The Regrets in Life

"It's not the things we did that make us who we are; it's the things we didn't do."

-- Mark Manson 

Many of us have regrets in life about the things we didn't do, such as not pursuing a certain career or not telling someone how we feel about them. Manson suggests that it's these missed opportunities, rather than the things we did do, that shape who we are as people.

This quote encourages us to take risks and try new things, rather than staying in our comfort zones and letting opportunities pass us by. Manson is reminding us that it's often the things that we don't do that we end up regretting the most, and that taking action and putting ourselves out there is a key part of personal growth and development.

So, in essence, Manson is encouraging us to live life to the fullest and take chances, rather than being held back by fear or hesitation. By doing so, we can avoid the regret of missed opportunities and ultimately become the best version of ourselves.

How To Embrace Learning

"One last way you can embrace learning is by deliberately setting aside time to pursue activities that introduce you to new skills and areas of knowledge.  For example, each month you can set aside a “learning day,” when you spend time exploring activities and subjects you find intriguing."

-- Ryan Babineaux

A Lifetime of Study

"When you’ve mastered one task, don’t rest on your laurels. Instead, begin immediately to think about the future, about how you can improve what you’re doing now, and what you can learn that will allow you to progress in the future. Ours is a knowledge-based economy in which intellectual property is worth far more than physical goods. To succeed today requires continuous learning; staying current in your field means a lifetime of study in our fast-paced world."

-- Napoleon Hill

Train For Hopefulness

"We need to train hopefulness. To clear the path to continue. It doesn’t take big heroic efforts to train hope. Small signals that you are in control, that you can have an impact, will be enough to turn our prefrontal cortex back on."

-- Steve Magness

To put it simply, Steve is saying that we need to train ourselves to be hopeful. This means that we need to find small ways to take control of our lives and have a positive impact, even in difficult situations. When we do this, it helps to activate the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of our brain that is responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Let me give you an example. Imagine you're going through a tough time, like losing your job or experiencing a personal setback. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless in situations like these, but Steve is saying that we can train ourselves to be more hopeful by taking small actions that make us feel more in control. For example, you could start by making a list of things that you can do to improve your situation, like updating your resume, reaching out to contacts for job leads, or working on a new skill. By taking these small actions, you're sending signals to your brain that you are in control and can have an impact, which can help to activate the prefrontal cortex and keep you feeling more hopeful.

In summary, Steve Magness is saying that we need to actively train ourselves to be hopeful during difficult times. We can do this by taking small actions that help us feel more in control and capable of having a positive impact. By doing this, we can activate the prefrontal cortex and stay motivated to keep moving forward.

Average is Not Exciting

“Never settle for being average, or doing just enough to get by. Average is not exciting; average does not make you stand out. I’ve worked with some very smart people, and I found that when I invested the time to learn, I could catch up with them, even if I started behind.”

-- James P. Owen

Expectations for Your Life

"Don’t just meet other people’s expectations; set out to surpass them. Not many people will ever set high expectations for your life, so aiming to just meet them will never get you to where you want to go. The way to ensure that you are doing your best to surpass expectations is to continually push yourself and work harder than ever before. As long as you’re just doing what you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get the same results and never get better. Set the bar of expectation high, and aim to surpass it."

-- Matt Mayberry

Let Go of Negative Beliefs

"Changing your self-beliefs will give you a sense of ease that will translate into how you approach your work, your social and family life, and your health. Letting go of negative beliefs will make a real difference to how you experience achieving your dreams."

-- Suzy Greaves

Live A Truthful Life

"The main motivation of human kind is to be free, to express our true selves and pursue our dreams without restriction—to experience what may be called personal freedom. Follow this impulse by consistently sharing your true thoughts, feelings, needs, and dreams with other people.  Do not play small to placate others. Live your truth."

-- Brendon Burchard

Consistently Keep Doing

"Successful people are great at withstanding temptation. Successful people are great at overcoming fear in order to do what they need to do. (Of course, that doesn’t mean they aren’t scared; that means they’re brave. There’s a huge difference.) Successful people don’t just prioritize; they consistently keep doing what they have decided is most important."

-- Jeff Haden

Embrace Learning Opportunities

"You should also strive to embrace learning opportunities outside of work. Whether you participate in social groups, help run a community organization, volunteer at your local school, or belong to a kayaking club, look for chances to get involved in activities and projects that expose you to new challenges and experiences."

-- Ryan Babineaux

Be a Master of Your Craft

"No matter what you want to achieve, I can think of no better advice than practice, practice, practice. Strive to be a master of your craft. It will help you get to where you want to go every single time. It may not happen for you immediately, but eventually it will."

-- Matt Mayberry

Focus on The Positive Lessons

“I learned a valuable lesson early on, which is to focus on the positive lessons that were there for me. I did not go with my demons; instead, I used them as my motivators to move ahead. And I think the way I choose to look at my past experiences, as offering something positive and not negative, has helped me all my life.”

-- James P. Owen

It is All in Your Head

"So the good news, or the bad news, however you want to see it, is that it’s all in your head. Our thoughts and beliefs define our world. If you believe the world is a harsh and cruel place, that’s how it will feel. But if you choose to believe that anything is possible, that life will come to meet you halfway, and that your efforts will be rewarded, then that is what you’ll experience."

-- Suzy Greaves

Your Life Force Energy

"Just as a car needs petrol so it can keep driving, our Life Force Energy is the fuel that drives us. We need to take time every day to take back our energies from areas that are draining them, to feed and clear them of other people’s needs and wants, and to heal them to raise their vibration. When we do this, we come into alignment, resonate with peace, joy and love and are at our best."

-- Abby Wynne

Very Special People

"I believe that very special people are sometimes trusted with very difficult things. God allows them to face challenges that are very difficult to bear because He can trust them and empower them in those circumstances. He knows they will turn tragedy and challenge into victory. They will grow through the pain, and they will transform it into something extraordinary."

-- Dondi Scumaci

You May Be Your Worst Enemy

"Sometimes one of the biggest barriers standing in the way of achievement is yourself. Don’t become the problem. That old saying “If you keep on getting what you’re getting, it’s because you keep on doing what you’re doing” is apropos. You may be your own worst enemy. I certainly was when I wallowed in self-pity over some failure. Pick yourself up off the floor, and get to work doing your best."

-- Matt Mayberry

When You Fail To Plan

“One thing that really always helped me was taking seriously the proverb, ‘Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.’ Sometimes your plans don’t work out as you want; sometimes they do,” he says. “But I do know that if I had not set goals for myself and had a plan to achieve them, I probably wouldn’t be able to do the kind of policy work I am involved in now, or to have as much influence.”

-- James P. Owen

Garbage In Garbage Out

"The quality of the output of any process is dependent on the quality of its inputs, and this holds true for the creative process. I call creative inputs “stimuli” because they stimulate creative thought. Despite their importance, remarkably few people are intentional about the kinds of stimuli they absorb on a day-to-day basis. If you want to regularly generate brilliant ideas, you must be purposeful about what you are putting into your head. As the old saying goes, “Garbage in, garbage out.”"

-- Ryan Babineaux

Our Life Reality

"If you really want to change your life, you need to change the way you think, the decisions you make, and, most importantly, what you believe. What we believe about ourselves and our life is our reality."

-- Suzy Greaves

Watch Your Thoughts

"It’s harder to hurt when you’re laughing.  Take trouble in stride: A few setbacks are just what the doctor ordered. Watch your thoughts: Your thinking shapes your experience."

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Ignite Your Passion Now

"Passion is the fuel for greatness. Find me a champion, someone who is the best at his or her craft, who isn’t passionate. I can almost guarantee that you won’t be able to give me more than one name. Evaluate what you’ve been doing and ask yourself if you’re truly passionate about it. Without passion, your outcome will be so-so. Ignite that passion now!" 

