My good friend and colleague, Jimmy May, shared with me his favorites quotes lately (Thanks, Jimmy!). This made me scratch my head and think about quotes I like the most. What I came up with is four quotes from Bruce Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, and Thomas Edison.
I clearly realized these are not just a quotes, these are my guiding lights, my mentors.
Bruce Lee and Abraham Lincoln Help Me Focus
"Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own." -Bruce Lee
I adopted this Bruce Lee’s quote from JD and it really helps me stay away from time wasters. To me it is short version of Covey’s prioritization discipline.
"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe" - Abraham Lincoln
Does not it resonate with Covey’s Habit 7 - Sharpen the saw?
Mark Twain and Thomas Edison Help Me Grow
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect” - Mark Twain
This is great quote directs me to the places that are less crowded, with more potential to do something new, something interesting, something no one did before.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Alva Edison
The last but not the least, the quote by Thomas Edison, keeps me on the surface. It keeps me from not losing faith in better me. It helps me get up and fight when I am knocked off my horse.
Got quote?
2 comments ↓
You can’t go wrong with Bruce. Most people know Bruce the martial artist or actor, but not Bruce the philosopher or comedian.
JD,
Here is another quote that YOU specifically MUST love
“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” — Waldo Emerson
Leave a Comment