My Top 10 Quotes for Living
Well!
Over the years many people have offered their models of the "Good
Life", and some have left quotes that nicely summarize important truths.
The following are ten of my personal favorites.
- Know Thyself. - Socrates. From ancient Greece
comes this reminder that introspection, keeping a journal, paying
attention to the heart of things, comes first. Before we can know
the world around us, and make reasonable decisions about our roles and
goals, it seems we must first come to grips with who we are and what we
value.
- To Thine Own Self Be True. - Shakespeare. In life there is
no substitute for integrity. My grandmother was fond of saying,
"We either stand for something, or we'll fall for
anything." Integrity is about going beyond the truth to full
and complete honesty, openness and fairness.
- And the Greatest of These is Love. - St Paul. He also observed
that "without love I am just a clanging symbol or a noisy gong."
Without love, caring relationships, and compassion, life is indeed
a dry and shallow thing.
- Imagination Rules the World. - Albert Einstein. The good life
is at least partly based on dreams that are worthy of us, dreams that
elevate and challenge and inspire our best. Bobby Kennedy noted,
"Others look at the world and ask, 'Why?' I dream of a world that
never was and ask, 'Why not?'" Martin Luther King's defiant
cry, "I have a dream!" will live long after most of us are gone
and forgotten.
- Too much of a good thing is wonderful! - Mae West. The good life is
about living large, about expressing the joy and love of life. It's
about song, exuberance, and about taking chances, and "going for
it".
- Opportunities multiply as they are
seized. -
SunTzu. Success depends on the courage to act, and courage in turn requires
a level of faith that every opportunity acted upon will lead to more and
better ways to serve, learn, grow and prosper.
- Do, or do not. There is no
"try". -
Yoda (The Empire Strikes Back). Life requires action, boldness and
decisiveness. Mae West also observed, "He who hesitates is a
damned fool."
- Perfection is achieved, not when there
is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. - Antoine de St. Exupery. Henry
Thoreau recommended, "Simplify, simplify, simplify. Let your
concerns be as 2 or 3, no more." Friends, work, the media and
this thing called the Internet, along with our own "wish lists"
try to seduce us to complexity, busy-ness and anxiety. Keep it
simple!
- The artist is nothing without gift, but
gift is nothing without work - Emile Zola. Only focused, intelligent, diligent effort
turns potential into reality. Without creative effort, talent and
"gift" seem to atrophy and die. Truly a case of "use
it or lose it".
- There are two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though
everything is a miracle.
- Albert Einstein. I highly recommend practicing the attitude of
gratitude. What else is there?
Copyright 2000
by Philip E. Humbert. All Rights Reserved. May be freely copied and
distributed as long as you include the following information:
Written by Dr
Philip E. Humbert, author, speaker and personal success coach. Dr Humbert
has hundreds of tips, tools and articles on his website that you can use for
YOUR success! It's a great resource! And, be sure to sign up for
his FREE newsletter! Visit him on the web at:
http://www.philiphumbert.com"
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