many very smart but unsuccessful people do you know? How many fighters who conquered much less than those who were lucky enough to be born into a richer family? Yes, we need to fight for our dreams, but demystifying the idea that we must strive 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Rest is also necessary.


Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are

Think of your friends and family, even your partner. It is possible that some of them have a personality and behavior similar to yours, but are they all just like you? If someone were to analyze the behavior of your friends, what would they say about you? Probably nothing, because we are all individual people, who build their paths in their individuality, not formatting their character by the influence of the people they love.

Why shouldn't we believe in popular sayings?
Helena Lopes / Pexels

Child of fish, little fish is

The idea that we should reproduce our parents' behavior is already rooted in our society and can be quite harmful for some people, especially those who "absorb" some negative traits from their father or mother into their personality. And this is often pushed to us precisely because this idea is defended that if we are children of such a person, we need to act like him, and the truth is that we are free to be and become whoever we want.


Empty mind, devil's workshop

In a society where it is necessary for everyone to spend as much time as possible to generate wealth, leisure and rest are often seen as lazy people's behavior, but the truth is that we all deserve peace and tranquility in our lives, so this saying needs to be fought. Empty mind? Time for rest and leisure, not for doing evil, madness and nonsense. Rest time needs to be naturalized as soon as possible.

Where there's smoke there's fire

This is a saying that can do a lot of harm to people who have a more anxious or suspicious personality. Often, seeing a clue doesn't mean something terrible is happening, as it could just be a coincidence or something with no deep meaning. Modern life already demands so much from us that we need to learn to take it easy and not live in a state of attention and alert at the slightest sign that something might be wrong.


You may also like

  • Learn to break negative hereditary family patterns
  • On popular sayings and limiting beliefs
  • Why limiting beliefs get in the way of prosperity?
  • Antidote against anxiety
  • Tomorrow can be late

To the wise, half a word is enough

One of the biggest reasons why love relationships fail, beautiful friendships end, or family relationships deteriorate is poor communication. When we assume that the person listening to us has an obligation to understand us, even if we are not being clear, we close the door to dialogue and the relationship can fall apart. Instead of half a word, say a whole word; say two if you need to, but take care of the ones you love and the relationship with these people.

Who is not seen is not remembered

In times of social networks that demand more and more of us and that survive from an increasing exposure of our lives, this is a very dangerous saying, because it assumes that we need to be constantly calling people's attention so that they remember us and care about us. The truth, however, is that your loved ones will seek you out regardless of how much you show yourself, so stop humiliating yourself for attention or working tirelessly to get noticed.

That the sayings present in their essence some important lessons is undeniable, but it is necessary that we are always analyzing the fact that they are not absolute truths, which cannot be contested. Question everything you were taught to think without reflecting on and reinforce your personality and convictions, so that you live lighter and in a more harmonized way!

add a comment of Why shouldn't we believe in popular sayings?
Comment sent successfully! We will review it in the next few hours.