375
Ik ben altijd dingen aan het doen die ik nog niet kan om zo te leren hoe ik ze moet doen.
I am always doing things that I can’t yet do, in order to learn how to do them.
By Vincent van Gogh
This quote is taken from a letter sent by van Gogh in 1885 to painter Anthon van Rappard, while creating the iconic “The Potato Eaters”.
31
Elk nadeel heeft zijn voordeel.
Every disadvantage has its advantage.
By Johan Cruyff, Dutch professional football player and public personality
50
De best stuurlui staan aan wal.
The best helmsman stands ashore.
By Unknown
The origin is unknown but it was commonly used during the 17th century. It implies that those seeing a ship in a storm from the shore think they can better determine how the ship should be steered while in reality they would most likely panic in that situation themselves. It is used to indicate that it is easy to criticise other´s work, when one is merely watching from the sidelines.
49
Eenzaam maar niet alleen.
Lonely but not alone.
By Queen Wilhelmina
It´s the title of her book published in 1959. Queen Wilhemina (1880-1962) reigned for an amazing 50 years (1898-1948). Sadly in her personal life she was married to a prince of ill-repute and she never received any love. So when she wrote her biography in the fifties, she gave it the sad title ‘Eenzaam maar niet alleen’.
103
Het gelukken is soms ’t eindresultaat van een heele serie mislukkingen.
Success is sometimes the outcome of a whole string of failures.
By Vincent Van Gogh
101
Vindt maar mooi zooveel je kunt, de meesten vinden niet genoeg mooi.
Find things beautiful as much as you can, most people find too little beautiful.
By Vincent Van Gogh
374
Je mist meer dan je meemaakt. Helemaal niet erg.
You miss more than you experience. Not a big deal.
By Martin Bril
Martin Bril (1959 – 2009) was a Dutch columnist, writer, and poet. In his later years, he gained significant acclaim as both a writer and a public figure, particularly for his brief reflections on everyday life.