Classic Motivational Quotes

Cause Change & Lead

Accept Change & Survive

Resist Change & Die

- Ray Norda, Chairman, Novell

Remember:  Success is nothing but luck. Just ask any failure.

- Anon

No great man ever complains of want of opportunities.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

- Napoleon Hill

Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.

- Les Brown

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.

- Christopher Reeve

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.

- Confucius

If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favourable.

- Seneca

Once you have a clear picture of your priorities – that is values, goals, and high leverage activities – organize around them.

- Dr. Stephen Covey

Begin it Now

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has Genius, Power and Magic in it.

Begin it now.

- Goethe

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

- Woody Allen

Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action.

- Brendan Francis

Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there!

- Will Rogers

Press On

Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance.

Talent will not;
Nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.

Genius will not;
Unrewarded genius is almost legendary;

Education will not;
The world is full of educated derelicts.

Perseverance and Determination alone are omnipotent.

- US President Calvin Coolidge

Don’t Quit!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
when he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst, that
You Must Not Quit.

- C. W. Longenecker

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.

- General George S. Patton

Winners never quit and quitters never win.

- Anon

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.

I’ve lost almost 300 games.

Twenty six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.

I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed.

- Michael Jordan

Never Give Up

- Winston Churchill

Winners

Winners take chances like everyone else,
They fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them.

Winners don’t give up,
When life gets tough, they hang in until the going gets better

Winners are flexible.
They realise there is more than one way and they are willing to try others.

Winners know they are not perfect.
They respect their weaknesses while making the most of their strengths.

Winners fall, but they don’t stay down.
They stubbornly refuse to let a fall keep them from climbing.

Winners don’t blame fate for their failures,
Nor luck for their successes.

Winners accept responsibility for their lives.

Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things.
From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary.

Winners believe in the path they have chosen even when it’s hard,
Even when others can’t see where they are going.

Winners are patient.
They know a goal is only as worthy as the effort that’s required to achieve it.

Winners are people like you.
They make this world a better place to be.

- Nancye Sims

This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.
The device is inherently of no value too us.

- Western Union internal memo 1876

You say this is a computer for ordinary people? Why would an ordinary person want a computer?

- Hewlett Packard executive to Steve Wozniak regarding Apple prototype

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

- Anon

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength,
but through persistence.

- Buddha

Who dares wins

- Winston Churchill

Leap, and the net will appear.

- Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879)

Trust in yourself. Your perceptions are often far more accurate than you are willing to believe.

- Claudia Black

We become what we think about.

- Earl Nightingale

Think

If you think you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don't;

If you'd like to win but you think you can't,

You can almost be certain you won't.

If you think that you'll lose, you are lost,

For out in the world you will find

Success begins with a person's will;

It's all in the state of the mind.

If you think you're outclassed you are;

You've got to think high to rise.

You've just got to be sure of yourself

Before you can win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To a stronger or faster man;

But sooner or later the person who wins

Is the person that THINKS they can.

- Anon.

Thoughts

Words and actions are the factions
that make or break our day.
And thoughts are the things
from whence they all spring.

To be the best we can possibly be,
to grow, and learn in every adversity,
and not lose the success that's ours to be
requires control of our thoughts explicitly.

Never doubt the possibilities to be,
and obstacles will never become a reality.
We create our own success you see
but only with a positive mentality.

Imagination rules the world

- Napoleon Bonaparte

If think you can't, you're right. If think you can, you're right. - Ken Hatton

An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.

- Bill Bernbach

I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's. I will not reason and compare; My business is to create.

- William Blake

The only truly happy people are children and the creative minority.

- Jean Caldwell

An obstacle is often a stepping stone. - Prescott

Don't think "problem", think "opportunity".

There is nothing so wasteful as doing with great efficiency that which doesn't have to be done at all.

- Anonymous

Life is "trying things to see if they work"

- Ray Bradbury

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.

- Basho

If you learn only methods, you'll be tied to your methods, but if you learn principles you can devise your own methods.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Three things that never come back: the spent arrow; the spoken word; the lost opportunity.

- W.G.P.

