Quoting Greatness!
- Contagious Enthusiasm
- They are positive thinkers… they are enthusiastic… and that enthusiasm rubs off.
For the past twenty years, I have been saving and indexing meaningful quotes I come across that are especially impactful in my personal pursuit of Greatness.
I have always marveled at the ability of some people to say something profound in just a few words and I’ve long found myself pulling these quotes up – or using them in conversation – to help think through a moment.
A couple of years ago I started sharing one quote every day with a few friends and now several thousand folks get them every day (you can join the list here if you’d like)
Recently, I was asked what my top five favorites were and why; and while it was difficult to whittle my list down to just five, my selections are below.
In five words, Coach Wooden manages to capture the essence of a beautiful day. What does it take to create a masterpiece day for me? Preparation, so that I approach every task will full mindfulness. Coolness and a level head, even in the face of pressure, stress, frustration, and disappointment. A will to go farther than I did the day before, so that I am constantly improving, learning, and adjusting my game plan. It sounds easy…but it is really a lot of work. Seven masterpiece days in a row make a masterpiece week. Four masterpiece weeks make a masterpiece month. Twelve masterpiece months make a masterpiece year—and so on until we have created a masterpiece life.
This is a wonderful encouragement for me on the days when I don’t quite live up to masterpiece standards because it reminds me that while none of us are perfect, none of us are beyond hope, either. It is also an important reminder not to sit in judgment of anyone else. The path that brought them to where they are is deeply personal and something I will never fully understand; likewise, the future remains unwritten and it is up to each of us to choose our destiny.
“To retain the loyalty of those who are present, be loyal to those who are absent.”
I cannot emphasize enough how significant this bit of wisdom is for leaders in any organization, be it at an office or in a family. When we refuse to engage in gossip, mockery, or pettiness about others, we build trust among those around us because we demonstrate that we will show them the same respect when they are absent—and trust is a cornerstone for any successful team.
“The role of most leaders is to get the people to think more of the leader but the role of the exceptional leader is to get the people to think more of themselves.”
A truly Great leader does not seek to build up his or her team only for the time that they are together, but to develop each member’s talent and potential so that the individual will bring success to every team and every endeavor in the future. In this way, leaders are not just invested in a project, but in people.
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.”
Encouragement is not something we can do once and forget about. It should be part of our regular routine—as much a part of our workday as completing tasks, preparing for meetings, interacting with clients, or returning phone calls and emails…only think of how much more fun it can be! When motivation becomes an inherent part of our team’s DNA, everyone benefits–from our teammates, to our customers and clients, to our families at home who get to see us encouraged and excited.
This last one is probably why I’m always collecting great quotes. They provide me with my daily bath of motivation!
Now, it’s your turn. What are the quotes that have most impacted you by shaping your thinking and guiding your actions? What helps you grow? What challenges you?
Make it a daily ritual to inspire yourself. Check out the quotes we send out as a Daily Dose of Greatness; if that’s not your speed, try an online quote database or a flip-book of inspirational quotes to keep on your desk. A daily dose of wisdom can be one of the Greatest motivators for growth you ever encounter, helping you keep your personal flame lit.
Inspire yourself today!
Booker T. Washington, Contagious Enthusiasm, Greatness, John Wooden, Oscar Wilde, Stephen R. Covey, Subscriptions, The Greatness Newsletter, Writing, Zig Ziglar