“Direction is so much more important than speed. Many are going nowhere fast.”
Two people are in a 100 mile race. One is heading in the opposite direction of the finish line at 50 miles per hour and the other is heading toward the finish line at 25 miles per hour. Who will finish the race first? If you didn’t focus on the direction each person is heading, you’d most likely answer that the person going 50 miles per hour will arrive first. After all, they are the fastest. However, they will actually be last. In fact, the’ll never complete the race at all. Meanwhile, the person going half as fast will not only finish but arrive first. Interchange the 100 mile race…
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
No matter who you are, there’s a lot of things you cannot do–and that’s okay! We all have different talents, strengths, and weaknesses. Imagine if everyone was equally talented in the same things. It would make for a very boring world with little progress or innovation. So instead of beating yourself down for the things you cannot do, keep in mind that no one can do everything (except God). This quote, by John Wooden, reminds us to focus on what we can do. Moreover, to not be so discouraged by what we can’t do that we loose sight of the things we can.
“The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.”
This quote is from Linda Woolverton’s screen adaptations of Alice In Wonderland. It’s said by the characters Charles Kingsleigh (2010) and Alice Kingsleigh (2016). The quote reminds us that achieving what seems impossible requires some amount of hope and faith that it can be done. Naturally, our effort is commiserate to our belief in a positive outcome. In other words, it’s hard to put in the necessary effort if we feel like our effort will be in vain. Moreover, it’s harder to persevere through difficulties. Without hope and faith, we are more likely to give up or not try at all. Therefore, our most critical step in anything that seems…
“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.”
Having lofty goals, especially when there doesn’t seem to be any prospect of reaching them, can seem like building castles in the air. Taking things a step further is jumping right into those goals with little prospect or foundation to reach them. Conventional wisdom says that you should get all your ducks in a row or build a firm foundation first before pursing your dreams. Not doing so gives the impression of being premature, dreamy, naive, impractical, or unrealistic. However, sometimes it’s okay to build castles in the air. Sometimes, that’s what it takes to get unstuck mentally and literally. But once those castles are in the air, the next…
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“Everything you do, every thought you have, every word you say creates a memory that you will hold in your body. It’s imprinted on you and affects you in subtle ways – ways you are not always aware of. With that in mind, be very conscious and selective.”
Why We All Need to Have Things to Look Forward to
Keep it Simple
“Go as far as you can see and you will see further.”
A phenomenal thing happens as you move toward a horizon. It moves. –And what seemed like a finite view suddenly becomes infinite. As you go as far as you can see, you see even further, as stated in this quote by Zig Ziglar. But more importantly, this quote tells us that progress (going as far as we can see) leads to more progress (seeing further). Progress rarely leads to stagnation or regression. Instead, it more often becomes the catalyst for even more progress. The key is to hold on to the lessons and growth we’ve had along the way and apply them as we continue to move forward.
Living Life Poetically: It Takes Time
The poem, “It Takes Time,” is for those moments when our grief, pain, hopelessness, or efforts toward a certain goal seem to persist with no change or little progress. It Takes Time It may take timeTo heal all wound. It may take timeFor flowers to bloom. It’s tempting to assumeThat good things will always happen soon. But sometimes, it takes longer than we presume.And the longer it takes, the greater our gloom—The kind that can consume. So, in our hearts we must make room,And in our minds we must groom,To understand that— It may take time.
“Twenty years from now you’ll be more disappointed by the things you did not do than the ones you did.”
This quote is often misattributed to the renowned writer, Mark Twain. However, it is by Harriett (H.) Jackson Brown Jr., a best selling author known for his books, Life’s Little Instruction Book and P.S. I Love You. This quote reminds us to overcome our fears and doubts and pursue the things we’re either afraid to do or continue to push off. Why? Because there is a higher chance of regret for having not done these things. So what are the things you keep pushing off or gave up on because fear and doubt are holding you back? Now, imagine still not doing these things several years from now.
“You must not only aim right, but draw the bow with all your might.”
This quote, by the writer, philosopher, and poet Henry David Thoreau, reminds us that it’s not enough to do the right thing or follow the right path. That can only take us so far. Using archery as an illustration, Thoreau wrote, “You must not only aim right, but draw the bow with all your might.” In other words, the arrow may point in the right direction. But without putting forth our best effort, it may fall short of hitting its target.
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Living Life Poetically: Why
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
“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.”
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
More often than not, the dreams we have don’t happen over night. They take time. Sometimes they take A LOT of time, or they take time we don’t have much of. So then, we give up on the dream and abandon all the small steps we can be taking toward it. The dream becomes an illusive fantasy that finds a permanent home in our hearts and minds but never in reality. This quote, by Earl Nightingale, reminds us to not allow the amount of time it’ll take to accomplish a dream discouraged us from working toward it. “The time will pass anyway,” so why not use it taking small baby…
“The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.”
Sometimes motivation is hard to come by. The drive and energy that inspires us to action are completely gone. So, we’re left with fatigue, a dull spirit, and a whole lot of procrastination. We’re more prone to think of our goals as something we’ll get to in the future, instead of something we can work on now. An unmotivated feeling can last a few minutes to a few hours, days, weeks, and even much longer. This quote, by Norman Vincent Peale, reveals an effective technique to being more motivated and energized no matter what. The trick is to orient your goals as something bigger than yourself. Reflect on how accomplishing…