-- Matt Mayberry

Your Real Success

"Real success depends on how successfully you handle your failures. Getting up means that each problem, each failure, is an invitation to learn something you did not know before.  The more you learn from mistakes, the wiser you become. The wiser you become, the fewer mistakes you will repeat. And how do you really learn? By experience, and that means not being afraid to make mistakes—as long as you learn from them.  Success is not how little you fall. It is how fast you get up."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

The Gift

"What does matter is that you gave everything, because anything less is to cheat the gift.

The gift of your potential.

The gift of the opportunity.

The gift of the craft you’ve been introduced to.

The gift of the responsibility entrusted to you.

The gift of the instruction and time of others.

The gift of life itself."

-- Ryan Holiday

Every Experience in Life

“Every experience in life forges you; good or bad, each one legitimizes and validates who you are. How will you respond? Are you resilient, or do you give up? I have always had a great love for life and I know it made a difference. The furnace made me stronger, and there is very little that I fear anymore. I often think, ‘Oh, I’ve been through worse.’”

-- James P. Owen

No One Make No Mistake

"I, for one, have never heard of a person who overcame all problems without ever making a mistake. To me, even God admits to making a mistake by bringing on the flood; God admits to being powerless to make us all righteous, thus the flood was the wrong decision and God makes a covenant to never repeat that mistake again. God also admits of being forgetful. He brings the rainbow to remind him to stop the rain (Genesis 6:9–9:19). God appears to me so human. So, who is this human who is better than God and never makes a mistake? We consider mistakes failures because we assume we should not have made a mistake."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

Continually Review and Analyze

"Consider how you’ve been trying to improve. Examine what you’ve done wrong and what you’ve done right. I’ve found that there are always ways I can improve no matter what area of life I’m tackling. When you continually review and analyze, you will always get new and different signals on how to get a better result."

-- Matt Mayberry

When You Accept Your Flaws

"If you aren’t achieving your goals, a lack of motivation or confidence isn’t the problem. A lack of motivation or confidence is actually the means to a solution. When you accept your weak points, when you accept your flaws, when you accept your imperfections . . . that’s when you can motivate yourself to make changes and improve."

-- Jeff Haden

Ask Yourself This Question

"When my kids were young, putting them to sleep instead of reading them a book, sometimes I would ask them, “What did you learn today?” When you finish a book, ask yourself that question. There are no failures in life: you either succeed or you learn."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

Take Pleasure in The Journey

"The important distinction to make is to take pleasure in the journey rather than it being all about the destination. This gives you permission to start small, allowing you to enjoy yourself more thoroughly. For example, learning to run a 5-kilometre race, and then working up to a local 10-kilometre fun run, congratulating yourself on each step, rather than waiting until you’ve run the marathon before you can feel like you’ve achieved something."

-- Suzy Greaves

Do Not Neglect The Present

"Life unfolds moment by moment. We generally let the present slip away, allowing time to rush past unobserved. We squander the precious seconds of our lives as we worry about the future and ruminate about the past. Yes, we must mandate a vision for where we want to go and take ownership of where we currently are, but we can’t neglect the present. It is here to help develop and mold us into being the best of ourselves."

-- Matt Mayberry

Recognize Opportunities That Others Did Not See

"One of the reasons why successful innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative artists are able to think outside the box and recognize opportunities that others can’t see is that they are voraciously curious about their world and continually learn from their experiences. As Steve Jobs told Wired magazine, “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.  And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people.”"

-- Ryan Babineaux

Endless Opportunity To Learn

"No one lives forever, but who knows when any of us will part company with this world? You might live a long life, so why not keep learning and improving who you are? The more you know, the more you know how much you do not know. There is endless opportunity to learn."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

You Need To Rest

"You need several hours of deep sleep every night to refresh you, but you don’t always need to sleep for seven or eight hours. What you do need to do is rest. Too many after-midnight stop-outs and your skin, your hair, your weight and your ability to make decisions go west. Aim to go to bed in time for you to be there for seven or eight hours a night, most nights."

-- Suzie Hayman

Stop Growing and You Start Dying

"To improve yourself: to learn, to grow. Otherwise, you’ll be aging mentally. Keep your mind active, keep your spirit active, and you will prolong your life. It doesn’t have to be every week or every day. You can say, “Every three months I’m going to take a course, learn something new.” Or, “I’m going to read a book every evening.” That keeps you growing because when you stop growing, you start dying. Your last priority should be to work to build your assets."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

Be The Leader of Your Own Life

"One of the first things you can do is decide that each day, no matter what your circumstances and struggles are, you will find ways to get better. Even if they’re baby steps. One little thing each day will add up to big things tomorrow. Some days will consume all your energy. Other days will throw you obstacles. Just know that and be prepared for it. Determine that you will be the leader of your life. The CEO and master of your world."

-- Matt Mayberry

Do Not Be Afraid to Fall Flat

"Painful as it was when Stacy failed in her first attempt at Everest, she took it in stride because she knew she’d be back: “Climbing has helped me all my life because it taught me that it’s okay to fail. I’m not afraid to fall flat on my face. I know I’m going to come back with a better idea of what to do the next time. Only when you give up does failure become permanent.”"

-- James P. Owen

How To Move Forward

"You can’t just hope, you have to do—and keep on doing whatever it takes to make your goal a reality. If you’ve finished all the action that’s necessary, yet the results still feel far off, find out what changes you can make in your plan and see what new results those tweaks could bring. Be flexible, persistent, patient, and optimistic. These are intentions and energies that move you forward."

-- Sandra Anne Taylor

Are You Willing To Come Out of Hiding

"This decision will light the way in the darkness. You will need that glimmer of hope and faith to be able to see your way forward. Darkness and misery can be scary, but they can also be great places to hide. When you light the match, you’re scuppered, because then people can see where you are. You can’t hide any longer. Are you willing to come out of hiding? Make that decision."

-- Suzy Greaves

Focus on The Things You Can Control

"The more we try to control things, the more we struggle, and the more we suffer. The key to a good life is to let go of the things we can't control and focus on the things we can."

-- Mark Manson 

Many of us have a tendency to try and control everything in our lives, from our relationships and our careers to our health and our happiness. But as Manson suggests, the more we try to control these things, the more we tend to struggle and suffer. 

Instead of trying to control everything, Manson suggests that we should focus on the things we can control and let go of the things we can't. For example, we can't control the actions of other people, but we can control our own actions and reactions. We can't control the weather, but we can control how we choose to dress or whether we choose to go outside.

By accepting the things that are beyond our control and focusing on the things we can control, we can reduce our stress and anxiety, and ultimately lead a more fulfilling life. So, in essence, Manson is reminding us to let go of the need to control everything and instead focus on what we can do to make our lives better.

In Order To Be Better and Excel

"Sometimes we have to be pushed out of our comfort zone in order to get better and excel.  And it can be painful and difficult.  Focus is the key.  What have you done lately that pushed you to the limit?  Did you stay focused?  Or did you quit?  That is the the question."

-- Matt Mayberry

Just Do Your Best

"That is what you should do. And do the best you can. Without wanting, without expecting.  Just DO the best you can and if it doesn’t work, look for the reason and learn how to do better next time. Life is teaching you, like falling off a bicycle. What did you learn? How to ride it better next time.  Remember: people who love what they are doing are more productive, more innovative, and more pleasant to live and to work with. And they love themselves, too."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

The Many Disguises of Failure

"Fear of failure masks itself in many disguises: laziness, jealousy at the success of others, distraction, indecisiveness, doubt, caution. When you are worried about whether you have enough talent or intelligence, you tend to engage only in things that you know you are good at and that confirm your abilities, and avoid activities that might call into question your competence or expertise."

-- Ryan Babineaux

The Balance between Giving and Receiving

“True success is not measured by money, power, or position. Success is the balance between giving and receiving. In my personal life, I want to be a good steward of the resources I have and use them to help others achieve more. And in my business life, I will always go the extra mile to do the right thing for a client, because it comes back to me. It’s one of the laws of the universe: When you give, you get.”

