Sometimes we need some great quotes from great people, books, or movies to get us started. I have compiled a list of the best fulfillment and self-growth quotes. Hopefully these can kickstart your motivation to improve yourself and become a better person.
Quotes from the Successful
“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” Steve Maroboli
Worrying about events you don’t have control over like the weather or who your boss is. Will get you nowhere in life. I find myself spending the whole day worrying about some small little thing. I can’t control unfortunate circumstances but I can control how I think about the day or what I decide to do with my time. Yes, in 4 hours I have that damn doctor’s appointment. But I can spend those hours leading up to it, reading a book that I have been pushing back and back in my schedule. Instead of numbing my disappointment with Tik Tok or Instagram I should choose to use up my time in a way that I would be proud of. It’s better to go to bed knowing you did something useful.
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” Ernest Hemingway
One great example of how much this mindset helps is in the gym. I watched Tik Toks and other videos of bodybuilders farther along in their lifting journey. It made me look at myself and not see any progress and a weak body. I lost the motivation to go to the gym. This quote helped me realize that I won’t make progress comparing myself to others. Obviously, guys like Alex Eubank are going to be farther along. This can go with anything, the successful businessman you see every day or the father with 3 well-behaved kids. There is nothing wrong with taking inspiration and learning from one’s before you. But comparing yourself to them might start the journey but won’t help you along it. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday and watch as you slowly notice those improvements and appreciate how far you’ve gotten.
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” Warren Buffet
Some things take a long time, maybe the investment you made into your retirement fund. Or your business that isn’t making any money after a year. When I see something will take 10 to 12 years to grow or complete. I lose interest in it, especially the idea of investing in a safe stock. But 20, 30, 40, 50 years down the road I will thank my old self. Of course, it’s not just money, this advice goes for anything small. Like taking a cold shower in the morning or evening meditation. You won’t see results for a month, a year, or even a decade. But as you enjoy the fruits of your labor 10 years down the road. You’ll remember how it all started.
Quotes from Literature
“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” Chinese Proverb
As humans, it seems to be in our nature to want everything now. We are afraid of moving slowly to our goals. We expect massive jumps in productivity and happiness. We find ourselves discouraged when we don’t see any progress after a few weeks. You’re still broke and can’t see yourself achieving much in the upcoming months. In reality, you are moving in the right direction. That’s half of the journey now you have to keep on chugging. Learn from your mistakes and adapt your solution. Many attempt something new and get discouraged with little or no results. It’s not the results that matter but the path you are leading yourself along.
“Personally I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted. I didn’t bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or grasshopper in front of the fish and said: ‘Wouldn’t you like to have that?’
Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people?” Dale Carnegie
Sometimes I wonder why I can’t connect to some people and why others don’t seem to like me. I couldn’t make friends and couldn’t understand why my attempts weren’t working. I was giving them what I would want out of a relationship. Not what they wanted. I came in with the idea that I needed a friend and someone to talk to. Not someone else needs a friend to talk to and I could be that person. If someone wants a friend they can talk with but is willing to have peace and quiet don’t assume they will like you talking the whole time, because you like it when people do that to you. It may seem obvious but we fall into that kind of mindset all of the time without realizing it. We think we are being nice but we are doing what we would like. Not what they want. The next time you want to get closer to someone, think about what they would want and not what you would want.
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” Marcus Aurelius
I have a good friend who was stuck in a very bad situation for nearly half a year. He is a foreign exchange student who was put in a very bad host house. He had to face a lot of difficult situations and people. But he always found a way to have a smile on his face and have fun. I asked him how it was even possible for him. He said through all of the bad things he just found a way to look at the bright side. No matter how much bad is going on in our lives, there’s always a way to smile. Something to smile at no matter how small. Life really is only as good as the quality of your thoughts.
My friends Blog:
Quotes from Movies
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
The Fellowship of the Ring
I have always wanted to travel the world and have started my path in that direction. I would say 9/10 people tell me I need a real job. It can be hard to keep going when 90% of people think you are an idiot. Not all those who travel along and let life bring them where it wants are lazy jobless people. I like the idea of going along with life. I can change some things about myself. But I believe that life will lead me where it thinks is best. I want to see the world and everything it has. Whether I am with someone or traveling poor with no money. I would like to soak up as much as possible. Don’t float around doing nothing but help yourself grow as a human being meeting new people and experiencing new things.
“Do, or do not. There is no “try”.
-Yoda
Yoda. One of the most well-known movie characters of all time. This is by far his most famous quote. Now you might be rolling your eyes over the fact that I included this basic quote. But it really is true and important. I spent a lot of my time worrying about how to start my blog. If it would succeed. After a little bit, I realized that if I don’t start my blog right now. It will never start. I just had to go out and wing it. Did I have a complete plan? Hell No! Do I regret it? Hell No! With whatever big thing you want to start you will have a million doubts in your head. You will never think you have planned enough. The best thing to do is get a basic idea of what you want to do. Then go and attempt and learn from your mistakes.
“If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead.”
Gusteau in Ratatouille
When I look back on the past years of my life, I’m pretty disappointed. I remember the good times I had. But I never worked towards anything to help later in life and had no new skills. I mostly just floated along doing nothing. It can be pretty discouraging to see where I could have been now. But there’s no point in thinking about that. What difference does it make? If I don’t start right now I’ll look back in a couple of years. Feeling the same discouragement I feel right now. The cycle will keep on going, through childhood, then the 20s, 30, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80, and then as you lay on your death bed. You will look back and see nothing achieved. If you’re 15, 25, 45, or 75. Don’t look at the past, just focus on what you can do in the present.