Personal development quotes on principles-based living
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” - Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was not only a brilliant scientist, but also published a large volume of work on non-scientific subjects.
He was a non-religious spiritualist who understood that our intellect might be too limited to unravel all of nature's mysteries.
He advocated looking at nature as a foundation for our reasoning, whether about scientific or moral topics. This insight is also the basis of our Designed to Grow experience.
“We are dependent entirely on obedience to the laws of nature for our success or failure in this life.” - Raymond Holliwell
One of my favorite books is Raymond Holliwell's Working With the Law: 11 Truth Principles for Successful Living. This book is about principled living based on the natural laws of success.
“It is important to view knowledge as sort of a semantic tree — make sure you understand the fundamental principles, i.e. the trunk and big branches, before you get into the leaves or there is nothing for them to hang on to.” - Elon Musk
As a strategic entrepreneur with a knack for innovation, Elon Musk's mind is wired to uncover the fundamental principles of science, engineering, and entrepreneurship. He focuses more on primary causes than on their outcomes.
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"In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same." - Albert Einstein
In this great quote, Einstein refers to the essential nature of principles: they apply to all situations, no matter their size or importance.
Nothing is either big or small, but our thinking makes it so. How we handle the little things will reflect how we do the larger things.
Quotes on the importance of personal development
"The important thing is that we must be constantly moving forward - yes, the progressive realization of a predetermined goal. And our growth should never end." - Og Mandino
Og Mandino was an American author who wrote books such as The University of Success. As many other great authors have pointed out, he understood that having a sense of moving forward in life makes humans thrive.
“In order to be knowledgeable in these changing times, we must pursue a constant program of self-improvement, a never-ending journey into new fields of knowledge and learning.” - Og Mandino
Lifelong learning is only going to increase in importance, not only as our primary tool to keep moving forward, but also to stay up-to-date with all the (r)evolutions in this ever-faster changing world.
“Learn to work harder on yourself than on your job.” - Jim Rohn
Jim Rohn was a brilliant man and a fantastic speaker in the field of personal development.
With this quote, he reminds us that who we are is more important than what we know.
Rohn's quote reminds me of what Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:
"Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear a word you're saying."
“If you are moving forward in your life, If you are progressing personally, professionally, emotionally, spiritually – you will be happy.” - Tony Robbins
Happiness is not the purpose of your life. Growth is.
Emerson wrote: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
Tony Robbin's quote refers to the same insight.
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein
Many people reference this quote to promote physical exercise, but this is, of course, not what Einstein meant.
He did mean to highlight the importance to keep moving forward in life (which is the origin + quadruple meaning of our company's name).
“We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it.” - Earl Nightingale
This quote by Earl Nightingale describes one of the fundamental premises of the personal development movement: no matter our circumstances, we always have the power to choose our response and shape our future.
The difficult thing is seeing that this is so.
“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.” - James Allen
James Allen is one of my favorite authors who wrote As a Man Thinketh, one of the most influential personal development books.
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Personal development quotes on leadership
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.” - Jim Rohn
Jim Rohn points out that while we might not be responsible for everything, we sure are responsible to everything. We are always responding, as even doing nothing is a response.
This quote reminds me of a quote by Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist who survived four Nazi concentration camps and documented his experience in Man's Search for Meaning:
"The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.”
“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” - Plato
Although Plato lived more than 200 years ago, this quote is still incredibly relevant.
Responsibility, courage, and initiative are all part of personal leadership and should form a solid foundation for our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving forward. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” - Conrad Hilton
Perseverance is where leadership and productivity meet. It's equally important to stop doing activities that contribute little or nothing to the achievement of your goals.
“Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us.” - John N. Mitchell
A good attitude means that your thoughts, feelings, and actions are aligned in the same direction.
If you have a positive attitude toward life, radiate positive emotions, and act constructively, you will create similar conditions.
Personal development quotes on the importance of having a vision, goals, and plan of action.
“Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.” - W. Clement Stone
As with all forms of life, the purpose of life for man is to grow. Discovering, cultivating, and expressing your natural potential toward meaningful goals will improve your life and the world around you.
This implies that you know your natural talents and have decided what you will work towards.
“It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.” - Helen Keller
Even though Helen Keller was born deaf and blind, she had an inspiring vision for the world.
She wrote several books, was active in the political debate, and inspired others with her lectures.
She worked towards a vision of more justice and equality.
She understood that an inspiring vision can pull you through difficult circumstances and unite people toward the same goal.
“I saw the angel in the marble, and carved until I set him free.” - Michelangelo
Michelangelo was and still is a giant in the world of art, architecture, literature, and more.
I love this quote because it's an art to envision an angel in a block of stone and carve it out of the marble slowly. As long as you keep working, the angel will appear piece by piece, and the vision will become clear for the whole world to see.
There is a story about a boy who looked at the angel and asked Michelangelo: "How did you know it was in that block of stone?" Isn't that wonderful?
What is your vision for your own life, other people, and the rest of the world?
Can you set it free, piece by piece?
“I dream my painting and then I paint my dream.” - Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch painter and illustrator who is world famous for paintings such as the Vase with Twelve Sunflowers or The Starry Night.
This quote illustrates how each work of art is created twice: first in the mind of the artist, a second time in reality.
You should never underestimate the importance of having a clear mental vision of where you want to go. It is the first step toward achieving your goals in reality.
“In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by them.” - Robert Heinlein
This quote is more relevant than ever. Never before have we had so many opportunities to distract ourselves.
You can quickly go hours and hours from one social media message to the following video and suddenly realize that half your day is gone.
Those with clearly defined goals and a burning desire to see them become a reality have no time for constant interruption by daily trivia.
How many people spend hours a week on social media when they could spend this time much more usefully?
“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.” - Earl Nightingale
Earl Nightingale tells us that success does not mean acquiring fame or money but pursuing worthy goals.
Success is not the achievement of the goal, but the journey there, who you become, and what you do along the way.
The social image of success does not correspond with this definition of success, which is regrettable.
“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it. Rather, it’s that we aim too low and we reach it.” - Michelangelo
I think I first read this quote in Seth Godin's fantastic book The Icarus Effect.
In the book, Godin describes how Icarus's father made him wings and told him not to fly too close to the sun. Icarus ignored the warning, which caused him to plunge to his doom. The lesson: Play it safe.
We forget that Icarus was also warned not to fly close to the water because that would ruin the lift in his wings. Flying too low is even more dangerous than flying too high because it feels deceptively safe.
Most people are afraid not to fly too high and thus stay low, where everything feels safe and comfortable.
“Get into a line that you will find to be a deep personal interest, something you really enjoy spending twelve to fifteen hours a day working at, and the rest of the time thinking about.” - Earl Nightingale
People are afraid to follow their passion out of fear of losing safety and security.
It's not always wise to drop everything and go for your dreams, but you should recognize a consistent urge inside. Your passion desires to find expression through you.
You can express it in your spare time so that your creative energy is not suppressed and can grow steadily. Once it has grown big enough, you can focus all your energy on it.
Working will no longer feel like work but as a natural expression of who you are, giving meaning and direction to your life.
You won't have to look for power anymore. You'll get energy just by being engaged in your passion. That is a beautiful state in which to live.
“Treat yourself as you are, and you will remain as you are. Treat yourself as you could be, and you will become what you should be.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was a brilliant writer in the field of personal development.
He understood that you must formulate a vision for your life and the person you see yourself becoming.
What kind of character does this person have? What are their habits? How do they behave?
Once you are clear about this, start treating yourself like this person. Make your ideal as natural as possible in your mind, and you'll begin moving toward this image step by step.
"Your most important sale in life is to sell yourself to yourself." - Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Waltz was a doctor and surgeon who wrote about the importance of self-image and personal development. His book Psycho-cybernetics is a classic in the field.
Believing in ourselves and recognizing our strengths is one of life's great challenges.
