“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
Having discipline is never fun. At least, not usually. But is it better to suffer the pain of having discipline and making sacrifices to get where you want to be or to suffer pain from the regret you feel because you never did enough to get there? This quote, by Jim Rohn, answers this question. The pain of discipline is not nearly as bad as the pain of regret. One weighs on us more than the other. Perhaps we don’t feel the pain of regret right away, but eventually we do. Therefore, instead of avoiding the pain of discipline, let’s think about how much worse we’ll feel when we regret.
“Learn from others, as you would learn from your own mistakes.”
Learning from your own mistakes is one thing. However, the ability to learn from other’s experiences takes things a step further. They may have already walked a path you’re currently traveling. They know where the dead ends and stumbling blocks are. Maybe they took the wrong path entirely or made decisions that prevented them from reaching their destination. This quote, by Kazi Shams, reminds us to learn from other’s mistakes. Perhaps we can avoid making them ourselves and spare ourselves from a more difficult road ahead.
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“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
Living Life Poetically: “They Tried so Hard”
I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Tim Notke, a high school basketball coach, once said during a motivational speech to his players that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” This couldn’t be more true. Talent alone gets us nowhere without hard work. A person can be one of the most talented people in the world. However, if they don’t use their talent, it’s wasted and doesn’t get them very far. They could be exceptionally gifted intellectually or physically. Yet they only achieve a fraction of what they’re capable of. Meanwhile, someone with much less talent (that’s applied) has a greater potential to go further. This quote reminds us to use the gifts we’re…
“Giving up doesn’t always mean you are weak; sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go.”
In life, we’re conditioned to believe that giving up is a sign of weakness. If you’re giving up on something, it must automatically mean you’re not capable or strong enough to do that thing. However, this quote, from the book Crossing Tinker’s Knob by Inglath Cooper, turns this thinking upside-down. Sometimes giving up means we’re strong enough to let go. Sometimes it’s actually harder to give up than to keep going. Knowing when it’s time to end one course in favor of an other not only requires an incredible amount of discernment but also strength in humility.
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
The originator of this quote is unknown. It’s a saying that goes back well over a hundred years, appearing in different variations. However, this version most captures the essence of the quote. It reminds us of a simple and often unconscious progression that can influence our destiny or future. From our thoughts to our words, and from our words to our actions. Next, those actions become habits that form our character, which ultimately affects our future. What’s most striking about this quote is how it begins–to watch our thoughts. So let’s ask ourselves, are our thoughts mostly positive or negative? Where do they lead and direct our future?
“To be upset over what you don’t have is to waste what you do have.”
This quote, by Ken Keyes Jr., reminds us to count our blessings. Moreover, it reminds us that the more time and energy we spend being upset about the things we don’t have, the less time and energy we have left to appreciate what’s already right in front of us. Therefore, those things almost feel wasted. When they’re not noticed in the first place, we fail to tap into the joy of having them.
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Being defeated is only a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent
“Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.”
Developing Life Goals: Set, Plan, Execute, Track
“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”
It’s human nature to measure ourselves relative to others and try to be better. We see competitions today, throughout history, and across the globe designed to determine who’s better in some way. For example, who’s faster, stronger, smarter, more attractive, talented, or creative. However, beyond outright competitions, we calculate these attributes on our own. Next, we take our measurements and compare them to ourselves–to gauge our own value and self-worth. This quote, by William Faulkner, reminds us to not focus on being better than anyone now or anyone who’ve come before us. Besides the dangerous and unhealthy aspect of making our self-worth entirely dependent on others, this also robs us…
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“Don’t start your day with the broken pieces of yesterday. Every day is a fresh start. Every morning we wake up is the first day of the rest of our life.”
“When it is obvious that goals can’t be reached, don’t adjust the goals, but adjust the action steps.”
Living Life Poetically: In His Words
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
This quote, by Stephen Covey, is about not being so focused on a schedule or to-do list. Instead, it encourages us to reflect on what is on it. Are the things on it all that important? Or should we be prioritizing other things? Are those other priorities being neglected? Yes, it’s important to prioritize our schedules. However, it’s equally important to make sure we are making time in our schedules for the things that matter to us most.
“Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.”
You may have heard inspirational quotes and messages about stepping out of your comfort zone, not being afraid to take risks, and trying something new. However, the unspoken assumption is to try that new thing once. This quote, by Virgil Thomson, challenges us to try something new not once but three times. “Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time to figure out whether you like it or not.” Perhaps we don’t have to do so exactly three times. There are many instances where once is enough. The bottom line is to not be quick to decide whether…
“Don’t limit your challenges. Challenge your limits.”
No one ever becomes a professional athlete or marathon runner without ever once pushing themself beyond their limits. That person must train to be at the level they are in. It’s that extra mile–those extra reps–that redefine what they can achieve. If they would stop or go easy every time they feel the’ve reached their max, they would never grow but plateau. This idea not only applies to fitness but other aspects of life that challenge us. However, when challenges mount, the first thing we want to do is limit them. We want to make them small until we’re comfortable. But if we were to limit our challenges all the…
