From Anthony J D’Angelo. The quote below is from Mortimer Adler …
“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.”
Author: kylamalloy
“Today is the only guarantee you get”
Villanova Commencement Address by Pulitzer Prize Winner Anna Quindlen …
“Get a life. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. Kiss your Mom. Hug your Dad. Get a life in which you are generous. Look around at the azaleas in the suburban neighborhood where you grew up; look at a full moon hanging silver in a black, black sky on a cold night. And realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted.
I learned to live many years ago. Something really, really bad happened to me, something that changed my life in ways that, if I had my druthers, it would never have been changed at all. And what I learned from it is what, today, seems to be the hardest lesson of all. I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and to try to give some of it back because I believed in it completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned. By telling them this:
Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby’s ear. Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness because if you do you will live it with joy and passion, as it ought to be lived. Just keep your eyes and ears open, the classroom is everywhere. The exam comes at the very end. No man ever said on his deathbed, I wish I had spent more time at the office.”
“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand”
The above quote is a chinese proverb. Its been widely accepted – we absorb information best by using multiple senses. Make your impressions visual, verbal and auditory. I was not able to verify this study but there are several references to a study done at the University of Texas that found that people remember (Metcalf 1997):
10 percent of what they read;
20 percent of what they hear;
30 percent of what they see;
50 percent of what they see and hear;
70 percent of what they say; and
90 percent of what they do and say
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got”
From the book 7 Keys to Success by Will Edwards …
” … we need to notice what is working and what is not; and be prepared to change our approach in order to get what we want – that is the essence of flexibility.
A wise person once said, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got”. That is a wonderfully true statement – in other words, if you continue doing exactly what you are now doing, then don’t be surprised when you don’t see any increase or change in your results.”
“Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it”
From a post titled The best advice I ever received by Bob Borson …
“This has everything to do with you making someone elses life easier. You manage to do that on a consistent basis, people come to rely on you and know that you can be counted on. Eventually, you move beyond being the first choice and become the only choice.
The caveat to this advice is if you can’t follow through, you need to let someone know the instant you realize it.”
The difference between where you are now and where you will be in five years time will be found in the quality of the books you’ve read.
From an article by Sue Sundstrom titled 9 Best Pieces of Life Advice I Have Ever Received
Why is it a good idea to read a lot? Well, for one thing, you become smarter! Books give us access to some of the greatest minds and ideas that ever lived – we can learn from great people that we wouldn’t otherwise have access to any other way than through their books.
In the words of Jim Rohn, ‘The difference between where you are now and where you will be in five years time will be found in the quality of the books you’ve read.’
“Life is not fair – get used to it”
Uplifting post from Lori Deschene titled 10 Reasons It’s Awesome Life’s Not Fair
“You may say life’s not fair—and I think you’d be right. But how does it serve us to dwell on that idea? Who benefits when we indulge bitterness, frustration, or anger? Or perhaps a better question is: who suffers?
I say we see we take this unavoidable truth and appreciate it for the possibilities it provides. Life isn’t fair, but that’s awesome because:
9. It encourages you to ask yourself the question: “Do I want to be a victim?” Every day we have countless opportunities to blame other people for situations in our lives. We can curse everyone from the mailman to the president for somehow screwing up our day. Or we can commit to taking responsibility for our future, and learn to repeatedly assess how we can accept and improve our life.
8. It reminds to appreciate what you have when you have it. It’s a harsh reality that you can lose anything at any time. Your boss could lay you off after a decade of loyal service; your husband could walk out the door even though you’ve been a faithful, loving wife. This tells me we need to cherish what we have at all times. And really, any reality that forces you to be present and grateful is a gift.
2. It allows you to experience really interesting situations (by Dani of Positively Present). Imagine if everything always went smoothly. You got everything you wanted, never struggled or dealt with hardships. Wouldn’t life be pretty boring? The “unfairness” we perceive in the world pushes us into unknown territory which makes everything more exciting, and gives us opportunities to stretch ourselves.”
Link to all 10 reasons
“Don’t worry about the things you can’t control”
I’m guessing I heard this advice many times in my life but it was only in the last 5 years I started adhering to it.
This advice has helped at many times in my life and particularly with dealing with my own mortality. I no longer spend hours laying in bed in a cold sweat worrying about death. It’s ok to care about the things you can’t control, but if you can’t change them, don’t waste energy obsessing over them.
