“If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.”
This quote, by Confucius, reminds us that our actual mistakes in life are ones that occur and are never corrected. Not correcting a mistake is what makes it be called a mistake. However, when we correct our mistakes, they are no longer called a mistake. They can then be called a lesson.
“Don’t bury your failures, let them inspire you.”
Inspiration is often the spark that leads to meaningful action; and one great but under appreciated source of inspiration is actually failure. However, when we fail, we tend to want to forget it ever happened as quickly as possible. But as this quote by Robert Kiyosaki suggests, we shouldn’t bury our failures, which is the natural thing to do. Instead, we can hold on to failures just long enough to learn something from them or at least long enough to try again with the new perspective that the failure gave us.
“Always refuse to be like the others. The more you become similar to the others the more you will be useless because there are already plenty of the others.”
The struggle to fit in is part of human nature. Who doesn’t want to feel like they belong? However fitting in is more glamorized in our minds than it should be. This quote, by playwright and novelist Mehmet Murat Ildan, reminds us that being like everybody else actually renders us useless. This makes complete sense. Being a replication of others–others’ likes, dislikes, ideas, manner of speech, style, etc.–means you have nothing new to bring to the table, i.e. the world. But the more you are who you are, the more your unique qualities can shine in the lives of those around you and beyond.
“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
It’s hard to imagine that every adversity, failure, and heartache can result in something beneficial to the same or greater degree. However, they each have that potential. This quote, by Napoleon Hill, reminds us that every negative carries a seed. This seed can grow into something positive depending whether we choose to plant and nurture it. So every time we fall to rock bottom can be the perfect time to plant seeds while we’re there. They’ll eventually form roots by which we’ll grow.
“You can make life very simple or very complicated. Some people try to be what others want them to be. Others try to be different just to stand out. In both cases, they are changing themselves to impress others. Neither of these paths has a heart. Just be true to yourself. It’s that simple.”
Whether you’re trying to be what others want you to be or you’re consciously trying to be different to stand out, you’re concerned with what other people think. This quote, by Mike Stutman, serves as a great reminder to reflect on the reason why you are who you are. If any part of your identity has to do with what people think, then there could be a part of you that’s not authentically you. Meanwhile, there could be a part of you missing that you haven’t yet discovered. Sadly, some people go through their whole life neither discovering nor living true to who they really are because they spend so…
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“Half the trouble in the world comes from people asking ‘What have I achieved?’ rather than ‘What have I enjoyed?’”
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”
“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.”
“If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”
Being fully motivated all the time is actually not normal; and constantly being on overdrive can be mentally and physically draining, leading to burnout. Motivation naturally ebbs and flows. There will be days when it’s lacking and days when we feel highly energized–unstoppable. So occasionally feeling unmotivated is nothing to freak out about. Just embrace those periods of low motivation as time to give yourself a mental and physical break. Come back stronger the next day. It’s when we find ourselves consistently unmotivated day after day that it’s a problem. This can be a sign of depression and/or a sign that what we are doing is simply not motivating for…
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The Problem of Perfectionism and “Product” Goals
“Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.”
“Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.”
“Failure is the only opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
Failure provides some of the best learnings and insights. But sometimes we don’t try again at that thing we failed at. This quote, by Henry Ford, reminds us to take advantage of the opportunity to try again. It reminds us to apply the knowledge that failure brings. Sadly, so many endeavors go unaccomplished when failure is perceived as an end to their pursuit instead of as a new and better beginning.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”
Imagine being behind the steering wheel with no say or control on where your car turns or arrives. That’s similar to what happens when we don’t make the unconscious conscious. This quote, by psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Carl Jung, reminds us that if we’re not aware of the things that direct our lives, they will continue to direct our lives without us knowing. Therefore, we fail to redirect our path for the better because we’re unaware we need to. You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. So how do you make the unconscious conscious? It takes more reflection, mindfulness, and metacognitive awareness along with less denial. If necessary (and…
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing [themself].”
From a young age, we develop a desire to change the world. Whether it’s the answers we gave as kids when asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” or the careers we take on as adults, there’s a deep-seated desire to “make a difference.” It’s human nature to pursue things that make us feel like we matter. However, this quote, by Leo Tolstoy, is a reminder that most of us are not spending enough time thinking about how we might change ourselves. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to change the world, a tunnel vision focus on this can make us blind to the changes that…
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“Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.”
“Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more.”
Anxiety Part 2: How Knowing the Way Anxiety Develops Can Reduce Shame, Increase Understanding, and Inspire Action
“To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.”
When you want to physically get somewhere, you need to choose a form of transportation that’s mobile–something that moves–like a car, bike, plane, or your own two feet. You wouldn’t sit yourself on the floor and expect to go from point A to point B. Now let’s apply that same concept to when you want to get somewhere nonphysical. In other words, you want to reach a professional, mental, or health-related destination. This quote, by Yann Martel, implies that having doubt is the same as deciding to sit down on the floor expecting to reach a physical destination. The opposite of doubt, however, is faith. Faith is like the car,…