You can only be yourself and must grow in this role because everyone else is already taken.
Have you sold yourself to yourself, or do you want to be somebody else?
"Goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus and move us in a direction. We only pursue goals to cause ourselves to expand and grow."
Getting what you want doesn't make you happy, growth makes you happy, raising your level of consciousness.
The problem with most people, they don't know what they want because they start at a very early age being programmed to think that they can't have what they want.
“If I want to be free, I've got to be me. Not the me you think I should be. Not the me I think my wife thinks I should be. Not the me I think my kids think I should be. If I want to be free, I've got to be me. So I better know who me is.” - Bill Gove
This quote refers to the fact that freedom does not lie in becoming more like someone else but in increasingly becoming all you are.
If you know and learn to express your qualities in the way that best suits you, you come across as credible and authentic. You don't pretend to be anything other than who you are.
You are always the same person everywhere, and know that no one else is or needs to be like you.
“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters to what lies within us.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
We often look at what other people have done with amazement. Still, we don't usually realize that the same potential lies dormant within ourselves.
The different ways we can express ourselves and improve the world are endless. Even in the most challenging moments, we have the creative power to change our world.
“Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein
You see this quote everywhere, but how many people know and use their greatest qualities daily?
Not two in a hundred people could describe their three top talents and how they use them to achieve their goals. Can you?
Each of us has a unique combination of talents. If only we could fully recognize, cultivate, and express them, we would find more meaning and fulfilment.
"The richness of a life depends on finding out one’s unique combination of powers – and then discovering and living the course of life that will fulfil those powers most completely."
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” - Pablo Picasso
What a wonderful and insightful quote this is! The purpose of life is to express your talents so that you can make the world a better place and create more vitality for yourself and the world around you.
“Do not fear to be your true self, for everything you want, wants you.” - Genevieve Behrend
The same desire for more life in you is also in the world around you. When you express your true self, you will attract the people and circumstances you need to experience life to the fullest.
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Personal development quotes on dealing with obstacles
“Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: the fear of failure.” - Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian author who wrote several masterpieces about finding your path, meaning, and fulfilment in life.
His life is a source of inspiration for the stories he tells masterfully. This quote comes from his most famous book The Alchemist, in which a shepherd boy follows his dream in search of his personal treasure and experiences how doubt and fear hold us back.
This happens to all who have the courage to follow their path.
“We find it normal for a child to be afraid of the dark, but we should never find it normal for an adult to be afraid of the light.” - Robin Sharma
Not only are we afraid of failure, but we are also often anxious of what it would mean if we reached our dreams.
What would this do to our way of life, how would we handle it practically?
We are comfortable in our comfort zone and feel resistance when we step outside.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us."
“Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.” - Les Brown
How many people go through life burdened by something from the past, by what someone has said about them? It's not what someone says but how we perceive what was said that determines the impact on our lives.
“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway.” - Earl Nightingale
The reversal of this quote is also true: don't let the regret for the time that has already passed stand in the way of finally doing the things that you have put off for so long.
“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.”
- Rumi
If you have a vision that excites you but is so big that you don't know how to make it a reality, it's easy for fear and doubt to creep up on you.
I have learned that you don't need to know how you are going to do something. You need to know what you want and take the first step.
The 'how' will become clear as you walk the way. The rest of the path will unfold behind every bend.
“Creation is not unwilling to open to you the doors to the beyond. It is not creation’s unwillingness that you are struggling with. You are struggling with the walls of resistance that you have built around yourself.” - Sadhguru
Sadhguru is an Indian yogi and mystic who truly excels in thinking and acting based on timeless, universal principles. Through his Isha foundation, he tries to change how people look at and experience life.
In this quote, he describes the importance of breaking through the walls that we maintain around ourselves when we want to live our lives more fully.
“You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it.” - Paulo Coelho
Negative thoughts or bad experiences have limited power over us if we can put them aside.
When we keep replaying what happened in our heads, we give the past more energy than it deserves and drown in our sorrow little by little.