“Find something you love doing and you’ll never work another day in your life.”
There are a couple variations on this but this advice clearly makes our “Life’s Best Advice” top ten. We’re not sure whom to credit but “Confucius” seems to be a popular choice on the internet.
We also like this related quote from Steve Jobs of Apple Computer …
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
And one more from Eric A. Raymond with a slightly different spin …
“You can not motivate the best people with money. Money is just a way to keep score. The best people in any field are motivated by passion.”
Losing Is Good for You
By Ashley Merryman, the co-author of the book “Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing,” and author of a recent NY Times Opinion piece “Losing is Good For You”
“In life, “you’re going to lose more often than you win, even if you’re good at something,” Ms. Twenge told me. “You’ve got to get used to that to keep going.”
“our job should not be to spin those losses into decorated victories. Instead, our job is to help kids overcome setbacks, to help them see that progress over time is more important than a particular win or loss”
It is your responsibility to make your dreams come true
From a post titled Take Responsibility for Your Dreams written by Yvonne Kariba …
“Most people expect the things they desire to be handed to them without much effort on their part or have convinced themselves to believe the lie that promotes over-night success.
We have to stop waiting for people to make things happen for us or to point out and recognize our greatness so that we can feel more comfortable pursuing our dreams. We have to be willing to sail unchartered waters and walk the less traveled road at times as well as bet on ourselves if we are ever bring our dreams to pass no matter how fearful, unqualified or unprepared we might feel.”
You don’t want to win the argument. You want to get your way.
From an article by Hazel Cills titled How to Win Any Argument
“don’t try to outscore your opponent,” … “Try instead to get your way.”
“Your goal isn’t to make them feel mad, dumb, or smart—it’s to help them absorb and understand your point. Keep your eye on that ball.”
“You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge”
From Dr. Phil’s book titled Life Strategies …
“Get real with yourself about your life and everybody in it. Be truthful about what isn’t working in your life. Stop making excuses and start making results.
If you’re unwilling to acknowledge a thought, circumstance, problem, condition, behavior, or emotion–if you won’t take ownership of your role in a situation–then you cannot and will not change it.”
Never argue with a stupid person, they’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.
From an article titled 28 of the best pieces of advice about life you’ll ever read.
5. “Never argue with a stupid person, they’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” Mark twain
8. “You’d worry less about what people think about you if you knew how seldom they do.” David Foster Wallace
…learn to master the skills that will allow you to work anywhere”
Debbe Kennedy, President and Founder of Global Dialogue Center and Leadership Solutions Companies, one of her colleagues offered this advice.
“He mentioned that jobs, missions, titles, and organizations would come and go. He advised her not to focus her goals toward any of these, but instead learn to master the skills that will allow you to work anywhere. He was talking about four skills:
1. The ability to develop an idea.
2. Effectively plan for its implementation.
3. Execute second-to-none.
4. Achieve superior results time after time.
So, forget what others do; work to be known for delivering excellence. It speaks for itself and it opens doors.”
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit”
This quote is commonly attributed to Ronald Reagan (appearently Reagan had a sign on his desk in the Oval Office with this advice) but our research suggests Harry S Truman deserves the credit.
We also like this related advice from Indira Gandhi …
“My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.”
Our take-away is … 1) focus on results and not recognition. 2) people around you are more likely to help you work toward your goals if they feel their efforts will be recognized in the end.
“The essence of a happy life is found in the quality of our relationships!”
I spotted this quote in a tagline on the a blog called Relationships Matters hosted by Sonja Ridden. Sonja quotes Dr Phil in a post on her site with related advice …
“The quality of a relationship is a function of the extent to which it is built on a solid underlying friendship and meets the needs of the two people involved.”
“More than education, more than experience, more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails.
From an article in Harvard Business Review titled How Resilience Works
“More than education, more than experience, more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails. That’s true in the cancer ward, it’s true in the Olympics, and it’s true in the boardroom.”
When people show you who they are, believe them.
Conversation with Oprah Winfey an Maya Angelou from the web site MissMalini.com …
“When people show you who they are, why don’t you believe them? Why must you be shown 29 times before you can see who they really are?” So, when you see red flags in the beginning of a relationship – or anything, really – learn to pay attention to them. You may want to believe something else entirely, but some way or the other, people will always show you exactly who they are. You’re better off listening the first time, rather than waiting to be disappointed again and again and again before it sinks in.
