Timeless Inspirational Quotes

We Judge...

2012-01-31T05:30:00.001-08:00

We judge others by their behavior. We judge ourselves by our intentions. - Ian Percy

More Marriages Might Survive If.....

2012-01-27T05:45:00.001-08:00

More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse. - Doug Larson

Healthy Lifestyle

2012-01-14T05:03:00.000-08:00

When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no "I'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow is disease. - Terri Guillemets

Home Is.....

2012-01-09T04:45:00.001-08:00

Home is not where you live but where they understand you. - Christian Morgenstern

Thrift!

2012-01-07T04:32:00.000-08:00

Industry, thrift and self-control are not sought because they create wealth, but because they create character. - Calvin Coolidge

He who does not economize will have to agonize. - Confucius

Thrift comes too late when you find it at the bottom of your purse. - Seneca

Trust

2012-01-05T05:16:00.000-08:00

Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him. - Booker T. Washington

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. - William Shakespeare

You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment unless you trust enough. - Frank Crane

Who is Humble?

2011-12-29T03:15:00.001-08:00

It is always the secure who are humble. - Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Prosperity but at What Price?

2011-12-29T03:12:00.001-08:00

We've got the most prosperous culture in human history and we've also got the biggest spiritual hole in human history. - Mark Victor Hansen

Follow Your Passion

2011-12-27T03:24:00.001-08:00

Follow your passion, and success will follow you. - Terri Guillemets

Attitude by Lincoln

2011-12-23T04:04:00.001-08:00

I don't like that man. I must get to know him better. - Abraham Lincoln

Mistakes

2011-12-08T04:22:00.001-08:00

If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake. - F. Wikzek

Teamwork!

2011-12-05T04:41:00.001-08:00

A man may do an immense deal of good, if he does not care who gets the credit for it. - Father Strickland, 1863

Teamwork is so important that it is virtually impossible for you to reach the heights of your capabilities or make the money that you want without becoming very good at it. - Brian Tracy

Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. - Vince Lombardi

Opportunities.......

2011-11-26T04:48:00.003-08:00

Jumping at several small opportunities may get us there more quickly than waiting for one big one to come along. - Hugh Allen

If I were Opportunity, I wouldn't just knock, you'd have to sign. - Robert Brault

When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity. - John F. Kennedy

Agnostic VS Judeo Christian View on Virtue

2011-11-24T04:13:00.001-08:00

* Editor: The agnostic point of view quote below is attributed to Caesar Marcus Aurelius. There is some truth to the line about living virtuously just because you're aware that's how you should live and not Because you worship God. In other words if you live virtuously solely because you believe in the Judeo-Christian God, that reveals a lack of purity in your belief and behavior. You're only being a good person because of God not because you recognize how important it is to simply be a good person period. That's the point the speaker is making in that quote.

Whereas, the Judeo-Christian point of view is that yes, you should be a good person because that's the way you should behave without doubt. But,while being a good virtuous person you should eventually be motivated to seek truth and in seeking truth, the truth will be shown to you. Once the truth is revealed to you-you do one of two things. You either reject it or accept it-you'll never be the same again because you know the truth. The destination of your soul depends on how you react to truth being revealed to you.

“Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.” - Emperor Marcus Aurelius. 121-180AD.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. - Philippians 4:8

Exercise is More Important Than You Think

2011-11-17T04:34:00.001-08:00

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. - Edward Stanley

Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. - Plato

A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs. - Joan Welsh

The Talent for Being Happy is.....

2011-11-08T05:10:00.000-08:00

The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have. - Woody Allen

Simplicity

2011-11-03T04:58:00.000-07:00

Everything we possess that is not necessary for life or happiness becomes a burden, and scarcely a day passes that we do not add to it. - Robert Brault

Maybe a person's time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food. - Frank A. Clark

Who is rich? He who rejoices in his portion. - The Talmud

Beware the barrenness of a busy life. - Socrates

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. - Vernon Howard

Faith Centered Leadership

2011-10-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

Faith Centered Leadership: The Butterfly Effect

Faith Centered Leadership: The Butterfly Effect
By Priscilla Archangel, Ph.D.

