“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”
It’s easy to assume people who show courage aren’t afraid–that they lack fear. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s fear in all of us, and this quote, by Mark Twain, reminds us that fear is not necessarily absent in the midst of courage. It’s there. However, what is also present is a resistance to or mastery of fear. This means overcoming fear with faith (resistance) or using it as fuel (mastery) or both. So courage doesn’t absolve all fear but, in a way, it can be created and strengthened by it. It doesn’t have to be about choosing one or the other but deciding how we redirect…
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
We all have that voice inside our head that says we can’t do something. And so we don’t do it, which only proves the voice in our head was right. This quote, by Vincent Van Gogh, is about silencing that voice the best way we can–by doing the thing it says we can’t. “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint.” By simply doing that thing, we literally invalidate the word can’t. And that is just the first step. Once we do that thing, we may get to do it well.
“There are only two rules for being successful. One, figure out exactly what you want to do, and two, do it.”
This quote, by Mario Cuomo, paints a picture of success in the most simple way possible. Being successful simply comes down to figuring out exactly what you want to do and then doing it. Of course, there are many other steps that go into each of those. Figuring out exactly what you want to do can be a process–something that takes reflection or trial and error. And actually doing it isn’t always straightforward. But when you break things down to these two overarching steps, things suddenly seem more achievable. Moreover, it becomes clear what you need to do and haven’t done. Often, we don’t know exactly what we want. Perhaps…
“I’m not going to continue knocking that old door that doesn’t open for me. I’m going to create my own door and walk through that.”
This quote comes from director, producer, and filmmaker Ava DuVernay. It reminds us that not all doors are meant for everyone to walk through. We’re not all meant to follow the same path because we all have different personalities, goals, strengths, and priorities. However we assume there’s a set path for everyone to follow. Therefore we find ourselves knocking on doors that may not be meant for us instead of creating our own. So remember, repeated rejections or seeking and remaining in situations that make us miserable could be signs we need to create our own door.
“All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.”
What typically happens when you make a trip from point A to point B is you make the plan or intention to travel. If it’s a place you’ve never been before, you follow some kind of direction–a road map. And if you continue on that direction, you will eventually arrive at your destination. Isn’t it nice to know that the same principle applies to life? This quote, by Earl Nightingale, illustrates our goals and dreams as destinations we’re trying to reach. It all begins with having the plan or desire to get there. Often that goal or dream directs us to the unknown. So we need to rely on a…
“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.”
This quote, by Kalu Ndukwe Kalu, puts into perspective what we do during our time on this earth. When we’re gone, we don’t take any of our physical possessions with us. Nor do we take our accomplishments and accolades. So what are all our efforts for when it’s all said and done? According to this quote, when the focus of everything we do is solely on ourselves, there isn’t much we leave behind in terms of legacy. Our legacy, for what it’s worth, lies in what we do for others. What we do to have a positive impact on their lives can have a ripple effect not only on them…
“Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.”
Sometimes, change can feel abrupt. But it’s actually a process–a journey. This quote, by Robin Sharma, summarizes that process, especially when change forces us out of our comfort zone. It’s kind of similar to the process of constructing a house, doing major reorganizing, or moving from one residence to another. At first, it’s hard to get started. The task is rather daunting. As we get halfway there, things start to get messy. Halfway through, the house under construction is typically a mess. There might be exposed framework with no walls, tools and nails on the floor, a lot of dust, and a ladder in the middle of nowhere. Halfway through…
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“The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.”
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all. When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that’s the end of the story. It may just be the beginning of a great adventure.”
“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.”
Anyone who considers themself a student cannot say they know everything. Otherwise, they won’t be called a student. When it comes to life, we’re all students–because none of us truly knows everything; and life continues to teach us lessons whether inside or outside the classroom. This quote, by Augustine “Og” Mandino, reminds us that we’re all students in a life course. As such, we shouldn’t expect ourselves to wake up everyday knowing everything. Mistakes will be made. We may fail some exams. But in the process, we’re learning new things, no matter how big or old we are.
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.”
In the popular workbook activity, connect the dots, you typically look ahead to connect one dot to the next. But life is not a workbook activity. This quote, from Steve Jobs’ 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University, reminds us that, in life, you connect the dots looking backwards not forward. It’s only after some things have unfolded that we’re able to look back and see how each event is connected. Until then, we just have to trust that they will be.
“Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.”
This quote, by Gilda Radner, gives us a great summary of life. It’s about change, enjoying each moment, and seeing the silver lining, all the while not knowing what’s around the corner. In a nutshell, it’s about change, mindfulness, and gratitude in the midst of uncertainty. But the part of this quote that stands as the foundation for everything else is making the best of things. It’s making the best of the change, the moments, and the uncertainty.
