Motivational Quotes Reflection Booklet VOLUME II
Getting Started When life gets you down, it s easy to give up, scrap an idea or fail to see a greater opportunity when it presents itself. It s in those moments when a little motivation can do wonders to help you move forward. In this booklet, there are 13 motivational quotes, along with easy to remember tips and self-reflection questions to ask yourself so you can get through nearly any tough situation in your life. Read through each quote and reflection carefully, then choose one that speaks to you. Print it out and place it on your fridge, desk, and throughout your workspace. Next time you need a pick-me-up, have a glance at these quotes and remember that there is a beautiful light awaiting you, at the end of the darkness.
1 Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. Confucius There are people in this world who will never admit when they are wrong. However, in order to fully understand something and reach true wisdom, you must know what areas of your life could use improvement. After all, you can t possibly know everything. That s precisely why you have to be willing to constantly learn and improve upon your skills. Know your strengths. Always be open to learning. Work to improve your weaknesses. I. Do I know my limits? II. Am I willing to acquire the necessary knowledge to complete my work? III. Once I know where I m in need of development, am I willing to take the steps necessary to improve?
2 Winners lose much more often than losers. So if you keep losing but you re still trying, keep it up! You re right on track. Matthew Keith Groves If you stop trying to win, than you won t have a chance. It s like running a marathon. You can t win if you don t run and the more training you do, the better your odds of winning. No matter what you do in life, if you practice over and over you ll see improvement. Maintain a positive mindset. Constantly work toward your goal. Have a short memory when it comes to past failures. I. Do I keep trying through the tough times or do I give up? II. Do I reward myself for the little accomplishments on the way to my bigger goals? III. Do I see good in everything?
3 Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Anonymous It s far less difficult to get angry or fly off the handle when you can work around negative things in your life. Learning to handle your stress is important. Do your best to not let stress engulf you. It s easy to let negative feelings pile up until they all pour out at once. When you can easily adjust to changes or difficult situations, you ll lead a much happier, healthier life. Learn to let trivial things go. Don t hold your feelings inside. There s no such thing as perfect. I. Am I aware of my feelings before they get out of hand? II. What do I do when things don t go the way I d planned? III. How will I remove myself from negative situations when necessary?
4 The way to gain a good reputation, is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear. Socrates Society has a way of making people believe they aren t as good as the next person. When they can t measure up to the standards of others, some people put up a front hoping they will look better in the eyes of others. We must stop trying to stand-out and start showing our true self. It s easier to remember who you really are than trying to keep a web of lies from becoming tangled. Take time to remind yourself of your positive traits. Figure out who you really are. Every day remind yourself that you are unique. I. Am I comfortable in my own skin? II. Can I define my positive characteristics? III. Can I reflect on my life and be someone I am proud of?
5 Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day. Thornton Wilder In order to be a better person and seek the greater things in life, you must first be appreciative of the things that are already good in your life. After all, you can t know good without first experiencing the bad. As hard as it may be, strive to find something positive about every single day. When met with negative things, take a minute to search for the upside of the situation. Positivism breeds the same. Take time to find joy in the little things in life. I. Am I a positive person? II. What happens if I see the glass half full instead of half empty? III. Will my positive attitude help someone else through a difficult situation?
6 I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past. Patrick Henry History has passed. We can t change history no matter how hard we try. However, we can make choices and decisions that affect our future. Take time to dream about what you want the future to hold, instead of living your life in the past. The past only diverts your mind from the great things that are waiting for you in your future. History is meant to be read about, not re-lived. Start planning for the future. See life as exciting and adventurous instead of something you have to merely get through. I. Am I constantly looking for ways to improve myself? II. Is there anything I d like to do or say, but something in my past keeps stopping me? III. Do I tend to think negatively about situations because of things I ve dealt with in the past?
