Inspirational thoughts and anecdotes

For many years I have sought out and distributed, to an every growing group of friends and colleagues, inspirational thoughts, quotes, anecdotes and other material that is designed to make you stop and think for a minute and hopefully provide a little bit of inspiration.

Creativity is very important to me and I have learned over the years that you must stimulate your creativity on a daily basis. These little thoughts, which only take a minute to read, can have a profound effect on how you think as they provide a moment of reflection at the beginning of the day.

I will try to list a new bit of inspiration each day. Sometimes it might be two or three each day, sometime not at all if I am too busy or away.

Please do feedback if you like them, hate them, or come across your own gems that you would like to share.

DIFFICULTIES

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage.

- William Ellory Channing

CHARACTER

INTELLIGENCE

INSTINCT

MISTAKES

DESTINY

Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not
a thing to waited for it is a thing to be achieved.  
- William Jennings Bryan

RESILIENCE

LEADERSHIP

The bad leader is he who the people despise

The good leader is he who the people praise

The great leader is he who the people say, 'we did it ourselves'

- Lao-tzu

CONFIDENCE

Go confidently in the direction of your

dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

- Henry David Thoreau

DIFFICULTY

When I hear somebody sigh, 'life

is hard', I am always tempted to

ask, compared' to what'?

- Sydney Harris

HAPPINESS

Happiness is not a station

you arrive at, but a manner

of traveling.

- Margaret Lee Runbeck

CURIOSITY

Wisdom begins in wonder.

- Socrates

JEALOUSY

Jealousy is the only vice

that gives no pleasure.

- Anonymous

DRIVE

Man will occasionally stumble over the

truth, but most times he will pick himself

up and carry on.

- Winston Churchill

TRUST

Trust everybody, but cut the cards.

- Finley Peter Dunne

ACTION

Action springs not from thought, but

from a readiness for responsibility.

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

SUCCESS

A successful person is one who

can lay a firm foundation with

the bricks that others throw at

him or her.

- David Brinkley

CREATIVITY

Ideas won't keep:

something must be done

about them.

- Alfred North Whitehead

HONESTY

It is better to be

defeated on principle

than to win on lies.

- Arthur Calwell

CURIOSITY

A prudent question is one half of wisdom.

- Francis Bacon

Leave no question in anyone's mind as to where you stand.

 - L Aldin Porter

OPPOSITION

The flack is always the heaviest

closest to the target.

- Boyd K. Packer

WEALTH

My riches consist not in the extent

of my possessions,

but in the fewness of my wants.

- J. Brotherton

WEALTH

My riches consist not in the extent

of my possessions,

but in the fewness of my wants.

- J. Brotherton

PRINCIPLES

He who lives without principles

dies without honor.

- Norse Saying

WISDOM

Don't believe everything you hear

Don't spend all you have

Don't sleep all you want

- Dusty Dunn

Talking about music is like fishing about architecture

- Frank Zappa

CRISIS

Crises bring out the best

in the best of us,

and the worst

in the worst of us.

- Anonymous

WISDOM

The evening of a well spent life

brings its lamps with it.

- Joseph Joubert

PLANNING

A man who does not plan for long ahead

will find trouble right at his door.

- Confucius