In the early 1960s, meteorologist Edward Lorenz presented his scientific findings that a "small change at one place in a nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state"(1). This became known as The Butterfly Effect, or the law of sensitive dependence on initial conditions. Put simply, the theory is that a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the earth can cause a hurricane in another part of the earth. Like a domino effect, the flapping of its wings sets wind currents in motion, which coupled with its position and a myriad of other factors and atmospheric conditions, can impact in the weather thousands of miles away. This small movement is barely enough to create a breeze felt by a human being, yet significant enough to create wind currents. A motion casually made, often taken for granted, yet it has a powerful impact.

The Butterfly Effect

I first learned about The Butterfly Effect from reading a short book of the same name written by Andy Andrews, a New York Times best-selling author. His point was to convey how much each person's life matters, because of the impact it has on others. An action, a spoken word, a decision, that I perceive to be insignificant can have a ripple effect on millions of people, either positively or negatively.
Come to think of it, some of the most powerful and controlling forces are also the smallest ones. The rudder on a ship is a small flat plane that directs the flow of water past it which in effect turns the ship. The tongue is a small part of our bodies, but when it speaks, it can start a war between nations, or kindle a great love between two people. A mustard seed is only 1-2 mm in diameter, yet Jesus said, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can speak to a mountain and cause it to move (Matthew 17:20). Each are small objects, but with a powerful outcome.

Well if each of these objects can have such a major impact on its surroundings, how can you use even a little bit of faith to impact your environment? Faith is when you place your confidence or trust in someone or something, even without proof of its ability to deliver. It's the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

The Ripple Effect of Faith

As a faith centered leader, how can you exert your faith for a business goal, an organizational objective, or a team priority. How can you focus your thoughts, your intangible ideas and abstract wanderings, on a desired outcome with sufficient confidence that it will indeed come to pass? It's simply a matter of perspective. Too often we're caught up in the moment of a seemingly insurmountable challenge; our scope of sight is too limited; our belief in the future too vague. We fail to grasp the significance of the impact of our faith; mountain moving, hurricane creating faith.

My prayer for you today is that God will open the eyes of your spirit, granting you understanding and insight to see a future positive potential in yourself, your team, and your organization that you've never before grasped. That you will no longer accept what is, but you will instead believe what can be. That your faith will be as vast as the wind currents created by the rippling of a butterfly's wings. That your faith will be strong enough to move mountains. That your faith will multiply your present resources. My prayer is that you will have the faith of a butterfly to set in motion actions that will cause a tsunami of blessings to people that you will never know, but by their very act will create a brighter future.

(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect

Copyright 2011 Priscilla Archangel

Priscilla Archangel is an author, speaker, coach and consultant. She brings over 27 years of experience as an human resources executive for a Fortune 500 firm, where she helps organizations accomplish business objectives and cultural change; and coaches employees to discover their unique strengths and life purpose.

Her book, "The Call to Faith Centered Leadership: Transformational Lessons for Leaders in Challenging Times" is a compilation of 90 brief but engaging leadership development lessons from the Bible. Sign up to receive a free chapter of her book at http://www.PriscillaArchangel.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Priscilla_Archangel,_Ph.D.
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Excuses.....

2011-10-25T05:07:00.001-07:00

Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts. - Edward R. Murrow

John F. Kennedy on Crisis

2011-10-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity. - John F. Kennedy

Why Worry?

2011-10-17T05:20:00.000-07:00

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. - Mark Twain

Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face. - Nelson DeMille

Some patients I see are actually draining into their bodies the diseased thoughts of their minds. - Zacharty Bercovitz

Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway. - Mary C. Crowley

Trouble Forgiving? Consider This......

2011-10-13T05:27:00.000-07:00

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one. - Henry Ward Beecher

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. - Mahatma Gandhi

He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass. - George Herbert

Courage is What it Takes.....

