Welcome to your daily dose of curiosity and reflection with today’s Thought of the Day and Question of the Day. We’re diving into ocean-sized ideas about what truly matters and testing how much shark trivia we can summon from the depths of our brains. Come for the philosophy, stay for the fish.
Thought of the Day:
“If size really mattered, the whale would be the king of the jungle.” — Rickson Gracie
This quote has big “don’t judge a book by its blubber” energy. It’s clever, but also surprisingly sharp. If sheer size were the thing that determined power, success, or leadership, the blue whale would be ruling the Amazon like it was a pool party. But that’s not how it works.
Strength, influence, success—they don’t automatically go to the biggest, loudest, richest, or most-followed. We like to pretend that bigger is better, but nature doesn’t back that up. Neither does experience. I’ve seen small people with massive integrity hold entire rooms, while giants fade quietly into the background. I’ve watched quiet kids become bold thinkers. Heck, just look at an ant. Carrying 50 times its weight and still having time to ruin your picnic.
So no, size doesn’t matter—not in animals, bank accounts, or even dreams. What matters is adaptability. Awareness. Timing. And heart. (Which, for the record, a whale does have a pretty big one, about the size of a golf cart, but again, not the point.)
If this thought resonates, you might also enjoy the mistake of waiting for a hero.
Question of the Day:
How many types of sharks can you name?
I asked myself this before Shark Week started, thinking I’d crush it. I’m a grown adult with three kids, a decent memory, and many years of watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel under my belt. Surely I could name a dozen sharks, right?
I managed nine.
Here they are:
- Great white
- Tiger
- Hammerhead
- Mako
- Goblin
- Sand
- Bull
- Greenland
- Whale
Nine. Out of over 500 known species.
Which, honestly, is like naming nine U.S. presidents and calling yourself a historian. Or guessing nine Pokémon and thinking you’ve caught them all.
It was humbling, and oddly fun. This kind of question might seem silly, but it reminds us that our knowledge of the world is always partial. There’s so much we take for granted. So many things we assume we know well, when really, we’re just swimming in the shallow end.
Try it. Write down your own list without Googling. Then go back and see how many more you don’t know. It might just turn your next trivia night—or aquarium visit—into a bit of wonder.
And if you like quirky challenges like this, check out what sound people most look forward to each spring or this whimsical ask about your zombie apocalypse weapon of choice.
Let’s Make a Splash Together
Leave a comment with how many sharks you could name—no cheating! And if you love questions like these and reflections that go a little deeper, sign up for the daily email. You’ll get a Thought of the Day and Question of the Day delivered to your inbox—no fins required.