I collect quotes to gather wisdom.
There is something uniquely reassuring about finding a sentiment that describes your situation, your feelings, or your aspirations. It serves as a connection to those who came before us, and struggled similarly, and succeeded. Whether for my own inspiration or the support of others, I keep a few of my favorites handy.
On Mindset
““Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
— Marie Curie
“One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.”
— Henry Miller
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
— Marcus Aurelius
“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
— Jim Rohn
“Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
— Howard Thurman
On Tough Lessons
“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”
— Dalai Lama
“Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.”
— Will Rogers
On making the best of work
“This is the real secret to life—to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”
— Alan Watts
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
— Eric Hoffer
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”
— Napoleon Hill
“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
— C.S. Lewis
On Effort
“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”
— Og Mandino
“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”
— Buddha
“Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy.”
— Saadi
“The world will ask you who you are, and if you do not know, the world will tell you.”
— Carl Jung
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Don’t let mental blocks control you. Set yourself free. Confront your fear and turn the mental blocks into building blocks.”
— Dr. Roopleen
“It is not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it.”
— Lou Holtz
On Progress
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, bring others along.”
— Unknown
“Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.”
— Dean Acheson
“Don’t go through life, grow through life.”
— Eric Butterworth
“If you fear failure, you will never go anywhere.” Unknown
— Unknown
On resilience
“Feelings are just visitors. Let them come and go.”
— Mooji
“A wet person does not fear the rain”
— Anonymous
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
— Thomas Edison