2011-09-05T04:31:00.000-07:00

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. - Winston Churchill

Do Humble Work

2011-09-02T04:56:00.000-07:00

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work. - Mother Teresa

America Will Never Be Destroyed from The Outside

2011-09-02T04:53:00.000-07:00

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." - Abraham Lincoln

Believe In Yourself!

2011-08-12T03:57:00.001-07:00

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. - Norman Vincent Peale

Perseverence!

2011-07-27T03:56:00.000-07:00

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein

Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb

Saints are sinners who kept on going. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. ~William Feather

Pull yourself together and use what you have. ~Betsy Cañas Garmon

Discipline or Regret

2011-07-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

Everyone must choose one of two pains: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. - Jim Rohn

Robert E. Lee Quote on Hope

2011-06-13T04:33:00.000-07:00

I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that our only hope is in God. - Robert E. Lee

Ulysses S. Grant Quote on Friends

2011-06-13T04:30:00.000-07:00

The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity - Ulysses S. Grant

C.S. Lewis Gems

2011-04-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.

Importance of Taking Action!

2011-01-17T03:26:00.000-08:00

Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events, not of words. Trust movement. ~Alfred Adler

There are so many things that we wish we had done yesterday, so few that we feel like doing today. ~Mignon McLaughlin

All know the way; few actually walk it. ~Bodhidharma

The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs. ~Vance Havner

Leadership Quotes

2011-01-14T04:33:00.000-08:00

You can't be a leader if you can't influence others to act. - Dale E. Zand

Learn to be bold but not a bully. It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble. - Jim Rohn

Learn to be bold but not a bully. It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble. - Warren Bennis

Jonas Salk

2010-12-15T03:53:00.001-08:00

I have had dreams and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams. - Jonas Salk

Faith Quotes

2010-12-10T04:27:00.000-08:00

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. - Mother Teresa

Your faithfulness makes you trustworthy to God. - Edwin Louis Cole

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. - Henry Ward Beecher

Tips for Achieving a "To-Do" Everyday.....

2010-12-06T03:05:00.000-08:00

How to Ensure You Achieve Something Every Day
By Tony Hall

Possibly your most valuable resource in achieving all you set out to do in life is time. Without an effective and reliable means of managing your time and making the best use of it you will struggle to get what you want. There are many techniques for effective time management and so knowing what will work for you is important.

I'm a great believer in using "to do" lists each day. That way I know precisely what I have to do. The lists include the routine tasks that must be done, action points towards the key projects I am working on, and other activities I am to do including those relating to my leisure time. The lists are also broken down into time segments throughout the day. Then as I complete each task I can mark it off and so at the end of the day I get the great sense of achievement of having a list of what I have done and the motivation to move forward.

Now this technique may well work for you too, but there is another way. There are those who argue that using "to do" lists can actually be counter-productive. They say that reading the items on the list can have the effect of nagging away at you and causing you stress and worry that you might not get them done. Then if there are uncompleted items at the end of the day you will feel a sense of disappointment or failure and so the list becomes something that is de-motivating.

So their alternative method is to use "Did It" lists by simply entering items, stating concisely what you have done, into your diary or journal when you have completed them. The basis of this system is:

1. You know your goals and they are clear and meaningful and you have written them down.

2. You break your goals down into projects and then into smaller manageable chunks.

3. You have time allocated each day to carry out these tasks.

4. Therefore you know exactly what you have to do each day.

5. Once you have completed a task you then enter it into your diary or journal. You write precisely what you did and what was accomplished.

6. So at the end of the day you have a list of all that you have got done and hence a real sense of achievement.

So if you are struggling to manage your time and your "To Do" lists are becoming a hindrance rather than a help, why not give it a try. It may be just what you need to finally achieve your goals.

My main worry about this alternative method is that knowing in your mind what you have to do is one thing, but actually doing it can be something completely different! So I shall stick to the way that works for me. I need to have my tasks written down and I know that by managing them efficiently they will truly be helpful.

