Don't Show off | The Art of Quiet Success | Motivational story

Summary

A clever minister in a king's court is ridiculed when his son repeatedly answers that silver is more valuable than gold, despite knowing it's not true. The minister later discovers that his son picks the silver coin each day to continue receiving daily silver rewards from the king, rather than picking the gold coin and losing out on this advantage. The minister realizes his son's seemingly foolish actions are actually wise and strategic. The story teaches us that true wisdom often goes unnoticed by the world, and sometimes unconventional choices are the most sensible ones.

Takeaways

• 😀 A clever minister in the king's court is relied upon for his wisdom in decision-making.
• 😀 Jealousy from others in the court leads to criticism of the minister's son, who is thought to be foolish.
• 😀 The king criticizes the minister's son for repeatedly answering that silver is more valuable than gold.
• 😀 The minister confronts his son about his seemingly foolish responses to the king's daily question.
• 😀 The son reveals that the king places both a gold and silver coin before him each day and asks him to choose the more valuable one.
• 😀 The son always chooses the silver coin, as the king enjoys the joke and leaves laughing, leaving him with a silver coin each time.
• 😀 The son's strategy is motivated by a desire to receive a steady stream of silver coins rather than one gold coin.
• 😀 The minister realizes that his son’s actions, though misunderstood by others, are based on practical wisdom and foresight.
• 😀 The story illustrates that wisdom can be found in unconventional choices that may not be immediately obvious to others.
• 😀 The moral of the story is that not everyone who appears foolish is truly so; sometimes, they just have a deeper understanding of practical matters.
• 😀 The story teaches us not to judge others based on superficial actions, as true wisdom often lies beyond the obvious.

Q & A

Why did the king think the minister's son was foolish?

The king thought the minister's son was foolish because every day when asked whether gold or silver was more valuable, the son always replied that silver was more valuable, which made the king and the court laugh at him.

How did the minister respond to the king's criticism of his son?

The minister felt upset and questioned his son about why he always chose silver over gold. He wanted to understand why his son gave the wrong answer, despite knowing that gold was more valuable.

What was the son's reasoning for picking the silver coin every day?

The son explained that the king placed a gold and a silver coin before him every day, and by choosing the silver coin, he ensured that he received a silver coin from the king each time. If he chose the gold coin, the king would stop asking him the question and he would no longer receive the daily silver coin.

What lesson did the minister learn from his son's actions?

The minister learned that his son's actions, though seemingly foolish, were actually clever. The son understood the situation and chose to take the silver coin each day, recognizing the long-term benefit of the daily reward, rather than pursuing a one-time gold coin.

What does this story suggest about the difference between wisdom and foolishness?

The story suggests that wisdom is not always about making decisions based on what others deem as valuable or sensible. True wisdom can involve understanding the bigger picture and making choices that align with one’s personal goals, even if others perceive those choices as foolish.

Why did the king laugh when the son chose silver over gold?

The king laughed because he thought the son was answering the question incorrectly and didn’t understand the value of gold. He believed that the son’s preference for silver was a sign of foolishness.

How did the son's daily actions affect the court's perception of him?

The court members mocked the son for his repeated wrong answers, calling him foolish. They were unable to understand the deeper logic behind his choice and saw him as someone lacking wisdom.

What does the story reveal about how people often perceive others?

The story reveals that people often judge others based on surface-level actions without considering the reasoning behind those actions. In this case, the son’s behavior was misunderstood by the king and the court, who didn’t see the strategic reasoning behind his choices.

What is the main moral of the story?

The main moral of the story is that sometimes wisdom requires subtlety and patience. It also teaches that success doesn’t always come in the form that others expect, and that it’s important not to rush to judgment when we don't fully understand a situation.

How can we apply the lessons from this story to our own lives?

We can apply the lessons by recognizing that not all actions that seem foolish have no value. Sometimes, long-term goals or hidden wisdom might guide decisions that appear irrational at first. The story encourages us to trust our instincts and not be discouraged by others' perceptions.