81 Best Thomas Erikson Quotes From Surrounded By Idiots

1. “Children learn and develop in multiple ways, but the most common is by imitation”

2. “If a particular method works, why change it? While a Yellow or Red would find new ways of doing something simply because they were bored, a Blue repeats the same thing time and time again.”

3. “the recipient. When the recipient has filtered the message though their frame of reference, prejudices, and experiences, what remains is what they understand. Regardless of what you actually meant.”

4. “If we don’t push ourselves to the breaking point, we haven’t tried hard enough.”

5. “The temperament and character traits we have inherited affect our behavior, a process already begun at the genetic stage.”

6. “As they say: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

7. “No matter what’s happening behind the façade, Reds will sound convincing. No stammer, no hesitation. Finger on the trigger. If we don’t listen, they will repeat it one more time, but louder. In the end, they always get through.”

8. “screen to hide the fact that she thought she had done her bit by coming up with the idea. The”

9. “A Yellow’s body language is often very open and inviting. Smiles appear constantly, even when there’s not much to smile about. They joke around a lot and can be very relaxed. When visiting a neighbor he doesn’t know that well, a Yellow may just stretch out on the sofa. But this is typical for Yellows. When a Yellow feels secure in any given situation, you can see it. He’s like an open book.”

10. “Reds and Yellows tend to inflate their strengths and believe that they have no weaknesses.”

11. “Whatever people’s judgment of me may be, that is the way they perceive me. Regardless of what I really meant or intended. As always, it’s all about self-awareness. Good qualities can become drawbacks in the wrong circumstances, no matter what the quality is.”

12. “What a Yellow perceives as something natural and spontaneous others can perceive as an invitation.”

13. “They are good at testing the limits. They continue until someone becomes too angry and puts his foot down. And, of course, then the Yellow feels hurt. He just wanted to …”

14. “Communication happens on the listener’s terms”

15. “By adjusting yourself to how other people want to be treated, you become more effective in your communication.”

16. “Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired.”

17. “The stronger your self-understanding is, the greater your probability of adapting to the people around you.”

18. “Hope is the enduring belief in the attainability of fervent wishes, in spite of the dark urges and rages which mark the beginning of existence. Hope is the ontogenetic basis of faith, and is nourished by the adult faith which pervades patterns of care.”

19. “Ambition, which is intrinsic to Reds, shouldn’t be confused with a lust for power. Reds have no problem taking positions of power, since they are fearless. Expressions like “It’s lonely and windy at the top” don’t scare them. But for a Red power is not an end in itself. It does, however, come in handy for those who like to make their own decisions and avoid having to wait for others. A Red can, in fact, be quite unassuming. It’s true that he has a strong ego, but status and prestige don’t have the same importance as with other colors. The reason is simple: A Red usually doesn’t care what others think.”

20. “Just because you’re right, I don’t have to be wrong.”

21. “Nothing’s impossible the impossible just needs a little bit more time to accomplish.”

22. “We see what we do, but we do not see why we do what we do. Thus, we assess and appraise each other through what we see that we do.”

23. “The most important lesson that you can walk away with is that the idiots who surround you are, in fact, not idiots at all. Instead, they are individuals worthy of respect, understanding, and being valued.”

24. “When the recipient has filtered the message though their frame of reference, prejudices, and experiences, what remains is what they understand. Regardless of what you actually meant.”

25. “Reds and Yellows tend to inflate their strengths and believe that they have no weaknesses. They have powerful egos, and a great part of their success can probably be attributed to the fact that they don’t get bogged down in faults and shortcomings but instead look for opportunities and good news. Clearly, this can’t be maintained over time.”

26. “Everything you say to a person is filtered through his frames of reference, biases, and preconceived ideas.”

27. “Consequently, they won’t use too many gestures. Imagine a Yellow: a really outgoing and dynamic figure—and now think the opposite. Take away all movements that aren’t needed (most of them, according to Blues) and you begin to get the picture. Stone-faced, as someone once described it.”

28. “Tempo. Not quite the same rate of action as Reds, but a decidedly fast pace. Have you met anyone who, when in a hurry to say something, kind of stumbles over his words? Only half of them really come out as they should. You can surmise what is being said, but sometimes it’s incomprehensible. These are Yellows whose mouths simply can’t keep up with everything they have to say.”

29. “discernable.”

30. “Communication happens on the listener's terms”

31. “He’s not here for their sake—he’s here for his own.”

32. “you look really closely, you will see a person who is crossing the square at a brisk pace completely disregarding the people standing in his way. With his gaze fixed on a point a bit in front of him, the Red speeds up and crosses the square without any problem. He does not give way but makes others move aside. His steps are decisive and powerful. He expects the rest of us to get out of his way.”