-- James P. Owen

You Can Be Extraordinary

"You are only as strong and extraordinary as you give yourself reason to be. So determine your musts, my friend. Make them real. Feel them in your gut.  Because the world needs you to show up now." 

-- Brendon Burchard

You Do Have A Choice

"You can’t redirect where you are headed or change yourself if you personally don’t want that for your life. It’s a choice. I couldn’t become healthy and work toward creating a better future if I didn’t want to do what was necessary to make that a reality."

-- Matt Mayberry

Leap Now and Worry Later

"If you’re having trouble motivating yourself to make the leap out of your old life, set it up that not to do it is more painful than actually doing it.  I told everyone what I was going to do, set a date to fly off, set a date to resign and set up business meetings for when I got there. If I had bottled it, I would have felt very foolish. I know it’s a cliche, but sometimes you have to ‘just do it’. Leap now and worry later, I say."

-- Suzy Greaves

At Your Last Breath

"If you follow your inner light, your purpose, when you are breathing your last breath and somebody asks you whether you feel any remorse or sorrow that you wasted your life, you should be able to say, “No, I lived my life to the fullest; I lived the life I was destined to live.”"

-- Ichak K. Adizes

Please Do Not Wait Anymore

"You don’t need to wait until you can find more time; you have all the time you need. You don’t need to wait until you can find more money; money never drives success. (Though if you so choose, money can be the result of success.) And you absolutely do not need more motivation."

-- Jeff Haden

As Long As You Learn Something

"Stacy’s story made me wonder why most of us never discover that one passion that is so powerful and consuming, that it can drive us past any obstacle.  What stands in the way of our finding the one thing we love to do? “I think it’s the fear of failing and the fear of not fitting in,” Stacy says. “We want to be like everyone else, and we get so tied to things being a certain way. But when you’re concerned about fitting in, you really narrow your options in life. I always tell my kids, if you’re interested in something, try it. Even if you end up deciding it’s not for you, it doesn’t matter as long as you learn something.”"

-- James P. Owen

Why Having Goals is Important

"When failures or setbacks happen, as they inevitably will, some will simply quit. Some will blame others for misfortune and settle into mediocrity.  Many will want to give up, but their dreams won’t let them. Having goals and dreams is important. It can help you through the hard times, the dark days. And if you quit, it’s all over."

-- Matt Mayberry

When Things Go Wrong

"When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

And the road you’re trudging seems all up hill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing down a bit,

Rest, if you must—but don’t you quit.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man.

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor’s cup,

And he learned too late, when the night slipped

down, How close he was to the golden crown."

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow,

You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out—

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

Stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—

It’s when things seem worse that you mustn’t quit."

-- Edgar A. Guest

How To Get Blockbuster Performance

"Real progress triggers positive emotions like satisfaction, gladness, even joy. It leads to a sense of accomplishment and self-worth as well as positive views of the work and, sometimes, the organizations. Such thoughts and perceptions (along with those positive emotions) feed motivation, the deep engagement, that is crucial for ongoing blockbuster performance"

-- Ryan Babineaux

Start Doing The Work You Want

"Pretend to be something you’re not until you are—fake it until you’re successful, until everybody sees you the way you want them to; or Pretend to be making something until you actually make something. I love both readings—you have to dress for the job you want, not the job you have, and you have to start doing the work you want to be doing."

-- Austin Kleon

When You Cannot Forgive

"Those who cannot forgive, those who hold on to guilt or blame themselves or others, end up spending a great deal of unnecessary and negative energy that “eats them up” and makes them sick. The worst energy sucker is hate. It ages us prematurely."

-- Ichak K. Adizes

Your Magical Journey

"The hardest step is always the first – it means taking responsibility for your life and knowing that only you can change it. It is a Big Leap, and it is momentous and life-altering. But it is also a magical journey."

-- Suzy Greaves

How Affirmations Works

"Affirmations are very powerful when used in an energetic way, rather than just saying them because they sound good! You’ve got to mean them. You’ve got to believe them, and then feel them inside your core."

-- Abby Wynne

The Truth of Learning

"You learn from the mistakes you make and from the mistakes other people make.  The truth is, you don't learn from success; you learn from failure."

-- George Clooney

Very Little for a Happy Life

"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."

-- Marus Aurelius

Measuring Success

"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed."

-- Booker T. Washington

Two Things That Hinder Your Success

“Just two things keep people from being successful: a lack of understanding about how to think about the events and obstacles that happen in life, and the unwillingness to go the extra mile.”

-- James P. Owen

First Be Who You Really Are

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."

-- Margaret Young

Jazz Singer (1891–1969)

You Must Want It Desperately

"You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world."

-- Sheila Graham

HollyWood Columnist (1904–88)

The Goals of Your Storm

"Our storms will test us, and our goals will stretch us. (That’s what goals are for. If they don’t stretch us, they aren’t called goals. They are called to dos.) I am learning that God doesn’t touch the butterfly. He allows the struggle because He longs to see the flight."

-- Dondi Scumaci

The Reason To Press Ahead

"Successful people take action as quickly as possible, even though they may perform badly. Instead of trying to avoid making mistakes and failing, they actively seek opportunities where they can face the limits of their skills and knowledge so that they can learn quickly. They understand that feeling afraid or underprepared is a sign of being in the space for optimal growth and is all the more reason to press ahead."

-- Ryan Babineaux

Pivot on Your Strength

"If possible, go for Plan A. And it’s possible more often than not. Pivoting on your strengths beats starting from scratch. Redefine success according to your values, not those of the rest of the world."

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Be Prepared To Commit Totally

"Stacy’s story is a vivid reminder that great achievements come at great cost. To do anything exceptionally challenging, whether it’s climbing a mountain or starting a company, you have to be prepared to commit yourself totally. Without that, it doesn’t matter how heartfelt your dream may be. “The goal is the starting point,” says Stacy. “If you don’t believe in the goal you’ve set, and don’t believe you can achieve it, you’re not going to take the risks to get there. At some point, you’ve just got to jump. You just have to let go of everything that has meant security to you and reach for that strength and courage deep down inside.”"

-- James P. Owen

No Short Cuts in Life

"To accomplish anything worthwhile, and especially to achieve a goal others say is impossible, you have to work your ass off. There are no shortcuts. The only way is the hard way."

-- Jeff Haden

Small That Will Amounts To Something Big

"The pursuit of discipline means being disciplined in all things, especially little things. And time—how we spend it, its tiny increments—is something small that actually amounts to something very large." 

-- Ryan Holiday

The Benefits of Doing What You Love

"By doing what you love, you place yourself in an appreciative, opportunity-focused mind-set that allows you to think more creatively, work more  productively, and capitalize on unexpected opportunities. You don’t have to take our word for it. There is a growing body of research that shows how a sense of enjoyment makes people more productive, sociable, and innovative."

-- Ryan Babineaux

No One Else Can Do It For You

“No matter how much guidance or support we have, we are the ones who make the personal decision to reach a goal or change our lives; no one else can do that for us. The engine that drives self-development is self-awareness.”

-- James P. Owen

Just Do You Best Will Do

"We can’t all be gold-medal or Nobel Prize winners, or chief executives or Oscar contenders. What we can all do, however, is our best. Giving up or becoming bitter and frustrated because you can’t be the best denies you the chance to shine in your own way. Just as we should never tell children their efforts are wasted unless they get the top prize, we need to recognize for ourselves that doing the best we can is no less a triumph. We do, however, have to do that – do the very best we can, with full effort and complete focus."

-- Suzie Hayman

Indecision Causes Own Delays

"Each indecision brings its own delays And days are lost lamenting over lost days. What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it."

-- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

German Writer, Artist and Politician

Engaged Your Thought Throughout Your Life

"I roamed the countryside searching for the answers to things I did not understand. Why shells existed on the tops of mountains along with the imprints of coral and plant and seaweed usually found in the sea. Why the thunder lasts a longer time than that which causes it and why immediately on its creation the lightning becomes visible to the eye while thunder requires time to travel . . . These questions and other strange phenomena engaged my thought throughout my life."  

-- Leonardo Da Vinci

Italian Renaissance Painter, Sculptor, Architect and Inventor

How To View Struggle

"When you have the opportunity to learn and serve, you don’t complain about the effort involved. View struggle as a necessary, important, and positive part of your journey so that you can find true peace and personal power.  Don’t bemoan the inevitable hardships of self-improvement and chasing your dreams; have reverence for challenge."

-- Brendon Burchard

Discover Your Gift Whatever It May Be

"We all have different talents, Lexi believes, which means your first job is to discover your gift, whatever it may be. As she observes, “People who do work within their calling have an advantage, because they don’t have to work so much on their skill. They can concentrate on the tough part, which is sitting down and actually composing the music or writing the book. There are a lot of people with ideas. It comes down to the one who’s going to write the screenplay.”"

-- James P. Owen

Focus on The Positive Aspects of Life

 "The most important thing in life is not to avoid what is bad, but to find what is good."

-- Mark Manson 

Essentially, Manson is saying that it's not enough to simply avoid things that are bad or negative in life. Instead, we should focus on actively seeking out the things that are good, positive, and fulfilling.

This idea can be applied to many different areas of life. For example, instead of just trying to avoid negative people, we can actively seek out positive and uplifting relationships. Instead of just trying to avoid unhealthy foods, we can focus on finding and enjoying nutritious and delicious meals.

In essence, Manson is reminding us to focus on the positive aspects of life and actively seek out what makes us happy, rather than just trying to avoid what makes us unhappy.

When You Do What You Planned

"When you savor the small victories, you get to feel good about yourself every day, because you no longer feel compelled to compare the distance between here and there. You don’t have to wait for “someday” to feel good about yourself; if you do what you planned to do today, you’re a winner."

-- Jeff Haden

Prioritize Your Time

"We know how to prioritize our time at work – decide which are the important jobs and do them first. You need to do the same in your private life – decide who needs your time, decide who you would like to give your time to, decide how much time you have, then apportion your time and keep to your plan. If someone low or not on your list calls, say: ‘I can’t talk now; no, sorry, can’t do that – goodbye!’"

-- Suzie Hayman

How To Change A Habit

"The evidence is clear: If you want to change a habit, you must find an alternative routine, and your odds of success go up dramatically when you commit to changing as part of a group. Belief is essential, and it grows out of a communal experience, even if that community is only as large as two people."

-- Charles Duhigg

What is Self-Confidence

"Self-confidence is nothing more than knowledge. Let me say that again: To be self-confident, all you need is information. Look at it this way. If you do something well, five thousand times, you know you can do it; therefore, you are confident. If you have never done it before, you don’t KNOW."

--  Bob Proctor

You Are A Success in Your Own Way

“So many times, success is judged by money. But for me, it was never about that. I wanted to be the world’s best cowboy, but I never thought, ‘I’m going to be rich and famous.’ Cowboys aren’t, for the most part. Rodeo was just something that thrilled me and excited me, and I even liked practicing and the challenge of it. To me, if you can find something in your life that you’re passionate about and then figure out a way to eat from doing that . . . then you’re a success. I truly believe that.”

-- James P. Owen

The Power of Gratitude

"I believe that gratitude has one of the highest vibrations. It’s documented that people who make the effort to list five things they are grateful for every day feel happier than those who don’t. Recognize that gratitude can be a healing force in your life and try to bring it in more often, feel the burst of lightness that its energy brings."

-- Abby Wynne

Focus on The Process of your Goal

"Incredibly successful people set a goal and then focus all their attention on the process necessary to achieve that goal. They set a goal and then, surprisingly, they forget the goal. Sure, the goal is still out there. But what they care about most is what they need to do today—and when they accomplish that, they are happy about today. They feel good about today."

-- Jeff Haden

Survived The Adversity Winter

"Adversity may be like winter in the garden—barren and cold, with shortened days and longer nights. Remember that winter is a season, and spring comes next! When spring comes, you will be like the tree that survived winter and said, “I have survived the winter, and I have grown!”"

-- Dondi Scumaci

Don't Wait Till Changes Are Forced on You

"“If people don’t take a hard look at what kind of changes they want to make, in the end those changes are going to be forced on them,” Strenger said. “The basic idea is: Don’t wait until the changes are forced on you. Be proactive.”"

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Don't Take Your Time for Granted

"You’re in the game, always. You’ve got to know the time precisely because you will never know when it’s going to run out on you. That’s what the reminder memento mori means. No one can take time or life for granted . . . as it runs out for all of us."

-- Ryan Holiday

Reaching Your Full Potential

"Asked how they rose above others who were more privileged or qualified than they, such people often say, “I was hungry. I had to succeed. There was no other choice.” They had necessity. The flip side is how many people without this mentality never reach their full powers. No necessity, no drive, no fulfillment of their potential."

-- Brendon Burchard

Regular Exercise Make Us Happier

"We tend to see fitness as something extra, something only elite sportspeople or people on a diet possess, but having the habit of regular exercise makes us much happier as well as much healthier. Fitness boosts self-esteem and confidence, and doesn’t have to cost the earth. A gym membership would actually pay off in the way it improves your life, but, if that seems a bit excessive, running or walking can give you the same benefits for less. Whatever the excuses, anyone can make time in their schedule to fit in a run during their lunchtime, getting up half an hour early to walk to work or school, and making one of your days off the time you do something energetic as a family."

-- Suzie Hayman

When You Engage Like with Like You Amplify

"Remember, the laws of physics hold for the energy of our emotions and thoughts as well as for electricity.  When you engage like with like, you amplify. Anger plus anger equals more anger! So if you don’t want more anger, you need to bring a new energy in that will dissolve the anger away."

-- Abby Wynne

The Law of Hope

"Hope flourishes when you are fully invested in what you love—what you are passionate about—and when you are growing and making a real difference. Hope grows when you build on your natural strengths and talents, honoring your gifts and growing with the grain."

-- Dondi Scumaci

When You Don't Face New Challenges

"“There’s a difference between twenty years of experience and one year of experience twenty times,” he told me. “People do the same thing and they don’t grow. They don’t face new challenges.”"

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

The Journey of a Lifetime

"It’s the journey of a lifetime. In fact, that’s the way to think about all of this: How much progress could you make if you made just a little each day over the course of an entire life? What might this journey look like, where might it lead, if each bit of progress you made presented both the opportunity and the obligation to make a little more progress, and you seized those opportunities, you lived up to those obligations, each and every time?"

-- Ryan Holiday

No Shame In Reaching Out for Help

"We must be willing to ask for help when we need it."

-- Antonio Neves

Asking for help is something that can be difficult for many people. Sometimes, we feel like we should be able to handle everything on our own, or we worry about appearing weak or incompetent if we ask for help. But the truth is, we all need help from time to time, and there's no shame in reaching out to others when we need it.

By asking for help, we're essentially admitting that we don't have all the answers or solutions to a problem, and that's okay. It takes courage to ask for help, but it can also be incredibly empowering. When we ask for help, we're opening ourselves up to new ideas and perspectives, and we're giving ourselves the opportunity to learn and grow.

So, the lesson here is that we should be willing to ask for help when we need it. Whether it's asking a friend for advice, seeking out a mentor, or even just asking a coworker for assistance on a project, there's no shame in reaching out to others for support. In fact, it's a sign of strength and resilience to recognize when we need help and to take action to get it.

Feed Your Inquiring Mind

"Focus your talent by maintaining your curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning. Feed your inquiring mind with good books and other informative media. Listen and learn —then use what you have learned to multiply your skills and magnify your talent."