But whichever you choose, if you want to make real progress with your goals you must manage your time.

This article was written by Tony Hall who runs his own business dedicated to helping individuals develop their personal and business skills. You can learn more about how to develop your own life skills and get your complimentary copy of "The Process of Success" by signing up for his weekly newsletter at http://www.selfimprovementskills.com/newsletter.html

True Measure of an Individual

2010-11-22T03:45:00.000-08:00

Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good. - Ann Landers

Retiring

2010-11-22T03:43:00.001-08:00

Retiring is just practicing up to be dead. That doesn't take any practice. - Paul Harvey

Aristotle

2010-11-11T04:26:00.001-08:00

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Daniel Webster Quotes

2010-10-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

Keep cool; anger is not an argument

God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it.

What a man does for others, not what they do for him, gives him immortality.

The Best Medicine is Patience

2010-10-11T02:51:00.000-07:00

Patience in Times of Adversity
By Adam D Porter

When times seem to be more challenging than others, stick to the laws that provide the blessings. Before you receive the greatest of goods, you must first show that you will be faithful even in your darkest hour. This requires that you practice the true virtue of patience. Even as the law of gender points out that all things have their own time and season, you will come to the knowledge that "this too shall be but a small moment;" and when endured well, you will be blessed beyond measure.

Great is the joy of a man, who, in his times of trouble, holds on to a hope that it will soon pass. As he continues to show faith in God in all his doings, recognizing that he is a child of a loving Father in Heaven, that man will have a reason for humble gratitude, and give thanks for the time that he has now, for it will benefit him in the future.

Change your vibration and allow a paradigm shift to take place. Take courage to view your circumstances with the perspective that life will have its ups and its downs. Though it's raining now, look forward to tomorrow for the brightness of the sun. When the storms of life beat heavily upon your house, remember the Rock upon which you are built.

This will happen to you when you create a goal and maintain a positive mindset. When your subconscious and conscience mind are both in the vibration to receive positive influences, the circumstances and things you need are gathering. In all ages of time, perils have and will arise and make life seem bleak. It is much easier to fall into discouragement and doubt, for discouragement and doubt don't require work. Holding fast to your hope will take faith, strength, and dedication on your part. The greater the goal, the harder the stumbling block; that is the law of opposites.

The God of our spirits says, "draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). Notice that His is one of invitation, not force. You have the opportunity to act for yourself and not to be acted upon. No one, including God, God can draw you towards your desires and goals; you have to do that on your own. That is faith in action. Draw near to your desires and goals and they, in turn, will draw near unto you. You can't make them come to you; they come on their own time. You meet your goal halfway, and the desired fruits will be at your fingertips.

Patience is the virtue in your objective to obtaining the things you want. "Wait on the Lord" (Psalm 37:34). Prove that you will by having genuine gratitude for all you have endured and for the strength God has allotted to you. Patience is the key to the lock, and gratitude is the handle to the door, to receiving the fruits of the blessings.

Your Resolution to Succeed

2010-10-07T04:38:00.001-07:00

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. - Abraham Lincoln

Conquer Any Fear...

2010-10-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind. - Dale Carnegie

Silence Between Friends

2010-10-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

Silences make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is what counts. - Margaret Lee Runbeck

September is Women of Acheievement Month!

2010-09-10T03:09:00.000-07:00

September Is Women of Achievement Month - Are You On-Board?
By Lynn Banis

Many cities and states have award ceremonies for women they believe have achieved a great deal. Those women are called Women of Achievement. They have done something that sets them apart from others. They might be business giants, extraordinary volunteers or outstanding in other areas. They are the few that get recognized for what they have done. What about the rest of us? We go about our daily business doing extraordinary things all of the time but we do not look at our accomplishments as being extraordinary. Why is that? When you stop to think about it you will realize that what you do every day, the unique way you do what you do things is very extraordinary. There is only one you so lets celebrate that!