People may not necessarily tell you in words who exactly they are – actually, chances are, they’ll tell you the opposite! – but their actions will always speak for them. When that happens, you’re better off listening and believing them rather than holding onto the (possibly deluded) hope that they’re not like that at all.
Winning is fun, but it teaches you nothing. Failure is the best teacher in the world. Winning is a trophy, failing is an education.
From an article on Lifehack.org titled Winning is Fun, but it Teaches You Nothing ..
Winning is fun, but it teaches you nothing. Failure is the best teacher in the world. Winning is a trophy, failing is an education.
What does it mean to you to “fail better?” Better than someone else? Fail/fare a little better each time you try? Maybe it means to fail spectacularly! Go big or go home! Or how about failing but getting better along the way—getting better through failure—and learning something from the experience? I believe that is the key: to allow failure to be a springboard from which we succeed and grow.
“Study hard. Laugh often. Keep your honor”
This advice was taken from the book Wisdom of our Fathers written by the late Tim Russert, moderator of Meet the Press. He gave his son Luke this advice when he dropped him off at college his freshman year …
“Keep an open mind to new ideas and people with different views. Study hard. Laugh often. Keep your honor”
“Love like you’ve never been hurt, Dance like no one’s watching, Sing like no-one’s listening, Live like there’s no tomorrow”
Again, there are many variations on this advice. We grouped these together because they all share a similar theme and tone.
This quote normally includes the phrase “Work like you don’t need the money”. Which sounds nice, but we don’t see the value of working like we don’t need the money? We like the positive message behind “Love like you’ve never been hurt”. The “Dance” & “Sing” parts are very similar and encourage stepping outside of our comfort zones. But the best piece of advice is “Live like there’s no tomorrow”.
“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of better or good enough”
Quote by Voltaire. Its been said that life sometimes is more pass-fail than about scoring the highest grade. As Grethen Rubin writes in her article When “Good Enough” Is Better Than Perfect …
“In some situations, the happier course is to know when good enough is good enough and not to worry about perfection or making the perfect choice.”
Want to be happier? Stay in the moment
Matt Killingsworth, Happiness researcher TED.com video titled Want to be happier? Stay in the moment …
“Among the surprising results: We’re often happiest when we’re lost in the moment. And the flip side: The more our mind wanders, the less happy we can be.
As it turns out, people are substantially less happy when their minds are wandering than when they’re not. Now you might look at this result and say, okay, sure, on average people are less happy when they’re mind-wandering, but surely when their minds are straying away from something that wasn’t very enjoyable to begin with, at least then mind-wandering should be doing something good for us. Nope. As it turns out, people are less happy when they’re mind-wandering no matter what they’re doing. For example, people don’t really like commuting to work very much. It’s one of their least enjoyable activities, and yet they are substantially happier when they’re focused only on their commute than when their mind is going off to something else. It’s amazing.”
“If you want to play a game, go to where it’s played and find a way to get in. Things happen when you get in the game.”
The full quote from Chris Mathews speech to the 2006 graduating class of Fordham University …
“Today’s Rule One: Get Yourself In The Game!
Ever watch a little kid standing alone courtside while the big kids play basketball? When a ball goes out of bounds, he runs for it and passes it back in. And as time goes on, when an older kid has to get home for dinner, somebody yells, “Hey punk, wanna play?”
That’s the heart of it there: If you want to play a game, go to where it’s played and find a way to get in.
Things happen when you get in the game”
Take risks when you can
From a CNNMoney feature titled The smartest advice I ever got by Chris Larsen Founder, E-Loan.com and Prosper.com …
“Cut the lifeboats.” I heard this from Jim Collins, who wrote “Built to Last” and was the best M.B.A. professor I had at Stanford. He pleaded with the class, saying, “You’re young. You can fail two or three times, even lose all your money two or three times, and you’ll be just fine. Taking that risk puts you in the path of wealth.”
If he hadn’t said that, I probably would have taken a job, like a typical M.B.A., instead of founding a company. Starting my own business seemed so risky, but maxing out credit cards or even going bankrupt isn’t so risky if you do it at a young age. You’ll never regret taking those risks, but you might regret it if you don’t.
“You can be happy or you can be right. Pick one”
Must read advice for any husband. From a post titled Happiness Factor: Being Right Instead Of Happy …
“Giving up the need to be right is one of the first steps I believe that anyone needs to take to find the happiness that is inside you. This does not mean you agree with everything that anybody says but you accept someone’s opinion as that and if you feel it necessary to share your opinion you may consider doing it in a way that stresses that you are just looking to discuss, and not convert.”