It's no problem to recognize problems in our lives. Still, we should focus all our energy on positive and constructive aspects.
“We are powerfully imprisoned by the terms in which we have been conducted to think.” - Buckminster Fuller
We don't usually think how we want to think but how we are conditioned to think. Changing our mental paradigms is one of the most important aspects of personal development and one of the cornerstones of lasting transformation.
"It is in the school of forgiveness that the lessons of life are learned." - Raymond Holliwell
Forgiving someone for something that has happened in the past, whether it is someone else or yourself, is essential if you want to move forward.
If we linger in our negative experiences, they become part of the current holding us back, in which we can easily drown.
You do not forgive others primarily for their own sake but to set yourself free.
We are built to conquer the environment, solve problems, achieve goals, and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve. - Maxwell Maltz
Obstacles are necessary to grow as a human being.
Just as our muscles need more resistance to grow and become stronger, we need challenges to test and improve our power.
The only way to grow is to take the journey and learn how to deal with ever-greater obstacles. Every great movie, book, or video game is an illustration of this.
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Personal development quotes on tapping into the creative energy of life
“Everything moves, nothing rests. We live in an ocean of motion. Everything is the expression of the same thing: Energy, at a different rate of vibration.”
In essence, everything is energy, and this energy has creative and responsive characteristics.
We can contemplate, increase, and direct this energy, especially from within. We can learn how to do this.
At this fundamental level, everything is connected, just like one color of the rainbow is connected to the next.
"All the borders in the world are man-made. There are no borders, we are all hooked together. Everything is connected. There is no line of demarcation. We are hooked together like the colors of a rainbow, our problem is ignorance, we don't understand that."
“The past is history, the future is a mystery, and this moment is a gift. That is why this moment is called ‘the present.” - Alice Morse Earle
The energies of life constitute the spiritual dimension. They are more fundamental to who we are than our minds and bodies.
By getting out of our minds and bodies, we can connect to this energy source. We can do this by expressing gratitude and living in the present moment.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to live on this beautiful and astonishing planet Earth. Nothing has to happen for me to feel good. I feel good because I'm alive. Life is a gift, and I revel in it."
When you're grateful, fear and lack disappear. You feel that life is uniquely blessed, and you are a part of everything.
“When you want something bad enough, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” - Paulo Coelho
You live on purpose when what you think, say, and do express who you are and serve yourself and the greater good.
Your life energies, thoughts, feelings, and actions flow in the same direction. Nothing is blocking the flow.
People, resources, and opportunities naturally gravitate toward you because life always supports more life.
“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred… Unforeseen incidents, meetings, and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Personal development quotes on mastering your mind
"Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself." - James Allen
An oak must produce a thousand acorns to increase the odds that one of them will hit fertile soil, sprout and grow.
However, when we take control of the growth process and provide the right conditions for the acorn to thrive, we only need one.
The same principle is true in our own lives. We can command the hidden soil and seeds from which our circumstances grow, and we do this by providing fertile soil in our minds for our dreams to sprout and grow.
"My mind is a centre of Divine operation." - Thomas Troward
The mind is the central element in the creative process. It directs creative power, because life energy expresses itself based on the operations of the mind - good or bad.
The mind forms the mold for our creative energies to flow through, just like water flows through a pipe based on the pipe's shape.
Our job is to learn how to operate our minds to express this energy in the conditions we desire, not what we fear.
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We don't things as they are, we see them as we are. - Anais Nin
It is impossible to see the world objectively. Your mind creates an impression of the world and evaluates sensory input based on past conditioning.
Your subconscious mind is constantly scanning the environment and interprets what it hears, sees, smells, tastes, and touches by how it's been programmed in the past.
Even an instinct represents a strong mental program in your subconscious mind because it has been essential for your survival for ages.