The month of September is designated Women of Achievement Month. I would like to see all women regard themselves as women of achievement. Let's take a look at how you measure what you do and what you give to the world. If you are a parent you do one of the most extraordinary things any human can do on a daily basis - you shape and guide the growth of children. Stop for a moment and think back over the past year. What has your child accomplished over that period of time? Do you think that happened by chance? No - you were an integral part of your child's growth. How extraordinary!

If you are a friend or relative again you do extraordinary things on a consistent basis. Once again, think back over the year. How have your relationships impacted other people? You were there for them, you made yourself available, you listened, you offered love and support. If that is not extraordinary I do not know what is.

There are so many roles we play in our lives. Take stock of yours and appreciate all of the extraordinary things you do while you are being who you are. Make a list of the things you now consider extraordinary. Keep your list going throughout the month of September. Be very aware of everything on your list, celebrate them and take some time to feel great about your achievements. September is your month to reflect and be aware of how very important you are in the lives of people around you. Their own lives would be lacking if they did not have you. Vow to carry yourself as a winner and appreciate what you give to the world.

Lynn Banis PhD, MCC is known as America's High Performance Coach. Lynn specializes in helping women in leadership positions or wanting to be in leadership positions make the most of their opportunities and potential. She enjoys helping executives and entrepreneurs create their ultimate impact. Her years of working with small and large businesses has given her a depth of knowledge that is invaluable to her clients both as a business and a life coach. Lynn is the author of two books "The Discovery Journal" and "Discovery Points:

A Coaching Guide to Getting Unstuck." Both can be obtained under Lynn's name at http://www.lulu.com. You can reach her at [http://www.discoverypointcoaching.com]. Also check out Lynn's other businesses: Coach Academy Texas, a cutting edge coach training company; and Turnkey Coaching Solutions, a coaching program management and contract coach staffing company.

Robert E. Lee-I Tremble for My Country

2010-09-05T04:05:00.000-07:00

I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that our only hope is in God. - Robert E. Lee

When You Arise in the Morning

2010-09-05T04:01:00.000-07:00

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. - Marcus Aurelius

Kindness.....

2010-09-05T03:56:00.001-07:00

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. - Lao Tsu

Julius Caesar-Create!

2010-08-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

It is better to create than to learn! Creating is the essence of life. - Julius Caesar

Great Thoughts

2010-08-10T05:03:00.000-07:00

Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind. - Theodore Roosevelt

Believe Deep Down in Your Heart...

2010-08-10T04:57:00.001-07:00

Believe deep down in your heart that you're destined to do great things. - Joe Paterno

Warren Buffett Quote

2010-08-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Warren Buffett: “Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future."

Jay Forte: How Will You Transform the World?

2010-08-02T03:50:00.000-07:00

How Will You Transform the World?
By Jay Forte

Wise words from Woodrow Wilson: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."

Live your best life. And in the process, your best transforms the world.

I believe we invent our world in each moment; our world is created by those who live in it at this exact moment. And, the quality of our invention is based on each of us knowing ourselves to be able to contribute our best.

We are born with our unique DNA - our unique combination of talents, strengths and passions. The more we know ourselves, the more we become acquainted with our gifts - those attributes unique to us. Our happiest and most successful lives are lives that use what we are good at and passionate about doing.

This uniqueness is critical. Because we are all so different, we constantly add color, texture, experience and impact to our world. The more we know ourselves, the more we live this great uniqueness and the more of it we bring to the world. Our world expands. Our world improves. This is how we create our world. This is how we transform our world.

I see that most people live only a fraction of their capabilities - either by choice or by being unaware; they know so little about themselves and their hardwired greatness. They either don't know how to discover what they are good at and what they are passionate about, or choose not to make the effort. The result is they do not access their greatness zone - that place of their greatest happiness - and therefore, do not bring their best to the world. You can't bring your greatness to the world if you don't know what it is.