It doesn’t matter if you spend 1000 hours practicing if you’re doing it wrong, all you learned is how to do it wrong.
From Reddit user bradlee92 …
“It doesn’t matter if you spend 1000 hours practicing if you’re doing it wrong, all you learned is how to do it wrong.”
From a tennis blog …
“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect. So every time you repeat an action, right or wrong, you will find it easier to repeat that same action, right or wrong.
Practicing a bad shot will give you a better bad shot, but you will never look like Roger Federer.”
“Build friendships with people who make you a better person”
From a articled titled Best Advice For Men but certainly applies to both genders…
“Build friendships with people who make you a better person. Hang out with people that bring out your best. You don’t need to abandon your old friends like everyone else tells you to. Just realize that maybe you need to alter those relationships a little bit in order to make room for people that are bringing out the best in you. If you’re lucky, your old friends are already doing that.”
“And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance: I hope you dance”
Lyrics to the song “I Hope You Dance” by Leann Womack …
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you’ll give fate a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake
But it’s worth making
Don’t let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
“Don’t let someone become a priority in your life when you are just an option in theirs”
From the 7 Golden Rules of Life. The 1st rule …
“Don’t let someone become a priority in your life, when you are just an option in their life. Relationships work best when they are balanced.”
The 4th rule …
“When we wake up in the morning, we have two simple choices.
Go back to sleep and dream, or wake up and chase those dreams.
Choice is yours.”
List of all 7 rules
“The earlier you identify a problem, the easier it is to fix”
I read this advice in a book a number of years ago and I don’t remember the exact wording or the book. The advice applies to software development, illness, relationships, engineering, learning disabilities, etc.
Interesting article by Michael A Roberto titled Go from Problem-Solving to Problem-Finding from the Financial Times.
“Avoiding family poverty requires three things: 1) finish high-school, 2) marry before having children and 3) marry after the age of 20”
Former Clinton domestic policy advisor Bill Galston … “avoiding family poverty requires three things:
- finish high-school,
- marry before having children and
- marry after the age of 20.
Only 8 percent of families who do this are poor, while 79 percent of those who fail to do this are poor.”
“Follow your fear … if something scares you a bit, it means that you should follow it a little bit
Tina Fey actress, comedian, writer and producer known for her roles on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock …
“Follow your fear, which in improv usually leads to someone making you sing an improvised song or rap, which is the worst thing that can happen. But the larger thing is the notion that if something scares you a bit, it means that you should follow it a little bit. Now, ‘follow your fear’ does not mean that you should get in the car with a weirdo in a small parking lot. But it does mean that there are moments in your life when something comes up, a chance to move to a new city, or the chance to study in another continent, read your short story out loud, and you feel a lot of fear. And that fear means that you should definitely do it.”
Live off your parents as long as possible.
Guy Kawasaki is a Silicon Valley venture capitalist. He was one of the Apple employees originally responsible for marketing the Macintosh in 1984. Guy’s advice …
“Remember these ten things: if just one of them helps you, this speech will have been a success:
10. Live off your parents as long as possible.
9. Pursue joy, not happiness.
8. Challenge the known and embrace the unknown.
7. Learn to speak a foreign language, play a musical instrument, and play non-contact sports.
6. Continue to learn.
5. Learn to like yourself or change yourself until you can like yourself.
4. Don’t get married too soon.
3. Play to win and win to play.
2. Obey the absolutes.
1. Enjoy your family and friends before they are gone.”
Link to speech Guy has given six times at commencements, graduations and baccalaureates.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s learning to dance in the rain”
“It’s not what happens to you that matters most, but it’s how you react to what happens that does.”
“The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.”
Four inspirational quotes with a similar message. Unfortunately, we were only able to identify the source of the last quote. From Josh Billings …
“Life consists by in not holding good cards but in playing those you hold well”
“When you feel overwhelmed by a big problem, break it out into managable chunks”
This quote was posted by someone who goes by the name “cosette”.
“When you feel overwhelmed by a big problem, break it out into managable chunks and deal with them according to their importance.”
Good advice, but I’m not sure why its important to deal with them according to their importance.
“It’s true that we don’t know what we’ve got until we lose it, but it’s also true that we don’t know what we’ve been missing until it arrives.”
