Chogyam Trungpa Quotes

We have to deal with the world as we find it. The world of what it takes to get this done.

Well, I mean, I'm very much a pragmatic person.

My only definition is that I am a pragmatist.

I use that as my responsibility on the show, to be the pragmatist.

Our progress toward a wise conclusion will not be improved by dwelling upon the theories.... It is a condition which confronts us—not a theory!

If you want to accomplish something in the world, idealism is not enough--you need to choose a method that works to achieve the goal. In other words, you need to be pragmatic.

We are a moderate, pragmatic people, more comfortable with practice than theory.

I'm putting jobs over ideology.

Success is achieved by people who deeply understand reality and know how to use it to get what they want. The converse is also true: idealists who are not well-grounded in reality create problems, not progress.

I’m not against thinking; I’m only against thinking that thinking on its own will get you out of a hole. Shovel also needed.

I realize that after decades of positive thinking the notion of realism, of things as they are, may seem a little quaint. ... When the stakes are high enough and the risks obvious, we still turn to people who can be counted on to understand those risks and prepare for worst-case scenarios. A chief of state does not want to hear a general in the field say that he 'hopes' to win tomorrow's battle or that he's 'visualizing victory'.

The trick is to fix the problem you have, rather than the problem you want.

Half full, half empty, what the hell difference does it make? If there's something in the damn glass, drink it.

People have to be realistic, or the dream just drags on.

First decide what you got to do, then go out and do it. All we can do is to see each other through it.

When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem.

Talking is not enough; words don't clarify anything. I'll have to hit upon something, but what?

When the house is on fire, don't tell me what your spiritual gift is. Just grab a hose and put out the fire.

You can do anything you want, as long as it works.

I don't think I need too much help. I think my head's on pretty straight, and I'm pretty realistic about things. I'm very focused, so that certainly prevents me from going all over the place.

In politics there's never a magic wand.

The selection of leadership must follow practical considerations. Maybe I look at things too pessimistically?

Common sense does not ask an impossible chessboard, but takes the one before it and plays the game.

Any Idiot can point out a problem .... A leader is willing to do something about it! Leaders solve problems!

The question shouldn't be what we ought to do, but what we can do.