Grace was an educator in a large international distributor. She spent the time to understand herself and pushed hard to land a job as an educator - a job that played to her talents and passions. She was enthusiastically connected to her students and intellectually connected to her role. Grace's classes frequently had a waiting list. She flourished in your job, which amplified her life. She knew her talents, passions and strengths and brought her best to her work; she inspired greatness from others. She raised the bar. She wasn't a national celebrity but was indeed a celebrity to many people she taught. She changed their worlds.

Identify several famous people who have committed themselves to their craft or area. Their talents allow them to be great at what they do. Their passion allows them to connect in an exponential way. The combination is a world changer. Think about Michelangelo, Robert Frost, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Emeril Lagasse, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln, Da Vinci, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., Babe Ruth...the list goes on. They were good at what they did and passionate about doing it. And in the process they added great value to the world. They created a more significant world. They transformed the world.

Now, identify several non-celebrities around you who have committed themselves to their craft. It could be a partner, spouse, colleague, teacher, pastor, friend or anyone else. Those who play to their greatness expand the world for all of us.

People who play small don't transform the world. People who don't know their talents and passions, live a fraction of their potential and their gifted lives. Not only do they miss out, but they also shortchange the world; they don't achieve their greatness and don't share that greatness to recreate the world in an exceptional way - each day.

Answer the following to discover more about your hardwired greatness:
* What are you good at?
* What are you passionate about?
* What is success (happiness) for you?

These questions start your process to discover the combination of gifts you were born with. You start to see your passions, talents and strengths. Use these be your best, bring your best and live your best. Besides having an amazing personal and professional life, playing to your greatness will also transform the world.

Jay Forte is a motivational and business speaker, author and workplace/life coach. He is the author of "Fire Up! Your Employees and Smoke Your Competition," "The Hunt for Opportunities Success Manual" and the on-line resource, "Stand Out and Get Hired." His new book, "The Greatness Zone - Know Yourself, Find Your Fit, Transform The World" is due out in Sept 2010. He trains and inspires people to rediscover their talents and passions to maximize their impact, contribution and happiness in both work and life. More information http://www.LiveFiredUp.com.

Margaret Thatcher on Hard Work

2010-07-30T02:46:00.000-07:00

I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near. - Margaret Thatcher

Conquer Fear.....

2010-07-20T03:47:00.000-07:00

If you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy! - Dale Carnegie

Live Your Passion!

2010-07-10T04:43:00.000-07:00

Live Your Passion
ByNancy Shields

There's an old saying that goes: If you follow your passion, you will never work a day in your life. So many of us get caught in a rut and we end up in dead end jobs which we dislike. We dislike the idea of getting up in the morning to go to these jobs, and we don't like the idea of being at these jobs. I've done it plenty of times in my life, and finally I realized - enough of this insanity. Life is too short not to be doing what you truly love!

Of course, first you must find your passion. Once you find what truly excites you, then it is time to execute the plan in how you can make a living in what you truly love. I recently came in contact with Sue Fernandes, living in the U.K.; Sue designed my website, and after talking to her, she is an inspiration! She worked in the hotel business most of her adult life, she is nearly 40 years old and she decided on this new career move. She now builds and designs websites. I personally love stories like this. It's never too late to do what you LOVE!

I believe our parents were apt to stay in one career, one job, and would not move or even consider something else; the reason being because you have a job, it pays you money, so you stay in that job. They may not have been happy with that job, but, hey, they stuck to it. Guess what, they win the award for sticking to something they don't like. We spend too many hours in a day at these jobs and offices to be wasting our time with something we truly don't like. "Why" - I ask?

Imagine a life where you are creating and doing your passion? Words like joy, happiness, excitement are some of the feelings tied in doing something you love. I am going to use that word again - FEAR. This is what stops us from proceeding with our plan to start something new, for ourselves, and in the long-run, for all around us.

We are happy people when we are doing the things we enjoy. You feel less stressed and life flows so much better. So, time to get out there - figure out your true passion and DO IT!

If you love something and stick with it, you will get phenomenal results. This statement comes from inspirational speaker, Bob Proctor.

Remember, may the possibilities of today excite us all!