-- Pat Williams

Developing The Critical Skills

"Determine the five major skills you need to develop over the next three years to grow into the person you hope to become. Then set out to develop those skills with obsessive focus through the ten steps of progressive mastery. The most important thing is to always be developing the critical skills to your future success."

-- Brendon Burchard

The Law of Healing

"The key to any form of healing is to face the difficult feelings instead of running away from them. You need to be brave to do this. It can be challenging. If it’s big, you may need a witness, someone to be there and watch you do this, a friend or a therapist to support you. To hold your hand, so to speak, as you move through your pain. By focusing inwards, doing your inner work, being with the parts that are aching, you heal."

-- Abby Wynne

The Best Race of Your Life

"When you look back upon the struggles of life, I hope you will find a place for gratitude. It is the struggle that forced blood through your wings so you could fly. If you are experiencing adversity and great resistance now, you may actually be running the best race of your life against the wind. The stopwatch may not reflect it, but you are developing incredible strength and resiliency. You may not feel or see that just now, but you will in the days to come. Look for your captains, and you will see them smile."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Make Yourself a Better Person

"“Find a way to give something of yourself, a piece of your talent, a piece of your goodness,” she said. “Give it back to your world. Give it back to your community. It really makes you feel so wonderful inside. It makes you a better person.”"

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

When You Don't Know Where You Are Sailing

"“Anyone who has not groomed his life in general towards some definite end cannot possibly arrange his individual actions properly,” the writer Michel de Montaigne reminded himself. If you don’t know where you’re sailing, the Stoics said, no wind is favorable.  This means first, the discipline to step away and think: What am I doing? What are my priorities? What is the most important contribution I make—to my work, to my family, to the world? Then comes the discipline to ignore just about everything else." 

-- Ryan Holiday

Simple Rule of Life

"It’s a simple and generous rule of life that whatever you practice, you will improve at. For instance: If I had spent my twenties playing basketball every single day, or making pastry dough every single day, or studying auto mechanics every single day, I’d probably be pretty good at foul shots and croissants and transmissions by now."

--  Elizabeth Gilbert

Steer The Course of Your Life

"Not making a choice – waiting and delaying, avoiding and denying – is as much a decision as making one. Letting it happen means accepting whatever course is imposed by events or other people – but you’re still making that choice, to let outside influences impose on you. People often say that their fate is sealed, that it’s destiny, luck or karma that dictates what happens to you, or that you had no control over events. Now you are an adult you have far more power than you imagine to steer the course of your life. With that responsibility might come anxiety and guilt. But with it could come fewer regrets."

-- Suzie Hayman

The False Economy of Overwork

"The most surefire way to make yourself more fragile, to cut your career short, is to be undisciplined about rest and recovery, to push yourself too hard, too fast, to overtrain and to pursue the false economy of overwork.  Manage the load."

-- Ryan Holiday

Happy and Supportive Friendships

"Harvard researchers tested and retested the memories of people in their fifties and sixties over six years. Socially active people had less than half the memory loss of those who were less engaged. But quality, not quantity, of friendships matters most. If you have as many bad relationships as good ones, the stress of the bad cancels out the restorative powers of the good, suggesting your brain wants you to cull the herd to include only the happy and supportive friendships." 

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

To Become More

"Like old maps and old stories, continually doing what you have always done will bring you back to old places, the places you have been before. Repeat after me: “What got me here will not take me one step further. To have more or become more, I will have to do new things.”""

-- Dondi Scumaci

Letting Go Of Things

"We must learn to let go of the things that no longer serve us."

-- Antonio Neves

Basically, this quote is about the importance of letting go of things in our lives that no longer serve a purpose or are holding us back in some way. This could be anything from old habits or beliefs that no longer align with who we are or what we want, to toxic relationships or jobs that are causing us more harm than good.

Learning to let go of these things can be difficult, but it's an important part of personal growth and development. By holding onto things that no longer serve us, we're essentially creating unnecessary obstacles for ourselves and preventing ourselves from moving forward in life.

So, the key takeaway from this quote is that we need to be willing to let go of things in our lives that are no longer serving us. This can be a scary and uncomfortable process, but it's important for our own well-being and happiness. By letting go of what no longer serves us, we create space for new opportunities and experiences that are more aligned with who we are and what we want out of life.

Whether You Shine or Struggle

"Choose to surround yourself with people who bring joy and growth into your life and are secure enough in themselves to be real and solid whether you shine or struggle."

-- Brendon Burchard

We Are Wired For Friends

"All the research converges on one unshakable imperative: If you want to live a long and healthy life, invest in friends, particularly at midlife. Every evolutionary instinct cries out for trusted companions, and the more the merrier, because the more friends you have, the healthier, happier, and more mentally acute you will be, now and in your later years. We are wired for friends."

-- Barbara Bradley Hagerty

No Decision Really is a Decision

"Living with intention requires that we pay close attention to the choices we make and where those choices take us. Where you are standing now in every area of your life is a direct reflection of the choices you have made—by design or by default. In this context, a nonaction is an action. No decision really is a decision."

-- Dondi Scumaci

When You Are Not Practicing

"“A thousand days of training to develop,” Musashi would write, “ten thousand days of training to polish.” For a samurai, there was no such thing as pretty good. If a pretty good swordsman met a better fighter . . . he would die. It’s like the basketball Hall of Famer Bill Bradley’s observation: When you are not practicing, refining, working—somewhere, someone else is . . . and when you meet them, they will beat you."

-- Ryan Holiday

Your Future Is Really Your Present

"You simply must support your goals with your whole consciousness and life energy. While success may seem to be about the future, it’s really about the present. Your vital vibration every day is what determines the results. If the way you live, think, and treat yourself contradicts your basic intention, it could take forever to get what you want!"

-- Sandra Anne Taylor

What To Feed Your Mind

"It’s been proven again and again. Hypochondriacs, people who are convinced that they are sick even though nothing is wrong with them, experience the exact symptoms of the actual illness. For them, the illness is just as real as if their bodies were ravaged by disease. It is also possible to make yourself ill through constant worry and fear of failure, because the mind constantly strives to turn into reality the things we think about most. Protect your mental health with the same care you give your physical body. Just as your body requires healthy, nourishing foods, and a balanced diet, so does your mind. Make sure you feed it plenty of positive thoughts."

-- Napoleon Hill

Have Faith In Yourself and Your Future

"The universe is abundant and giving, so you can trust that good things are coming your way. I suppose that’s the ultimate message in times of difficulty: to have faith in yourself and the future. It’s something I wrote on an index card and carried in my wallet when I was struggling through my brain injury: Remember, you are stronger than you think, and the future holds good things for you."

-- Brendon Burchard

You Are Unique and Essential

"You were designed for success. On the day you were born, the Creator of all things breathed destiny into you. You are unique and essential. You have a purpose, and you are more powerful then you might imagine."

-- Dondi Scumaci

What Is Real Wealth

"A person who lives below their means has far more latitude than a person who can’t. That’s why Michelangelo, the artist, didn’t live as austerely as Cato but he avoided the gifts dangled by his wealthy patrons. He didn’t want to owe anyone. Real wealth, he understood, was autonomy."

-- Ryan Holiday

When You Face Issues

"Having fewer regrets often means facing problems squarely instead of avoiding them.  Rather than pushing problems behind us, we need to look for solutions and apply them instead of running away, which is what most often leads to regrets. By facing issues we can often learn to seize the day and live in the moment instead of always looking either back or forward, dwelling on regrets or creating new ones."

-- Suzie Hayman

Taking Responsibility for Our Actions

"We must take ownership of our mistakes and learn from them."

-- Antonio Neves

So, have you ever made a mistake before? I know I have! It's a pretty common thing that happens to everyone. But what's important is how we react to those mistakes. Instead of blaming someone else or making excuses, taking ownership of our mistakes means admitting that we made a mistake and accepting responsibility for it.