7 Only those who dare to dream can make their dreams come true. Unknown If you don t have dreams and aspirations is life really worth living? No one can expect any of their wishes to come true unless they make the wish in the first place. Don t let life s ups and downs keep you from wanting and working towards your goals and dreams. If you never take the time to seek the things you want in life, how can those things ever come into being? Decide what it is you really want out of life. Dare to dream big. Set milestones to help you achieve your goals. I. Do I take time to dream no matter how big or small they may be? II. How can I reach my goals one step at a time? III. Do I seek to improve my life on a daily basis?
8 Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely. Auguste Rodin Everything in life is an experience you can learn from. Be it good or bad, if you take the time to absorb the wisdom which comes from these experiences, you can use them to better yourself and the lives of others. If you re wrong, there s no shame in admitting it. It takes a bigger person to admit when he or she has made a mistake than it does to place blame elsewhere. Admit when you ve made a mistake. Learn from your mistakes to avoid making the same one twice. Use your experiences to help others. I. Do I realize that I m not always right? Am I willing to admit when I m not? II. Do I make it a point to avoid past mistakes? III. Have I used my life experiences to help others?
9 The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them. Michel de Montaigne Every day is a gift we ve been given free of charge. We mustn t waste it away! Instead, make the most of each and every moment. After all, we don t know just how many we ll end up getting in our life. Wouldn t it be sad to know that we ve simply wasted away such a precious and meaningful gift? Set goals and know where you want to go. Learn the value of life. Remind yourself every day that life is a gift. I. Do I know and appreciate the value of my life? II. How did I effectively use my time today? III. Is there someone I can help that will make my day more meaningful and fulfilling?
10 Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. Anonymous Our life will never be perfect, that s a fact. However, if we spend all of our time worrying about what might be coming our way, we ll never reap the benefits the world has to offer. The worry warts of the world miss out on so many joys because they focus all their energy on the things that could happen so they miss out on the good things that actually did happen. Nothing good comes from worrying. Take time to enjoy the moment because once today is over you can never get it back. Focus on the good things in life no matter how trivial they may seem. I. Can I find the meaningful things in each day? II. Do I accept that I ll never be perfect nor have a perfect life? III. Am I able to make the best of each day I have been blessed with?
11 You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it. Margaret Thatcher It takes patience and perseverance to win any battle. Sometimes, it s important that we travel down a path more than once in order to gain the knowledge we need in life. If you feel like you re going down the same road you ve been down before, reflect on your previous experiences so you can constantly sharpen your skills and knowledge. Keep pushing forward. Learn from your mistakes. Keep a positive outlook in order to continue through your struggles and come out the other side a better person. I. Do I have the patience to see something through to the end? II. What lessons have I learned from my past? III. Am I focused and willing to keep moving forward even when faced with adversities?
12 Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch. Ivern Ball You can have all the information in the world stored in your mind, but if you lack the desire or passion to get things done, that knowledge is useless. In order to be successful at anything you must have an eagerness to make it work. Without passion turning the light on, no one will ever see the glow. You might not use what you know right away, but never let knowledge go to waste. Learn something new every day. Never let knowledge go to waste. Have the courage to be enthusiastic, even in difficult times. I. Do I really enjoy what I m doing? II. Do I have something that motivates me to keep chugging along when I really don t want to? III. Have I done something significant with the information I have learned in my life?
13 It is no disgrace to start all over. It is usually an opportunity. George Matthew Adams So many people see themselves as failures when something they are working on goes wrong. For this reason they scrap the whole idea. What do you think would happen if they had instead started the process over again, knowing what they didn t know the first time around? Greatness just might be achieved, but they never took the opportunity to find it because humiliation taking over. Don t be afraid to make mistakes. Don t wait for opportunities to come your way create your own! Opportunities can arise in the oddest of places. I. Do I truly understand the power of the lesson learned? II. Can I put my pride aside and try even harder? III. Am I comfortable enough in my own skin that I can start over without feeling humiliated or shameful?
final thoughts Let these quotes motivate you to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness. Everyone is capable of great things, but not everyone grasps those opportunities. When you re feeling defeated or run down, choose your favorite quote and meditate on its meaning. Find your inner strength and then take action. Let the world see what you re capable of achieving.