“The world is your kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colours which at every succeeding moment it presents to you, are the exquisitely adjusted pictures of your ever-moving thoughts.” - James Allen
“Qualities die for want of attention, so any unlovely state might best be rubbed out by imagining “beauty for ashes and joy for mourning” rather than by direct attacks on the state from which we would be free.” - Neville Goddard
Some people think that we must deal with two forces: to attract the good, we must do away with the bad, but this is not true. Our thoughts must be directed to the things we desire so that our desire may be fulfilled. We think about plenty, and lack will become absorbed or disappear.
We must not do away with the bad to attract the good and improve any area of our life. We must focus all our thoughts and attention on our desire.
"Where focus goes, energy flows. And where energy flows, whatever you're focusing on grows."
"Don't be victim of negative self-talk. Remember, you are listening."
Most people wouldn't dare to say to someone else what they are saying to themselves. With every negative, self-punishing thought, you condition a belief system in your subconscious mind to become stronger and stronger, and your feelings and actions will result from that conditioned response.
If you do the opposite, you will build a positive self-image, and the quality of your life will improve. This is guaranteed.
It's no surprise that many of the wisest teachers have taught this lesson throughout the ages:
“Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts.” - James Allen
“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” - Buddha
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts” - Marcus Aurelius
“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.” - Confucius
“Never expect a thing you do not want, and never desire a thing you do not expect.”
Everyone desires to have or to be more, but most people don't expect those desires ever to become a reality.
Build an emotional picture of what you want, raise your consciousness to the level where you do not doubt it will happen, and act like your desires are on their way.
If you do this, you have taken the most critical step toward its realization.
“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfilment.” - Earl Nightingale
“Create an ideal of the person you want to be and assume that you are already that person. If this assumption is persisted in until it becomes your dominant feeling, the attainment of your ideal is inevitable.” - Neville Goddard
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world.” – Albert Einstein
"We all possess more power and greater possibilities than we realize, and visualizing is one of the greatest of these powers. In visualizing, or making a mental picture you are not endeavoring to change the laws of nature. You are fulfilling them." - Genevieve Behrend
Your imagination is one of your mental faculties. With it, you can create any condition or plan in your mind before expressing it in physical reality.
The external conditions of your life shape themselves based on the mental pictures buried deep in your subconscious. You have the power to change these pictures, these mental concepts. Your imagination is a powerful tool.
"Whatever you keep hidden in your heart, God manifests in you outwardly. Whatever the root of the tree feeds on in secret, affects the bough and the leaf." - Rumi
Personal development quotes on life's physical dimension
"Realizing that our actions, feelings and behavior are the result of our own images and beliefs gives us the level that psychology has always needed for changing personality." - Maxwell Maltz
Creative energy expresses itself through the mental dimension into the physical dimension. This is how nature works.
Your actions, feelings, and behavior don't result out of thin air but from energy flowing through the images and beliefs in your subconscious mind.
"The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed." - James Allen
“If you don’t take care of your body, Where then will you live?” - Jim Rohn
Spirit, mind, and body are different dimensions of the same system, and all must be taken care of.
Physical exercise, organic food, proper breathing, and adequate rest are all essential to keep the body, mind, and spirit in appropriate shape. The science and practice of yoga is based on this understanding.
"To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." - Buddha
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Personal development quotes on specialized know-how
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” - Henry Ford
Scientific studies have shown that learning and practicing new knowledge and skills keeps the mind vibrant and healthy. Learning creates stronger and new connections between the neurons of your nervous system. Remaining spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially active is a magic potion against aging.
"There a many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Learning new things is good for your brain, but if you want to move forward, you must be selective about what you study and practice.
Your attention span is limited, and the amount of available information increases exponentially. You need to be strategic and practice just-in-time learning.
If you don't know how and when you will apply what you are about to learn, reconsider whether you need to learn it now. Perhaps it can wait until later.
Our traditional schooling system is a direct violation of this principle. Learn now, apply...maybe in 10 years or so (if ever).
