So ended this Sunday night the first season of "Undercover Boss," a success by any measure for CBS and most of the participating companies (7-Eleven, Waste Management, White Castle, 1-800-Flowers,... even Hooters came out on top). It was a truly inspired decision putting the show on Sunday night - just when millions are dreading the thought of going back to work on Monday. Turn on the tube, and ... Surprise! ... real-life stories about bosses who listen, about everyday people like us who are recognized for their efforts and ideas. Wow, maybe there's hope for us yet! (To sleep soundly Sundays we would turn the TV off at this point. The spell was broken completely, however, once we turned the dial to NBC and Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice.)
What motivates us to do our best work? Is it pride, ambition, money, passion for quality, love of the process, commitment to our team? Here are a few great quotes on what makes good work worth doing... Each one approaches the question from a different angle. Can a few choice words cure the Monday morning blues? . . .
Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it. - Buddha
Things may come to those who wait. But only the things left by those who hustle. - Abraham Lincoln
Wherever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius
The world stands aside to let anyone pass who knows where he is going. - David Starr Jordan
The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you will make one. - Ellen Hubbard
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. - Hannah More
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. - Henry David Thoreau
Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity. - Louis Pasteur
By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve. - Robert Frost
Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are. - Theodore Roosevelt
A diamond is a piece of coal that stuck to the job. - Thomas Edison
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson
Gary @ Quote Palettes
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Monday, April 12, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Motivation to start something new
Starting a new business is exciting, but overwhelming just the same. There’s a lot to manage and learn, and many expectations to fulfill. Feelings of excitement in a new endeavor are often shared with anxiety – and sometimes that can really slow you down. So how does one motivate to move forward and embrace something new?
There’s a ton of resources in the motivational, “self-help” category these days. Some of it is downright hokey and a lot of it is just a rehash of age old wisdom. There is nothing new under the sun, Ecclesiastes 1:9-14. But I think the value in all this is in the reminding. And in many cases you can find very practical suggestions to action. The trick, I think, is in finding the words that move you.
My latest find in the motivational category is "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. I haven’t finished yet, but in general, I can say that Ms. Rubin’s book suits my style. Rubin, a writer, wife and mom in NYC, albeit with a pretty sweet life, was going about her daily routine when she was struck by the question - Am I Happy? So began a year long effort to apply various happiness strategies to her life systematically on a monthly basis.
So, why does this book speak to me?
• First off, I agree that those with a positive outlook are not easily thwarted by obstacles. Though it may sound trite, working on happiness sounds right. It may help the rest of life flow a little easier.
• Secondly, Rubin did a lot of homework here, from Plato to Thoreau, to the great religions, as well as scientific research and current trends in positive psychology. For me, if you’re going to argue something, please back it up.
• Finally, "The Happiness Project" is a readable memoir peppered with relevant quotes (and I like quotes!) that remind one how to turn a situation. One example relates to Rubin’s frustration when her husband doesn’t pitch in with the housework (well, at least not up to her standards). Sounds silly, right? But these are the things that actually lead to arguments! Here Rubin quotes the twentieth century English writer G.K. Chesterton, “It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light.” Yes, thank you. I am reminded. Try to keep your focus on the great things about this special person in your life. And the not so great… well, nobody’s perfect. Great words to remember if you're fussing about your own shortcomings, too!
What’s really working for me right now is a phrase from Rubin’s chapter on parenthood - “The days are long, but the years are short.” I mentioned this one in my book club the other day and there was a collective “Ahhh”. From the viewpoint of a parent, of course, it really rings true. Remember to be patient; those kids will be off before we know it. I also hear in those words a gentle reminder to move forward. Don’t dwell on the “what ifs” – time is passing. And yes, some days are really overwhelming with a lot of loose ends flying around. But that’s just life and we need to get it going while we can.
So even though it is the middle of January and not an otherwise auspicious day, today I'm posting this blog, moving forward, crossing one thing off my list... How about you? Where do you find motivation to start something new?
Victoria @ Quote Palettes ™
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Lao Tzu
“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Abraham Lincoln
There’s a ton of resources in the motivational, “self-help” category these days. Some of it is downright hokey and a lot of it is just a rehash of age old wisdom. There is nothing new under the sun, Ecclesiastes 1:9-14. But I think the value in all this is in the reminding. And in many cases you can find very practical suggestions to action. The trick, I think, is in finding the words that move you.
My latest find in the motivational category is "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. I haven’t finished yet, but in general, I can say that Ms. Rubin’s book suits my style. Rubin, a writer, wife and mom in NYC, albeit with a pretty sweet life, was going about her daily routine when she was struck by the question - Am I Happy? So began a year long effort to apply various happiness strategies to her life systematically on a monthly basis.
So, why does this book speak to me?
• First off, I agree that those with a positive outlook are not easily thwarted by obstacles. Though it may sound trite, working on happiness sounds right. It may help the rest of life flow a little easier.
• Secondly, Rubin did a lot of homework here, from Plato to Thoreau, to the great religions, as well as scientific research and current trends in positive psychology. For me, if you’re going to argue something, please back it up.
• Finally, "The Happiness Project" is a readable memoir peppered with relevant quotes (and I like quotes!) that remind one how to turn a situation. One example relates to Rubin’s frustration when her husband doesn’t pitch in with the housework (well, at least not up to her standards). Sounds silly, right? But these are the things that actually lead to arguments! Here Rubin quotes the twentieth century English writer G.K. Chesterton, “It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light.” Yes, thank you. I am reminded. Try to keep your focus on the great things about this special person in your life. And the not so great… well, nobody’s perfect. Great words to remember if you're fussing about your own shortcomings, too!
What’s really working for me right now is a phrase from Rubin’s chapter on parenthood - “The days are long, but the years are short.” I mentioned this one in my book club the other day and there was a collective “Ahhh”. From the viewpoint of a parent, of course, it really rings true. Remember to be patient; those kids will be off before we know it. I also hear in those words a gentle reminder to move forward. Don’t dwell on the “what ifs” – time is passing. And yes, some days are really overwhelming with a lot of loose ends flying around. But that’s just life and we need to get it going while we can.
So even though it is the middle of January and not an otherwise auspicious day, today I'm posting this blog, moving forward, crossing one thing off my list... How about you? Where do you find motivation to start something new?
Victoria @ Quote Palettes ™
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Lao Tzu
“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Abraham Lincoln
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