These quotes can change you.
Anyone who reads my blog knows that I love quotes. I do. I love quotes that contain great meaning that can change me (and you) for the better.
There are a lot of frivolous quotes out there that get repeated all over the internet as if they were cute kitten photos, but those quotes are feel-goodies with little substance. How many times do we need to read another “Just do it.” quote?
Seriously. We get it already. How profound is that quote? We all know it was inspirational for a generation and sold a lot of sneakers, but let’s dig deeper. We deserve something more meaningful, and hey, perhaps even, profound.
We need quotes with some meat on their bones and not merely marketing ploys that, let’s face it, we all fell for.
Are you ready?
1
We’re all kind of freaked out.
I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.
― Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe’s life was too short and her death was a tragic loss. She died in 1962 and we still remember her for her flamboyance and her honesty. But let’s be honest, read her quote again, how many of us wish we could be so forthright?
We all are selfish, impatient and probably more than a little insecure. We all make mistakes, but we don’t all admit that we make them. Failure is not the end of the world.
Making mistakes and failing are signs that you are trying and on your way to a massive breakthrough.
I’ve made more mistakes than I care to admit, and as usually happens, just when I am about to call it quits, I have a breakthrough, sometimes it’s minor and sometimes it’s crazy awesome, but it’s always enough to keep me trying.
To live is to be insecure, to make mistakes and to have failures. There is no life without these things. So whatever you’re dreaming of, go ahead and try. Do your best. Make mistakes and try again.
2
No one’s perfect. And that’s perfectly okay.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
― Bernard M. Baruch
This is a quote we all need to print and post everywhere. Share it. Pass it out on cue cards. Life is too dadgum short, and sadly, we spend most of our lives trying to be perfect in someone else’s eyes. It doesn’t work.
No one’s perfect and the people who care about you don’t mind that you’re imperfect. In fact, those are the people who probably love you the most because you are flawed. And guess what? So are they and they know it. Those are good people. Hang on to them. Be who you are.
3
Life goes on. It really does.
In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.
― Robert Frost
In life, love, and work, things go right and things go wrong. Things happen. Good and bad. Life goes on.
You might be in a dark place right now, or maybe you’ve been there or you know someone who is, I don’t know, but what I do know is that life goes on. If you are in a dark place, talk to someone. If you know someone in a tight spot, talk to them. Let them know you care.
You may have written a great book, or painted a masterpiece, or sang your best ever, and yet, no one seems to give a damn. It happens. We can work so hard and give everything we’ve got into a project only to see it die a silent and ugly death.
Learn what you can from every experience, because life does go on and it’s time to start something new.
4
Don’t waste the opportunity called, life.
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.
― Oscar Wilde
You want to talk about profound? That’s profound! Take it in.
Don’t just exist. There’s something you love to do, it may even be a secret passion that you haven’t dared do in years, it’s time to get back on the horse or ride it for the first time.
If you’re merely going through the motions, don’t just exist. Please. You have so much more to offer the world than you realize. I gave up writing for over a decade and I used my time doing other things which had far lesser value to me. When I started writing again I felt whole again.
I know a lot of people (too many), some who are extremely talented, who just exist and work from paycheck to paycheck not looking for much more meaning in their lives other than the next job promotion.
I’m sorry, but to me that is just so sad. Do something with your talents, please. God gave you gifts to be used and shared for the betterment of us all. Use them. Share them. Whatever you do, don’t let them go to waste.
If you have a day job, by all means work it to the best of your ability, but on your own time explore your talents and allow them to breathe and have life. We need your talents in the world.
Write that book. Sing that song. Play that instrument. Create that work of art. Just, ahem, do it.
5
To procrastinate or not to procrastinate?
Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.
― Mark Twain
Let’s face it; procrastination is the bane of your existence. You procrastinate too much. Don’t you feel guilty about it? Sure you do. But should you really?
I don’t think so. In my opinion, Twain was making an important point: Slow… down. We’re all going too fast and trying to do too much. No one takes a breather anymore and if they do someone is quick to call them lazy. Well, fine, let ‘em say what they want.
Procrastination is important.
We all need a time out to gather our thoughts, and to allow our minds to wonder and our imagination to play. I know many writers who come up with a new idea, write a brief summery and then sleep on it to allow the idea to marinate and develop. That’s not being lazy and it’s not really procrastination – it’s the process.
Slow down. You’ll get more done.
6
Stay calm. It’s going to be okay.
A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.
― Steve Martin
Not everything is as serious as a heart attack. A day without sunshine isn’t necessarily the apocalypse (I hope), it might just be an eclipse, or maybe, just maybe, it really is, you know, night.
Everything today seems so important. If you make a mistake you’re going to have to pay for it and be reminded of it over and over again, or is that mostly our doubts, fears and insecurities talking? Probably all of the above.
If you fail, get up. If you make a mistake, learn from it and try again. Take a deep breath. It’s going to be okay. It’s just night time. Daytime will be back tomorrow.
7
You can’t please everyone.
I can’t give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.
― Herbert Bayard Swope
Every artist I know wants to attract an audience of adoring readers, viewers and/or listeners, and that’s perfectly fine because why create art if you’re not going to share it. The problem is when you do not follow your passion and instead create art only in ways you think others will appreciate it.
That’s the quickest way to failure, appeasing others. Everyone thinks they want to be appeased, but it’s not true. We only remember work that surprised us, inspired us, and/or pissed us off.
So whatever you do, don’t create just anything you think will please me, create something that will surprise me, inspire me, or screw it, something that will piss me off. Then you’ll get my attention.
In other words, follow your passion and create the work that is in your heart. We might hate it, but then again, we might love it. Surprise us, and we just might surprise you.
8
Who (and what) are you willing to suffer for?
The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.
― Bob Marley
Everyone is going to screw up. We all make mistakes and sometimes in the process of screwing up people get hurt, you get hurt. Some people you can walk away from. Some people you can’t. Who is worth it?
It’s same with creating art of any kind, writing, sculpting or painting, etc… once an idea captures your imagination your passion takes over and you won’t let it go, you’re willing to suffer the mistakes, the failures, and the heartbreaks it takes to complete the work – to get it done, as it were.
I leave you with these two questions:
Who are you willing to suffer for? And, what are you willing to suffer for?
Bonus quote:
Listen and learn, be wise.
Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.
― Harper Lee
’nuff said.
In loving memory, Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016).
Do you have a favorite quote? How about sharing it in the comments.
