“Don’t compare yourself to others. Be like the Sun and the Moon and shine when it’s your time.”
The Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon at 1.4 million km across versus the Moon’s 3,474 km across. The Sun is also 27 million times greater in mass than the Moon (Source). Sometimes we compare ourselves to others, like the Moon in comparison to the Sun. We perceive another person’s light as shining brighter–bigger–better. However, despite the Sun’s greater size and mass, its orientation in the solar system makes it look to be the same size as the Moon when viewed from Earth. Furthermore, the Moon, despite its much smaller size in the solar system, entirely blocks the Sun during solar eclipses. And while the Sun is…
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
Have you ever wished you could go back in time and start over on something? Maybe you want to start over on your entire life. The desire to go back in time to change something is not uncommon. You may have had a rough start in life or on a particular endeavor. However, this quote (perhaps by the author, James Sherman), reminds us that we don’t have to be limited by the past. What we know now and do now can change our future.
“If Opportunity doesn’t Knock, Build a Door.”
Sometimes opportunities present themselves right at your feet, and all you have to do is take a small step forward. Better yet, the opportunities come knocking at your door, and you only have to invite them in. This is ideal. However, it’s not always the case. This quote, by Milton Berle, is for the many times opportunities do not come knocking. Building a door means finding an alternate route or creating that opportunity. It may mean a leap of faith. Who knows where that new door you build might lead.
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”
This (possibly anonymous) quote is often attributed to the novelist and poet, Mary Ann Evans, who went by the pen name, George Eliot. However, there is no substantial evidence that she said or wrote these words. Nevertheless, these words were fortunately recorded by someone. Therefore, they continue to serve as inspiration. “It’s never too late to be what you might have been,” speaks to our untapped potential–our “dreams deferred”–our fading hopes. Being the best at whatever that thing we wish we could have been is a great ambition to have. However, that is not the point. What matters here is that we do whatever it is while we can. Because…
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
To truly apply this quote by Mahatma Gandhi, you first have to reflect on what it means for a person to live as if they were to die tomorrow and what it means for them to learn as if they were to live forever. Unfortunately, many people switch the words “tomorrow” and “forever”. As a result, they do the exact opposite of this quote. They live as if they were to live forever (not appreciating each day) and learn as if they were to die tomorrow (finding no need to learn anything new). However, this quote is about not taking a single day for granted and living life to the…
“When it is obvious that goals can’t be reached, don’t adjust the goals, but adjust the action steps.”
Sometimes it becomes evident that a goal can’t be reached, or it’s so far out of reach that it’s nearly impossible. Perhaps it’s due to constraints in time, finance, or health. What we normally do in these types of situations is change the goal or make it smaller. But sometimes it’s possible to rethink the path we take to the goal. This quote, by Confucius, reminds us that we may be going about our goal the wrong way. So before changing it, we can try one more thing: adjust the action steps.
“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”
It’s natural to daydream as we envision the future. Of course, everything is perfect. We’re more in shape, we’ve accomplished all our goals, we’re more grounded and at peace, we’re content, all our relationships are thriving–the list goes on. But why cant that future be now? That’s what this quote by, Malala Yousafzai, is about. Why not “make our future now,” and “make our dreams tomorrow’s reality?” Let’s try our best to live our future today.
“Take action. An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention.”
It’s obviously a good thing to be highly passionate about your goals. Your mind, or intention, should be in the right place. But sometimes, that’s where our goals begin and end–Having great intention with no action. This quote, by the author and motivational speaker Steve Maraboli, reminds us that the actions we do take do not necessarily have to be grand. They may be small. However, those simple (and consistent) steps are only going to lead us closer to our goals than no action at all.
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
This quote, by Martin Luther King Jr., was part of a speech given to students at Spelman college. Although the road ahead for civil rights was daunting, he encouraged them to not be discouraged. Instead of giving up, they should do what they can to keep moving forward. Many did. And collectively, they made a difference. This quote, and its origin, inspires us to run if we can’t fly, walk if we can’t run, and crawl if we can’t walk. Moreover, it reminds us that we don’t need any special super powers to face insurmountable life challenges. We may not be able to fly but we can do the little…
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”
This quote is by the legendary painter, Pablo Picasso. It serves as a great reflection on the things we choose to put off, or procrastinate. Yes, there are things we can’t possibly get done in one day. Even if we work on them all day, we may need more time; and completion may have to be “put off” until tomorrow. However, we can still use the day to make progress. So imagine the thing(s) you constantly put off never getting done–Period. Next, consider how that makes you feel. Are you willing to live with that possibility? If not, that means the thing (or those things) you put off deserve more…
