Quotes

“To dream anything that you want to dream. That’s the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.”
–Bernard Edmonds

Do you think that it is possible to achieve all of your dreams?  Why or why not?

Do you think that this perspective changes with age?

Do you think that it is will alone that determines if dreams will be achieved?  What about courage?  What role does it play?

I personally think that tenacity should be included, but that’s just my opinion!

“What if you slept? And what if, in your sleep, you dreamed?
And what if, in your dream, you went to heaven
and there plucked an strange and beautiful flower?
And what if, when you awoke, you had the flower in your hand?
Ah, what then?”
–Samuel Taylor Coleridge

What do you think?  Do you think that dreams can come true?  Or that an alternate version of reality exists?  I think that this quote can take on two different meanings, depending on the interpretation.  Would you agree or disagree?

In another context, what would you do if this happened to you?  Would you try to destroy the flower?  Or would you preserve it?

It’s time for the 10th success quote!

“One of the commonest mistakes and one of the costliest is thinking that success is due to some genius, some magic — something or other which we do not possess. Success is generally due to holding on, and failure to letting go. You decide to learn a language, study music, take a course of reading, train yourself physically. Will it be success or failure? It depends upon how much pluck and perseverance that word “decide” contains. The decision that nothing can overrule, the grip that nothing can detach will bring success. Remember the Chinese proverb, “With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes satin.”
–Maltbie Davenport Babcock

“Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on. It is this philosophy by which we measure out our days, and by which we advertise to all about us the man, or woman, that we are. . . . It takes but a brief time to scent the life philosophy of anyone. It is defined in the conversation, in the look of the eye, and in the general mien of the person. It has no hiding place. It’s like the perfume of the flower — unseen, but known almost instantly. It is the possession of the successful, and the happy. And it can be greatly embellished by the absorption of ideas and experiences of the useful of this earth.”
–George Matthew Adams

This is a long quote, I know.  But I think it’s a great quote.  Truly successful people are very aware of their philosophy and work diligently to improve upon it.

Would you agree or disagree?  Why or why not?

“If you are to be, you must begin by assuming responsibility. You alone are responsible for every moment of your life, for every one of your acts.”
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Honestly, I personally feel that there is a lack of personal responsibility in our society today.  For example, I see too many parents that are willing to make excuses for their children, instead of making their children be responsible for their actions.  The same attitude persists in the adults.

If we would all be the change that we want to see, I think that the world would be a much better place.  Would you agree?

“Real success comes in small portions day by day. You need to take pleasure in life’s daily little treasures. It is the most important thing in measuring success.”
–Denis Waitley

I think that a lot of people would be happier if they took pleasure in everyday life. Whether it be in the form of quality time with children, or taking a walk in the park, or just taking a deep breath in the middle of the day to appreciate something small, there are a lot of things most people take for granted.

Would you agree or disagree? What are your “little treasures”?

“Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.”
–Thomas J. Watson

Adopting the attitude that failure is acceptable, and can even be embraced for a greater overall positive change, is a good thing! I wish that the schools would agree…

Do you think that our schools should do more to embrace failure? Why or why not?

“Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price.”
–Vincent Thomas Lombardi

I like this quote a lot, and think that it can be applied to almost any aspect of life. For example, being a successful parent takes a lot of hard work. The only thing that I might add is that in addition to hard work, learning from mistakes is necessary to success.

I’m willing to do what it takes to be successful. What about you?  What are you willing to do?