We all love a good quote. So much tightly packed wisdom. Good quotes punch beyond their weight – they carry a power that can change and shape lives.
Why they Work
Much shorter than reading an entire book or article, the quote has its wisdom distilled down. This more concise nature often makes it easier to absorb and remember. Quotes are immediately accessible, although we may need to ponder long and hard on what is being said.
We can leverage quotes in our own life in several ways:
As Reminders
We can use quotes to remind us of a behaviour or habit we wish to change as part of our self-development.
As Motivation
A powerful quote can be incredibly motivating. We can use them as fuel to keep us motivated when times get tough or we need a lift.
As Affirmations
We can also use the quotes of others in our own affirmations or as a personal mantra. The repetitive habit of returning to the same quote again and again causes our subconscious to strive to make the positive statement come true. It becomes part of our own hardwiring.
Quotes are also portable. We can take them with us. We can commit the best we find to memory for our own journey in life.
A powerful quote can help us cut through the noise and distractions. It brings us back to a point of focus.
Life Changing Quotes
A selection of my own favourite quotes include some of the following.
“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential” – Bruce Lee
“Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own” – Bruce Lee
“Turn your expectation into appreciation” – Tony Robbins
These pack a power for me and have stayed with me. All have been responsible for supporting me making positive changes in my own life.
As a direct example, the first of the Bruce Lee quotes really resonates with me and is one that has been close to me for a long time. “Hack away the unessential” is a phrase that pops into my mind often and certainly whenever I start to feel life is getting too crowded. This simple, but powerful quote, acts as a direct challenge and motivator for me. It challenges me to really ensure I am doing my best to fill my day with things and people that matter. It motivates me to get rid of the rest as much as possible.
The Tony Robbins quote is also one that has stuck but one that has come to me much more recently (via this Tim Ferriss interview). It really is a direct challenge for us to step away from our feelings of entitlement, that life should be a certain way and instead appreciate and be grateful for what we have. It is one line of pure power. It’s also very deep and a direct challenge for us to totally change our mindset. All this and more accomplished in a few carefully chosen words.
I use the quotes to check myself occasionally when I get off track. They remind me to simplify, reduce excess needs, focus on what and who is important to me and to be thankful. I don’t always succeed but having them helps act as guiding light.
This is where quotes can really feel a little magical. The right combination of words, in the right order can support us making positive personal changes. They can help us feel happier. They can help us gain insight. They can help us achieve goals that are important to us. They can help us simplify and cut through the distractions of life.
How to Use Quotes
Personally, I believe in the power of quotes so much that I keep a little notebook of my favourites that gets added to over time. Whilst these are useful fuel for my writing, I also use these collected quotes as a source of positivity and inspiration, in my own self-development journey. They never let me down.
Several quotes, like the examples shared above, are also burned into my memory. These are ones I have found particularly powerful and useful.
Others may choose to print out favourite quotes and put them somewhere prominent. Perhaps in the corner of a mirror or on a chest of drawers for daily motivation.
Still others may use websites such Brainy Quote, Good Reads or just a good old fashioned Google search to seek out interesting quotes. Sites like Tiny Buddha also contain an amazing collection of inspirational quotes along with so many inspirational articles.
Whatever works for you will be the best fit and many approaches can work.
Along the way, you will find quotes that really resonate above and beyond others. The best quotes can literally stop us in our tracks with their power or wisdom. They can even take our breath away a little. Try to keep these ones with you on your journey in life.
There’s something truly magical in a powerful quote. The best that you find are worth keeping a hold of. They can literally change the world.
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