This is an important lesson because it teaches us that mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. By owning up to our mistakes, we can take steps to make things right and prevent the same mistake from happening again in the future. It's all about being accountable for our actions and taking responsibility for the consequences of those actions.

Keep Contributing Positively To The World

"Whatever your worker status, take stock of the years you might have left and renew your commitment to your top goals. As long as you’ve got breath, keep contributing positively to the world around you."

-- Joshua Becker

When You Become Supremely Skilled

"Never give up, add a tremendous amount of value, and stay on the path to mastery.  When you become supremely skilled and successful at what you do, doors will open and you’ll meet more and more extraordinary people."

-- Brendon Burchard

What Become Your Life Story

"You are not a victim of your past, your present, or your genes. You do have choices and options. You can empower yourself, even in the most difficult situations. In the end, it is not what happens to you; it is how you respond that will become the story of your life."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Simply The Work which Pleasure The Reward

"The pleasure of excess is always fleeting. Which is why self-discipline is not a rejection of pleasure but a way to embrace it. Treating our body well, moderating our desires, working hard, exercising, hustling—this is not a punishment. This is simply the work for which pleasure is the reward."

-- Ryan Holiday

You Have The Power To Create Your Own Opportunities

 "Don't wait for opportunity, create it."

-- Tommy Baker 

If you're waiting for an opportunity to come to you, you might be waiting a long time. Opportunities don't always present themselves on their own - sometimes, you have to actively seek them out and create them for yourself.

For example, let's say you're looking for a job. You could sit around waiting for job postings to come up and hope that one of them will be a good fit for you. But if you really want to increase your chances of finding a job that you love, you might need to create your own opportunities. This might mean networking with people in your desired industry, reaching out to companies that you're interested in working for, or even starting your own business.

The same principle applies to other areas of life, too. If you want to start a new hobby, you might need to create opportunities for yourself by joining a club or signing up for a class. If you want to make new friends, you might need to create opportunities by attending social events or joining a meetup group.

We have the power to create our own opportunities in life. Instead of waiting for things to happen to us, we can take action and make things happen for ourselves. By creating opportunities, we can open up new possibilities and achieve our goals in ways we never thought possible.

To Become Self-Determining

"One of my most valuable life lessons came from my mentor when I was eighteen years old. I was feeling sorry for myself when my mentor asked if I’d like a helping hand to help me through this rough spot. I said, “Yes.” Then he looked me straight in the eye and told me in no uncertain terms that if I wanted a helping hand, I had one at the end of each arm. He promptly turned around and left the room. As startled as I was, I knew he was absolutely right. He knew that for me to become self-determining I had to find my own answers."

--  Jeffrey Spencer

Feel The Joy

"Think of how lucky you are. Be glad to be awake (because it’s better than the alternative, which we’ll all greet one day). Feel the joy of being able to do what you love. Cherish the time. But most of all, use it."

-- Ryan Holiday

There Are No Dead Ends

 "There is no such thing as a dead end for you —not in your career or in any goal you may set for yourself!"

-- Dondi Scumaci

This quote is a great reminder that there are no failures, only opportunities to learn and grow. It's easy to get discouraged when we face obstacles or setbacks, but it's important to remember that these are just temporary bumps in the road.

For example, let's say you're pursuing a career in art, but you hit a roadblock and can't seem to get any traction. It's easy to feel like you're at a dead end, but this quote reminds you that there are always options and opportunities to keep moving forward.

You could try a different approach to your art, seek out new mentors or teachers, or even explore different mediums or styles. You could also take the time to learn more about the art world, including the business side of things, to give yourself a better understanding of how to succeed.

The key is to stay open-minded and willing to try new things. By doing so, you'll find that there are no dead ends, only new paths to explore and opportunities to learn and grow.

People With a Growth Mindset

"People with such a mindset believe they can improve, love a challenge, and engage with difficulty rather than run from it. They don’t fear failure as much as others do, because they know they can learn and, through hard work and training, become better. This makes them more motivated, more dogged in their pursuits, more resilient, and more successful over the long term in practically every area of their lives."

-- Brendon Burchard

There Could Be More To The Situation Than What You Are Seeing

 "What you see is not all there is."

-- Daniel Kahneman

This is an interesting quote because it speaks to the idea that there is often more to a situation or experience than what we initially perceive.

Our brains are wired to make quick judgments and assumptions based on limited information, and we often rely on these quick judgments to make decisions. But the reality is that our initial perceptions may not always be accurate or complete.

For example, let's say you meet someone new and they come across as shy or reserved. You might assume that they are not very outgoing or friendly, but in reality, there could be many reasons why they appear that way. Maybe they're just having a bad day, or maybe they're introverted and take longer to warm up to people.

So, the next time you find yourself making assumptions or judgments based on limited information, remember that there could be more to the situation than what you're seeing. Try to keep an open mind and be willing to consider other possibilities or perspectives. By doing so, you may be able to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of the situation, and make better decisions as a result.

The Law of Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

"You will attract what you make yourself available for and what you invest yourself in. That can work for or against you. Much like a self-fulfilling prophecy, you attract what you think about, talk about, and pay attention to."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Do Your Best While You Still Have a Chance

"You have to do your best while you still have a chance. Life is short. You never know when the game, when your body, will be taken away from you. Don’t waste it!"

-- Ryan Holiday

Simply a Matter of Law

"The world is full of people who are doing what unhappy, unsuccessful, frustrated people do, and then they are amazed that they get the same results. But this is not a matter of accident, random chance, or bad luck. It is simply a matter of law."

-- Brian Tracy

Our Doubts and Fears Can Limit Our Potential for the Future

 "The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."

-- Tommy Baker 

If you have doubts about your ability to accomplish something, then you're less likely to take the necessary steps to make it happen. You might second-guess yourself, procrastinate, or hold yourself back from taking risks. All of these doubts can limit your potential and prevent you from achieving what you're capable of.

On the other hand, if you believe in yourself and your abilities, you'll be more motivated to take action and pursue your goals. You'll be more likely to take risks, try new things, and persist even when things get tough.

For example, if you want to start your own business but doubt your ability to do so, you might hold yourself back from taking the necessary steps to make it happen. You might think to yourself, "I don't have enough experience," or "I don't have enough money to get started." These doubts can prevent you from taking the necessary steps to start your business and limit your potential for success.

So, the quote is a reminder that our doubts and fears can limit our potential for the future. Instead, we should believe in ourselves and our abilities and take the necessary steps to achieve our goals. By overcoming our doubts and fears, we can realize a brighter tomorrow and achieve our wildest dreams.

Feedback is Essentail

"For a life trying to grow, feedback is essential; it is one of the tools you use to train your growth. You leverage feedback when you learn to do two things well—know where to find feedback, and how to process it effectively."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Remember Your Cause

"We change and improve over time only when we must. When the internal and external forces on us are strong enough, we make it happen. We climb. And when it gets most difficult, we remember our cause. When we are afraid and battling hardship and darkness, we remember we came in the cause of light and we sustain positive performance over the long term."

-- Brendon Burchard

Greatness Rarely Comes To Those Who Always Play It Safe

"It takes courage to fail. The majority always plays it safe, so they rarely achieve greatness."

-- Robert Greene

You know, many people have a natural tendency to play it safe and avoid taking risks. It's comfortable and familiar to stick with what we know and to avoid the possibility of failure. We often fear the unknown and the potential setbacks that come with trying something new or pursuing our dreams.

But here's the thing: greatness rarely comes to those who always play it safe. It's those who have the courage to face failure head-on and take calculated risks who have the chance to achieve something truly extraordinary.

Think about successful individuals throughout history who have made significant contributions in various fields. Whether it's in science, arts, sports, or entrepreneurship, these individuals often had to overcome failures and setbacks along the way. They took risks, experimented, and sometimes stumbled before finding their path to success.

For example, let's consider Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. He famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Edison faced numerous failures and setbacks before finally discovering the right combination of materials for the light bulb. If he had been afraid of failure and played it safe, we might still be living in the dark today.

