Morning Philosophy
“Say but little in a few words; yea, let it be the custom of the wise to speak but little, albeit they have much in their mind.”
— Egyptian Maxims of Ptahhotep (c. 2400 BCE)
Ptahhotep, vizier to a pharaoh, understood that restraint in speech signals mastery of thought — a trait every commander and advocate must cultivate before they ever raise their voice in counsel or court. The cadet who listens twice as long as he speaks gathers intelligence others miss and earns trust others squander through careless words. Today, practice economy: let your orders, arguments, and opinions be few, deliberate, and weighty rather than many and thin.