33. “It takes a strong mind to move things forward, someone who understands that risks that are part of everyday life and that everything boils down to hard work from morning to night—”

34. “people’s toes. Yellows can be amusing, creative, and elevate the mood regardless of who they’re with. However, when they are given unlimited space, they will consume all the oxygen in the room, they won’t allow anyone into a conversation, and their stories will reflect reality less and less. The friendly Greens are easy to hang out with because they are so pleasant and genuinely care for others. Unfortunately, they can be too wishy-washy and unclear. Anyone who never takes a stand eventually becomes difficult to handle. You don’t know where they really stand, and indecision kills the energy in other people. The analytical Blues are calm, levelheaded, and think before they speak. Their ability to keep a cool head is undoubtedly an enviable quality for all who aren’t capable of doing that. However, Blues’ critical thinking can easily turn to suspicion and questioning those around them. Everything can become suspect and sinister.”

35. “you might call a Red person bold, ambitious, driven, but also potentially hot-tempered, rash, or dominant. You quickly notice a Red person because he doesn’t make the slightest effort to conceal who he is. A Red person is a dynamic and driven individual. He has goals in life that others may find difficult to even imagine. Since his goals are so highly ambitious, achieving them seems to be impossible. Reds strive forward, always pushing themselves harder, and they almost never give up. Their belief in their own ability is unsurpassed.”

36. “It takes a strong mind to move things forward, someone who understands that risks that are part of everyday life and that everything boils down to hard work from morning to night—for many years. Reds understand this from the beginning and are in no way intimidated by it.”

37. “Parents must not only have certain ways of guiding by prohibition and permission, they must also be able to represent to the child a deep, almost somatic conviction that there is meaning in what they are doing.”

38. “The advantage for a Red is that he gets everything done his way. The disadvantage is obvious: everyone else feels controlled. Some people think it’s a good thing when someone else makes the decisions and holds the baton, but others feel limited and just want to escape.”

39. “Here the Green’s thoughtfulness becomes apparent—he has infinite regard for those around him. This is partly the reason why it’s difficult to get a straight answer from a Green. He’s always trying to satisfy everyone else.”

40. “Only Dead Fish Go with the Flow”

41. “Quick Review of Core Behavior Patterns Reds are quick and more than happy to take command if needed. They make things happen. However, when they get going, they become control freaks and can be hopeless to deal with. And they repeatedly trample on people’s toes. Yellows can be amusing, creative, and elevate the mood regardless of who they’re with. However, when they are given unlimited space, they will consume all the oxygen in the room, they won’t allow anyone into a conversation, and their stories will reflect reality less and less. The friendly Greens are easy to hang out with because they are so pleasant and genuinely care for others. Unfortunately, they can be too wishy-washy and unclear. Anyone who never takes a stand eventually becomes difficult to handle. You don’t know where they really stand, and indecision kills the energy in other people. The analytical Blues are calm, levelheaded, and think before they speak. Their ability to keep a cool head is undoubtedly an enviable quality for all who aren’t capable of doing that. However, Blues’ critical thinking can easily turn to suspicion and questioning those around them. Everything can become suspect and sinister.”

42. “Don’t use too much logic – people usually respond more to emotions.”

43. “They don’t even know how they’re going to respond when opportunities arise. Exciting—sure, but it’s exhausting for those around them. With Green associates, however, you don’t need to worry.”

44. “Reds are quick and more than happy to take command if needed. They make things happen. However, when they get going, they become control freaks and can be hopeless to deal with. And they repeatedly trample on”

45. “What comes out your face’s front door isn’t always well thought out.”

46. “He goes forward. Leaps to the next project. Deals with other things. Details. To complete a project, you usually need to be precise about details. Yellows don’t like keeping track of details. I would even venture to say that they’re not interested in details. They paint with broad strokes. Generally, Yellows are very good at launching things. They’re resourceful, and with boundless creativity at their disposal, they can kick off various kinds of projects. But they’re not as good at finishing things. Finishing anything 100 percent requires an ability to concentrate that a Yellow rarely possesses. He gets tired and moves on. And so we think that he’s careless. He thinks that his work is good enough. My goodness, why worry about trifles? This turned out quite well, after all! The fact that threads are hanging from the shirt or that the document is full of spelling errors is not as important as thinking up new things.”

47. “It takes a strong mind to move things forward, someone who understands that risks that are part of everyday life and that everything boils down to hard work from morning to night — for many years.”

48. “Psychopaths believe that their splendid qualities give them the right to live off of others. They never pay the bills if they can get someone else to do it. They often have debts and owe taxes because little details like income tax and bill due dates bore them. They never offer to pay at the restaurant [they will always forget their wallets], and they are happy to borrow money from family and friends without ever paying it back. If they are called out, they simply blame somebody else.”

49. “Flexibility and the ability to interpret other people's needs is what characterizes a good communicator.”