"One hour per day of study in your chosen field is all it takes. One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years you'll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do." - Earl Nightingale
1 hour x 365 days x 3 years = 1095 hours = expert in your field
1 hour x 365 days x 5 years = 1825 hours = national authority
1 hour x 365 days x 7 years = 2555 hours = international authority
One hour per day is not a lot of time! You'll get there if you devote 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes at noon, and 20 minutes in the evening to your field of interest and persist. It's not rocket science.
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Personal development quotes on creating an environment that favors growth
“A candle never loses any of its light while lighting up another Candle.” - Rumi
We don't exist just to make our own lives better. If that were the case, there would be little progress. As we improve ourselves, we start to impact the lives of everyone around us.
You don't lose anything if you help make someone else move forward. Nature is abundant and willing to provide us with more than we need. We shouldn't feel like we are losing something when we look at someone else's success.
We need to rejoice that as one life improves, others can also improve.
“To the degree you give others what they need, they will give you what you need.” - Og Mandino
Just like the full-grown flower will provide the bee with ample supplies for its honey, so will the bee do its work for the flower by spreading its pollen.
It is a natural, symbiotic relationship that can only exist when both the flower and the bee express their potential. The same principle applies to humans.
"Happiness comes to those who are moving toward something they want very much to happen. And it almost always involves making someone else happy."
We all realize that whatever we achieve is a million times more fulfilling if we can share it with other people and when it impacts the greater good.
You feel that you have done a good thing, not just for yourself but for the world at large.
“Your attitude toward others will always be reflected in their attitude toward you.”
Before we criticize or condemn other people, it is wise to make sure that their attitude toward us does not reflect our attitude toward them. It is within our power to change our mood, and often their attitude will change due to our new viewpoint. You can try this. It often works.
"Constantly look for the good in people and in situations. When you find it, tell the person."
A small compliment can make someone's day.
It's not the big praises that matter most, but the small acts of kindness and unexpected compliments that make the most significant impact.
“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” - Edmund Lee
Negativity tends to spread like wildfire, just as positivity does. It's not easy to remain positive in a hostile environment. If some people in your life have a toxic influence on you, try to stay away from them as much as possible. You can make that choice.
Surround yourself with people who believe in your potential. You'll be much more likely to discover, develop, and express it.
"People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die." - Plato
Personal development quotes on productivity
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle
Everything worthwhile takes time to grow. Our job is to keep nourishing it. This takes persistence and faith. Excellence is attainable if we only stick to what we do long enough.
"We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough." - Helen Keller
“If you can't fly, then run if you can't run, then walk if you can't walk, then crawl whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King
In our early stages of growth, we often feel unworthy or like a failure. Why? There's no shame in sucking at what you do at first. Everyone who is now good at something was once really bad at it.
We don't criticize a baby for repeatedly falling when learning to walk, do we? Baby steps and falling flat on your face are not bad things. They are a normal part of any natural process of growth.
"Multitasking is nothing else than screwing up more than one thing at a time."
Our brain is notoriously bad at multitasking. It may seem like it is able to process multiple things at the same time, but this is a misconception.
Our brain carries out tasks sequentially because it's more efficient. Switching back and forth between tasks destroys the brain's efficiency.
Think about how often you multitask during the day. Batch the same kind of work and you will become much more productive.
"Success is as much about what you should not do, as it is about what you should."
The first rule of productivity should be: "What would happen if I didn't do this task at all?"
It's all about being strategic. Your mental and physical power are finite resources. If you can delegate or skip a task, you can free up all that power to exert it where it can make a bigger difference.
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Learn the different elements of personal growth, how they relate to one another, and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage.
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Which quotes do you like the most or which ones should we add to the list? Share your insights by leaving a comment below.
Responses
Liked the selection of quotes topic wise as well as your comments on them. Really thought provoking and easy to understand
Thank you, Susheel. Any quotes you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear them. Take care!
Beautiful and solid content for a smart mind willing to dig deeper into life and work. Weldone!
Thank you, Victor! We appreciate your comment. Any favorite quotes you’d like to share with us? Kind regards
Helpful to me thanks very much
Thank you Ghando, and keep moving forward!