There was never a genius without a tincture of madness.

- Aristotle

We're never gonna survive unless we go a little crazy.

- Seal

We have to understand that the world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation.
The hand is more important than the eye... The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.

- Jacob Bronowski

Vision without action is daydreaming and action without vision is a nightmare.

- Anon

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

- Aristotle

If you worry about yesterday's failures, then today’s successes will be few.

Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing, that we see too late the one that is open.

- Alexander Graham Bell

Rather the pain of discipline, than the pain of regret. - Bob Andrews

Things do not change; we change. - Thoreau

When you're through changing, you're through.

- Bruce Barton

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

- Aristotle

Invest Your Time Before You Invest Your Money

Test Your Strategy Before You Risk Your Money

Don't focus on how to spend less money,

Focus on how to make more money.

- Lyndon Forman

Remember the Golden Rule - He who has the gold makes the rules!

- Lyndon Forman

Life is...

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfil it.
Life is a sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

- Mother Teresa

Life isn't a dress rehearsal

- Kerry Packer

In Life’s Garden

Count your garden by the flowers,
never by the leaves that fall.

Count your days by the golden hours,
don't remember the clouds at all.

Count your nights by the stars,
not by shadows.

Count your life with smiles not tears,
and with joy through all your life.

Count your age by friends not years.

Just for Today

I will live through the next 12 hours and try not to tackle all of life's problems at once.

I will improve my mind, I will learn something that requires effort and concentration.

I will be agreeable.  I will look my best, speak in a well modulated voice, and be courteous and considerate.

I will not find fault with a friend, relative or colleague. I will not try to change or improve anyone but myself.

I will have a programme. I might not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two enemies:
hurry and indecision.

I will do a good turn and keep it a secret. If anyone finds out, it will not count.

I will do two things I don't want to do, just for the exercise.

I will believe in myself. I will give my best to the world and feel confident that the world will give it's best to me.

A child who lives with Criticism
Learns to condemn

A child who lives with Hostility
Learns to fight

A child who lives with ridicule
Learns to be shy

A child who lives with shame
Learns to feel guilty

A child who lives with tolerance
Learns to be patient

A child who lives with encouragement
Learns confidence

A child who lives with Praise
Learns to appreciate

A child who lives with fairness
Learns justice

A child who lives with security
Learns faith

A child who lives with approval
Learns to like themself

A child who lives with acceptance & friendship
Learns to find love in the world

- Dorothy Law Nolte - (modified - non-sexist version!)

Take Time

Take Time to Think,
It is the source of power.

Take time to Play,
It is the source of perpetual youth.

Take time to Read,
It is the foundation of wisdom.

Take time to Love and to Be Loved,
It is a present.

Take time to Be Friendly,
It is the road to happiness.

Take time to Laugh,
It is the music of the soul.

Take time to Give,
It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take time to Work,
It is the price of success.

Take time to Do Charity,
It is the key to heaven.

Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it.

- Eileen Caddy

Rapport Affinity Alliance Friendship

What is a friend?  A single soul dwelling in two bodies.

- Aristotle

A Smile

There's something you may give,
To a friend and a stranger too;

It seems that when you give it,
It's given back to you.

This present is worth a million,
But doesn't cost a dime;

It's lasting in effect,
But doesn't take much time,

This simple little gesture
Can make the day worthwhile;

It's just as good as sunshine;
It's what we call a smile.

- Jill Wolf

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways at the last minute, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other,
body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO - That was Fun!”

- Anon

I expect to pass through this world but once.

Any good, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now.

Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

- Stephen Krebbet, 1793-1855

Work like you don't need the money,
Sing like nobody's listening,
Dance like nobody's watching,
Love like you've never been hurt,
Live like Earth is Heaven.

- Anon

Late Christmas Shopping to do?

Will you be one of the clever folks sitting back with your favourite beverage, avoiding the traffic, queues, aggravation, saving petrol and time shopping on the web?

Click here for Christmas.com.au with Australian retailers who have some excellent Christmas present ideas – you are just a few clicks away from finishing your Christmas shopping!