By embracing failure, we open ourselves up to valuable learning experiences. Every failure teaches us something new, provides insights, and helps us refine our approach. It's through these failures that we gain the wisdom and knowledge necessary to achieve greatness.

Now, this doesn't mean that we should actively seek failure or take reckless risks without considering the consequences. Rather, it means having the courage to step out of our comfort zones, pursue our passions, and take calculated risks that have the potential for significant rewards.

It takes courage to fail because it requires us to confront our fears and persevere despite setbacks. It means pushing through the discomfort and uncertainty that failure brings and continuing to move forward. By doing so, we distinguish ourselves from the majority who play it safe and settle for mediocrity.

So, the lesson from this quote is to embrace failure as a stepping stone on the path to greatness. Don't be afraid to take risks, learn from your failures, and keep pushing forward. Remember, it's often through failures that the most remarkable achievements are born.

Your Mistakes Your Success

"Accept responsibility for your mistakes. Learn from them, and let them go. Your mistakes, as much as your successes, have shaped you. Perhaps they aren’t badges of honor, but they are choices that have created perspective, wisdom, and even the capacity to forgive and understand others."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Have A Clear Sense of Purpose

"The most successful people are those who have the strongest sense of purpose."

-- Eric Jorgenson

When you have a clear sense of purpose in your career, you're more likely to be motivated and focused on your work. You know why you're doing what you're doing, and you have a clear idea of what success looks like for you. This can help you make decisions that are aligned with your goals and keep you on track even when things get tough.

Here's an example: let's say you're a doctor. If you have a clear sense of purpose in your work, you know that your goal is to help people live healthier, happier lives. You're motivated by the idea of making a difference in people's lives, and this drives you to work hard, learn new things, and always strive to do better. On the other hand, if you're just going through the motions without a clear sense of purpose, it's easy to feel burned out and unfulfilled in your work.

The key here is to take the time to reflect on your own sense of purpose. What drives you? What are your values and goals? When you have a clear sense of purpose, you're more likely to be successful in your endeavors, because you're working towards something that matters to you. So, take the time to reflect on your purpose, and use it as a guiding force in your life!

Life Divided Into Three Terms

"You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past. Life is divided into three terms —that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from the present, to live better in the future."

--  Bob Proctor

Your Paths is Unique

"Paths are personal things. Each is unique, just as unique as the person who travels them. So you shouldn’t wait for someone to roll out the corporate rug. It is up to you to build your own road."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Having Clear Goals Is Crucial

 "In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it."

-- Robert Greene

You know how when we don't have well-defined goals or a clear direction in life, we often find ourselves getting caught up in mundane tasks and trivial activities? It's like we start doing things just for the sake of doing them, without any real purpose or fulfillment.

Think about it this way: Imagine you wake up every day and spend hours scrolling through social media, watching random videos, and engaging in other distractions. You might not have a specific aim or objective in mind for your day or your life, so you end up wasting your time on things that don't really contribute to your growth or well-being.

Over time, this pattern becomes habitual, and before you know it, you're trapped in a cycle of unproductive activities. It's like being enslaved by these trivial tasks because they consume your time, energy, and focus without offering any meaningful progress towards your larger goals or aspirations.

For example, let's say your goal is to become a successful entrepreneur and build your own business. If you lack a clear vision and defined objectives, you might spend your days engaging in activities that don't contribute to your entrepreneurial journey, such as binge-watching TV shows or constantly checking your social media feed. These tasks may seem harmless in the moment, but they take you away from the path that leads to your desired success.

Without those clearly-defined goals to guide you, you become strangely loyal to these daily trivialities. You end up getting comfortable with the routine, even though it doesn't align with what you truly want to achieve. It's like being stuck in a loop, going through the motions without making progress towards something meaningful.

So, the key lesson from this quote is that having clear goals is crucial. When you have a specific target or vision in mind, you can focus your energy and efforts on activities that actually contribute to your growth and success. By defining your goals, you break free from the enslavement of trivial tasks and instead prioritize actions that align with your long-term aspirations.

Remember, it's not about avoiding leisure or relaxation altogether, but rather about ensuring that your daily activities serve a purpose and bring you closer to the life you envision. Having clarity in your goals empowers you to make intentional choices and live a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life.

Wherever Your Thoughts Is

"You, as a human being, have the freedom to place your awareness on anything. To develop your ability to manage and properly use this abundance of power is the gift. Wherever you put your thoughts and your awareness becomes your reality."

-- Dr. Joe Dispenza

Don't Wait For Someone To Create Your Future

 "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

-- Eric Jorgenson

If you want to be successful in your career, you can't just sit around and wait for opportunities to come to you. You have to take action and create your own opportunities by networking, building skills, and pursuing your passions. Similarly, if you want to have a happy and fulfilling life, you can't just wait for good things to happen to you. You have to take action and create your own happiness by cultivating meaningful relationships, pursuing hobbies you enjoy, and setting goals that are aligned with your values.

Here's an example: let's say you're interested in starting your own business. Instead of waiting for the perfect idea to come to you or waiting for someone else to invest in your idea, you can take action and start working on your business plan today. You can research your industry, build a network of mentors and advisors, and start building a prototype of your product or service. By taking action and creating your own future, you're more likely to achieve success and reach your goals.

The key here is to take control of your own life and create your own opportunities. Don't wait for someone else to create your future for you – take action and create it yourself!

Tweaking Your Mindset

"Tweaking your mindset starts with questioning notions about yourself and the world that may seem set in stone—and that might be working against what matters to you—and then making the active choice to turn yourself toward learning, experimentation, growth, and change, one step at a time."

-- Susan David

Discipline Refines Your Talents

 "Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability." 

-- Roy L. Smith

When you refine something, you make it better or purer by removing impurities. In this case, discipline is what refines your talent and turns it into actual ability.

Think of it like this: let's say you have a talent for playing the piano. You might be able to play some simple songs pretty well, but if you want to become truly great at playing the piano, you need to put in a lot of hard work and practice. That's where discipline comes in.

With discipline, you can commit to a regular practice schedule and push yourself to improve even when you don't feel like it. By doing this, you slowly but surely refine your natural talent and turn it into true ability. This is what sets apart the truly great musicians, athletes, artists, and other talented people from those who just have raw talent but never do anything with it.

Another example might be someone who has a talent for writing. They might be naturally good at putting words together and creating compelling stories, but if they don't have the discipline to sit down and actually write, they'll never be able to turn that talent into a successful career as a writer.

So, to sum it up: the quote is saying that discipline is what takes your natural talent and turns it into something truly great. It's the hard work and dedication that separates the truly successful people from those who never reach their full potential.

Laying Down The Past

"So many regrets come about because we follow patterns laid down for us in our early lives. The examples we saw in our own family about how you relate and react to other people, and the assumptions you make about yourself and others, all come from your past and echo through your present to your future. To go forward with confidence, we often do need to lay the past to rest and we may need to explore and examine it to do so."

-- Suzie Hayman

Positive Beliefs Empower You

"Positive beliefs empower you. They lift your head.  These are the beliefs that make you resilient and give you the courage to press on even in the face of adversity."

-- Dondi Scumaci

Enjoying The Journey of Success

 "Success is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the ride."

-- Tommy Baker 

Think about it like going on a road trip with your friends. Sure, reaching your final destination, whether it's a beach or a national park, is exciting, but it's also about the experiences that you have along the way. The conversations, the music, the food stops, and the beautiful scenery that you see all contribute to the journey and make it memorable.

Similarly, in life, success is not just about reaching a certain job, income level, or any other specific goal. It's about enjoying the process of getting there, learning new things, meeting new people, and experiencing new things. The journey itself can be rewarding and fulfilling.

For example, if your goal is to become a doctor, the journey to getting there might involve years of hard work, studying, and long hours in the hospital. But along the way, you'll meet new people, learn new things, and develop valuable skills that will help you in your career and in life.