50. “You have most probably run into this person: an exciting human being who is incredibly charismatic, nice, charming and helpful. Who always has a compliment up his/her’s sleeve. And who will be guaranteed to make you feel good. You will believe what you’re told, even when it sounds fake – since it feels good. But what might seem too good to be true will most definitely be so…”

51. “ommunication happens on the listener’s terms.”

52. “Communication happens on the listener's terms.”

53. “On the one hand, he’s a bad listener, and on the other hand, he has what some psychologists might call a selective memory. He simply forgets the difficult bits, and with his positive ethos he finds it easy to say to himself that he doesn’t have any faults or shortcomings.”

54. “If a task isn’t worth being done properly, then it’s not worth doing at all.”

55. “They needed no alcohol before daring to “loosen up” and become approachable. In fact, you could easily get the impression that they always were a bit tipsy, because they had that frolicsome energy. They saw life as one long celebration that should always be funny and amusing.”

56. “A psychopath believes everything of yours is theirs and everything of theirs is theirs.”

57. “As cognitive scientists have emphasized in recent years, cognition is embodied; you think with your body, not only with your brain.”

58. “A more effective way to spot a liar is to notice if he puts the palm of his hand on his chest — preferably his right hand over his heart — and sighs indignantly when he’s been accused of lying.”

59. “Personal space is a relative thing for Yellows. While some colors don’t like having people sit too close to them, Yellows will willingly move up very close. Yellows can spontaneously start hugging everyone around them. Man or woman, it doesn’t really matter. It depends on what the feeling and the mood are that day.”

60. “Children learn and develop in multiple ways, but the most common is by imitation.”

61. “About 80 percent of all people have a combination of two colors that dominate their behavior. Approximately 5 percent have only one color that dominates behavior. The others are dominated by three colors.”

62. “A more effective way to spot a liar is to notice if he puts the palm of his hand on his chest—preferably his right hand over his heart—and sighs indignantly when he’s been accused of lying.”

63. “communication usually takes place on the recipient’s terms.”

64. “Everyone looked forward to the party, but the Yellow advisor never showed up; she had accidentally double-booked that day. There must have been a wedding on that same weekend. Or maybe a relative was turning fifty. As a matter of fact, it might have been both.”

65. “It’s all about the mask you wear to fit into a given situation. We all have several different masks. Having one at work and one at home isn’t that unusual. And another one for visiting the in-laws, perhaps.”

66. “But the most important lesson that you can walk away with is that the idiots who surround you are, in fact, not idiots at all. Instead, they are individuals worthy of respect, understanding, and being valued.”

67. “At the heart of this need for control is a belief that they know more than anyone else.”

68. “He throws up another ball to juggle. The problem with all the balls is that he might be able to keep them in the air for a while, but he can't get them down into the right box at the right time. Instead, he leaves the room and the juggled balls tumble down right into someone else's lap.”

69. “If everyone were a driven leader, there would be no one left to be led. If everyone were an enthusiastic entertainer, there would be no one to amuse. And if everyone were a detail-oriented perfectionist, there wouldn’t be anything to keep in order.”

70. “There are two situations in which you can just be you: The first situation is when you’re alone in a room.”

71. “Reds are notorious rule breakers. Once again, I would like to remind you of their intentions—to get the job done. Reds have no problem taking one or two shortcuts, as long as it’s about getting things done.”

72. “As I mentioned previously, Reds often have a clear and distinctive body language. You can usually recognize a Red from a distance.”

73. “Communication is dependent on the recipient. When the recipient has filtered the message though their frame of reference, prejudices, and experiences, what remains is what they understand. Regardless of what you actually meant.”

74. “maintain some reserve. A Red won’t give you a big bear hug (as”

75. “Communication happens on the listener’s terms.”

76. “Reds are surrounded by more idiots than the rest of us. Many people will agree with what you have read up to now about Reds, but I have also heard other comments. Usually, they express this when the Red is not in the room because they are afraid of his fiery temper.”

77. “Psychopaths often have numerous short-lived sexual interactions. Their charm attracts many people, so they are never short of a partner. And permanent infidelity keeps things interesting, while at the same time it is exciting for them to deceive their partner. How much can the psychopath get away with.”

78. “Pressure, demands, and expectations create stress and can make you feel self-critical and powerless. You may find it difficult to sleep or may feel physical pain in your body.”

79. “Most people are aware of and sensitive to how they want to be treated. By adjusting yourself to how other people want to be treated, you become more effective in your communication.”

80. “You see a child play, and it is so close to seeing an artist paint, for in play a child says things without uttering a word. You can see how he solves his problems. You can also see what’s wrong. Young children, especially, have enormous creativity, and whatever’s in them rises to the surface in free play.”

81. “Selling snow to a penguin”