The first time I read this quote I thought of my wife. I enjoyed my bachelor years but I didn’t know what I was missing until I met her. She has her faults – but she is a person of integrity, brilliant, loyal, honest, hard-working, strong, courageous, positive, determined, and we laugh a lot even when we’re doing nothing.
People are not mind readers. Tell them what you’re thinking.
From 18 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I Was 18 …
People will never know how you feel unless you tell them. Your boss? Yeah, he doesn’t know you’re hoping for a promotion because you haven’t told him yet. That cute girl you haven’t talked to because you’re too shy? Yeah, you guessed it; she hasn’t given you the time of day simply because you haven’t given her the time of day either. In life, you have to communicate with others. And often, you have to open your vocal cords and speak the first words. You have to tell people what you’re thinking. It’s as simple as that.
“Don’t Depend on Someone Else to Make You Happy”
I didn’t receive alot of advice from my parents but I did get this one from my mother. For some reason, this one always stayed with me.
While researching this advice I found an interesting article titled Top Ten Things to Teach Your Daughter written by Michelle Basile and published April 26th 2010. Michelle writes …
“A man enhances your life, not is your life: A mistake you see over and over again in young women is that they base their happiness on and around a man. A man should enhance your life, not become your life. Don’t depend on someone else to make you happy. Make yourself happy!”
This advice comes from emulzz …
“A real relationship happens when two people are happy with their lives as they are before they meet the other person, they don’t need someone else to be happy. And when these two independent people come together they realize that they may be happy alone, but this person gives them something to look forward to everyday of their life.”
Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear
Post by Lisa Dungate titled Courage is Not the Absence of Fear …
“As parents, sometimes we need to call in reinforcements, ask for help ourselves, and make friends with our own fears so we can be present, brave, and our child’s own personal hero or heroine. As parents, we are the light that can shine when our child’s world seems dark, when the monsters under the bed give fright, and no one at school seems friendly.
I remind myself each day that having courage does not necessarily end worry or disappear fear. Courage is the catalyst by which we move beyond fear and into faith. We may not know exactly the right words to say when our child is sad or anxious or unhappy. But, we can decide to push aside our petty worries and pernicious fears. We can tell stories from our own life to offer comfort and perhaps even some inspiration. We can hold their hand and just breathe together through the pain and confusion.”
You only have to be right once.
Advice from Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks,
“The beauty of success, whether it’s finding the girl of your dreams, the right job or financial success, is that it doesn’t matter how many times you have failed, you only have to be right once.”
“No matter what you choose to do in life, always make sure you are creating value”
Comment from Monique Mazejka Marketing Manager at http://www.alanrosenspan.com/newsletters/issue_39.html …
“The best career advice I ever received was: No matter what you choose to do in life, always make sure you are creating value.”
Confidence and courage are both skills. They are not traits and they are not fixed. Instead, just like any skill, they can be built through practice.
BEST ADVICE TO THEIR YOUNGER SELVES from Mel Robbins expert on Leadership & Defeating Doubt, Award-Winning CNN Commentator, and Bestselling Author of The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage.
Confidence and courage are both skills. They are not traits and they are not fixed. Instead, just like any skill, they can be built through practice. When I was younger, I struggled with self-doubt, a lack of confidence, and terrible anxiety. I didn’t realize that these things weren’t fixed. Once I understood that my level of confidence could be easily changed through daily acts of courage, my life really began to change. And that’s a second piece of advice to my younger self: take action, even if you’re afraid to fail/ When you fail, and you will, life has a funny way of working itself out.
“Always have something to look forward to”
From a post titled Looking Forward to Something …
What’s the best way to get through rough times? Create something to look forward to in the future.
Although it sounds rather simple (and it really is) most people choose to look forward to something negative rather than positive.
When you have something positive to look forward to, you will increase your general happiness and gain more confidence over your present-day trials and tribulations.
Okay. So what are you going to do about it?
From a post titled Okay. So what are you going to do about it? by Sebastian Marshall …
One of the biggest, most empowering things I ever learned was how to turn complaining into actions.
It’s very straightforward. Not always easy, but very straightforward.
After complaining, you add, “Okay, so what am I going to do about this?”
It seems so simple, but it might change your life.
If you’re aren’t getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren’t ambitious enough.
If you’re aren’t getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren’t ambitious enough.
@cdixon
Life's Best Advice 