So, the quote is a reminder to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the end result. Take time to appreciate the experiences, the ups and downs, and the lessons learned along the way. Life is a journey, and success is just a part of it. Enjoy the ride!

Find True Peace and Personal Power

"When we learn to see struggle as a necessary, important, and positive part of our journey, then we can find true peace and personal power."

-- Brendon Burchard

Recognizing The Illusion of Control

"The illusion of control is the belief that we have more control over events than we actually do."

-- Daniel Kahneman

This is a really important concept to understand because it relates to how we perceive our ability to influence outcomes in our lives.

Essentially, the illusion of control is a cognitive bias where we believe we have more control over things than we actually do. We tend to overestimate the degree to which our actions can impact outcomes, even in situations where we have no control whatsoever.

For example, let's say you have a job interview, and you wear your lucky socks because you believe they'll help you get the job. This is an example of the illusion of control because the reality is that your socks probably have no impact on the outcome of the interview.

It's not to say that we have no control over anything in our lives, but rather that our sense of control is often limited, and we may not be aware of just how limited it is. Recognizing this illusion can help us become more aware of the factors that are truly within our control, and those that are not. It can also help us become more accepting of situations that are beyond our control, and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves to influence outcomes that are out of our hands.

So, next time you find yourself in a situation where you're feeling anxious or worried about the outcome, take a step back and ask yourself how much control you really have over the situation. By recognizing the illusion of control, you may be able to approach things with a more level-headed and realistic perspective.

Whether You Want To Be Wealthy or Better

"Whether you want to be wealthy or a better parent —or a great wizard, for that matter—it might not be a bad idea to fill your brain with knowledge on your chosen subject, so you have more building blocks to make a new model of the reality you want to embrace. Every time you acquire information, you’re adding new synaptic connections that will serve as the raw materials to break the pattern of your brain firing the same way. The more you learn, the more ammo you have to unseat the old personality."

-- Dr. Joe Dispenza

You Win By Being Crystal Clear

"You win by being crystal clear about the few big things you want to accomplish and doing only what moves you closer to each of those end results."

-- Brian Page

Basically, this quote is all about focusing on what's truly important and not getting distracted by all the other things that might come up along the way. The key is to identify the few big things that you want to accomplish, and then make sure that everything you do is working towards achieving those goals.

Let's say, for example, that you have a goal of getting into shape. There are a lot of different things you could do to try and achieve that goal, like going for a run, lifting weights, or doing yoga. However, if you want to win at this goal, you need to be crystal clear about what will help you achieve it most effectively. Maybe you decide that lifting weights is the most effective way for you to get in shape. So, you would focus on doing only what moves you closer to that end result, like creating a workout plan, tracking your progress, and eating a healthy diet to support your goals.

Another example could be in your work life. Let's say you have a project with a tight deadline, and you know that you need to prioritize your time to get it done on time. If you're crystal clear about the few big things you want to accomplish, you would focus only on the tasks that directly contribute to the completion of that project. You might need to put off some other things temporarily, but in the end, you'll be much more likely to succeed.

So, to sum it up, the quote is about the power of focus and prioritization. When you're crystal clear about your goals and focus only on the few big things that will help you achieve them, you're much more likely to succeed.

Your Choice Is Yours To Make

"Your beliefs, your thoughts, even your emotions are ultimately up to you. Although you may need to remind yourself often that you are indeed in charge, every blessed return to that one realization brings freedom anew. Choice is the most important form of prosperity, and every moment you can choose for rather than against yourself. You can pick love rather than hate, trust rather than fear, peace rather than concern. Each of these moments of choice expands your wealth, and in that flash of self-empowerment, real prosperity—now and forever—is yours."

-- Sandra Anne Taylor

We Have The Power To Change Our Emotions

"To change your emotions, change your thoughts and actions."

-- Thibaut Meurisse

This quote is all about the idea that we have the power to change our emotions by changing our thoughts and actions.

Let's say, for example, that you're feeling really anxious about an upcoming test. Your heart might be racing, and you might be feeling a sense of dread. But if you can change your thoughts and actions, you can start to shift your emotions as well.

One way to do this might be to change your thoughts. Instead of focusing on all the things that could go wrong or the mistakes you might make, you could try to focus on the things you do know and the ways you've prepared for the test. You could tell yourself, "I've studied hard for this test, and I'm as prepared as I can be. I can do this!" By changing your thoughts, you can start to shift your emotions from anxiety to confidence.

Another way to change your emotions might be to change your actions. Maybe you're feeling really down and unmotivated, and you just can't seem to shake it. But if you can force yourself to get up and take a walk, or do something that you enjoy, you might find that your mood starts to lift. By changing your actions, you can start to shift your emotions as well.

The point is, our emotions are often tied to our thoughts and actions. When we can change those things, we can start to change how we feel as well. It's not always easy, but it is possible. And that's the real power of this quote: by taking control of our thoughts and actions, we can take control of our emotions as well.

Those Who Are Open To Change

"After all, those who are open to change and believe they can do better—and that their efforts matter—have a sense of agency over their performance and rise to the challenge. So setbacks or failures don’t keep them down, and they persevere, even when they’re frustrated."

-- Susan David

Happiness is Found in the Journey

 "Happiness is found in the journey, not the destination."

-- Eric Jorgenson

Think about it like this: if you're taking a road trip with your friends, you might be excited to reach your destination (maybe it's a beach or a mountain hike), but the fun and memorable moments are the ones you experience during the trip itself. Maybe it's singing along to your favorite songs, stopping at roadside diners for lunch, or taking silly photos along the way.

In the same way, life is a journey, and happiness is found in the little moments you experience along the way. It's not about reaching a specific goal or destination, but about enjoying the process of getting there.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight and get in shape, it's easy to focus on the end result and get discouraged if you don't see progress quickly enough. But if you focus on the journey and enjoy the little victories along the way (like completing a challenging workout or trying a new healthy recipe), you'll feel happier and more motivated to keep going.

Or, if you're working towards a big career goal, it's easy to get caught up in the idea of achieving success and forget to enjoy the process of learning and growing along the way. But if you focus on the small wins (like mastering a new skill or making a meaningful connection), you'll find that you're happier and more fulfilled in your career.

So, remember that happiness isn't a destination that you reach, but a state of being that you experience in the present moment. Embrace the journey and enjoy the little moments along the way!

When People Tend To Maintain Motivation

"A tremendous amount of research shows that people tend to maintain motivation, give more effort, and achieve higher performance when they are held accountable for their outcomes, are evaluated more often, and have the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise or gain respect from those they serve. In other words, if you owe it to someone to do well, and you feel that doing well will exhibit your expertise, then you’ll feel greater necessity to perform at higher levels. For example, when we are evaluated more and held accountable to team performance, we work harder and better."

-- Brendon Burchard

The Most Precious Resource

 "It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.”

-- Steve Jobs

In simpler terms, time is like money - you can spend it wisely or waste it. When we waste time, we can't get it back, just like when we spend money on something we don't really need, it's gone forever.

For instance, let's say you have a project to complete that's due in a week, but you keep procrastinating and end up starting it the day before it's due. You will find yourself working under pressure, stressing out, and possibly producing low-quality work. If you had used your time wisely, you could have completed the project with less stress and produced better quality work.

Another example is if you have a friend or family member who is important to you, but you don't make time for them because you're too busy. You may regret not spending time with them later on when they're no longer around.

So, the takeaway from this quote is that we should make the most of our time and spend it wisely. We should prioritize things that are important to us and make time for them. This way, we can avoid regrets later on and live a more fulfilling life.

Explore Instead of Avoid

"When we explore instead of avoid, we are able to integrate the experience into our story. We’re able to make meaning out of struggle, out of suffering. Meaning is the glue that holds our mind together, allowing us to both respond and recover."

-- Steve Magness