Eleanor Roosevelt stated, "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." My dream has been to encourage and empower women. My passion to inspire through words of love and understanding. Makegirlfriends.com has been created for women to meet.share and inspire one another. We put so much emphasis on sites where men meet women but I found in life that my girlfriends have been there for me through life's challenges. The importance of great friends is what inspired me to create http://www.makegirlfriends.com/

I also have an inspirational blog at http://blog.makegirlfriends.com/

I will be launching this site on August 1, 2010 which is National Girlfriends Day in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Be part of the inspiration and part of this adventure we call life!

100 Famous Inspirational Quotes

2010-06-01T04:26:00.001-07:00

Enjoy some of the most famous Inspirational Quotes of all time in this video:

It's Not the Load...

2010-05-29T03:56:00.000-07:00

It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. - Coach Lou Holtz

Free of Admirers?

2010-05-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then. - Coach John Wooden

Responsibility

2010-05-24T04:35:00.000-07:00

Whenever we seek to avoid the responsibility for our own behavior, we do so by attempting to give that responsibility to some other individual or organization or entity. But this means we then give away our power to that entity. - M. Scott Peck

No Scarcity of Opportunity

2010-05-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there's only scarcity of resolve to make it happen. - Wayne Dyer

5 Ways to Create an Active and Healthier Lifestyle

2010-05-21T04:45:00.000-07:00

Five easy ways to create an active and healthier lifestyle

(ARA) - Outside of the economy, fitness and healthy eating are among the most critical issues facing Americans today. Only 31 percent of Americans are getting adequate exercise and 68 percent of men and 53 percent of women are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Health Interview survey released in March.

The good news is that the tried-and-true approach of regular exercise and smart nutrition will go a long way toward managing weight loss and an overall healthy lifestyle. In fact, the benefits of being more active can be seen within a short time after starting a new routine and include more energy, less stress, lower blood pressure, improved digestive health and a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

A fitness program doesn't have to take place in the gym. Beverly Abbs, an award-winning ultra-runner, recommends outdoor fun to get started on everyday fitness. "You don't have to run long distances in order to reap the health benefits," says Abbs, a member of Ultra-Running Team Sunsweet. "Short distance runs and even outdoor walks are a great way to stay fit and have fun. I got my start competing in athletic events with just 2- to 3-mile runs. That turned into a life-long love of ultra-running."

When you add in smart nutritional choices to your exercise routine, the positives pile up further. "As a triathlete and a sports dietitian, I can tell you that plenty of healthy choices are convenient and taste delicious," says registered dietician Dr. Katherine Beals.

So, whether you aspire to overhaul your diet and exercise program or are just thinking about taking a few first steps to a healthier life, smart choices can start with a few simple steps. Abbs and Dr. Beals offer these tips for getting started on achieving overall better health.

1. Get and stay active: Adults should get 2.5 hours of aerobic physical activity per week and perform strengthening activities two days a week, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services department. Fortunately, it is easier than you might think to incorporate exercise into your routine. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator and find the parking spot that is farthest away to get extra steps in between your car and your destination. Play tag with your kids, or consider signing up for a community fun run 5K. Not only do these runs usually provide an opportunity to race for a good cause, you can use it as training motivation.

2. Use interval training: Experts say varying your cardio work with a combination of easy/hard intervals will result in faster fitness gains. It also mixes up your workouts and staves off boredom. Next time you go for a run, instead of keeping the same pace, try mixing in a few sprints. Start with 30 seconds on hard and 10 seconds on easy.

3. Go for convenience: Abbs says dried fruits like Sunsweet Ones, individually wrapped prunes, are a convenient and nutritious snack whether you're training for a marathon or just a busy person on the go. "These delicious snacks are portable, don't spoil and deliver calories that count." Plus, prunes are known to support digestive health.

4. Fill up with fiber: High-fiber foods are critical to digestive health and any weight loss program because they fill you up and help keep the hunger pangs at bay. The typical American eats only about 11 grams of fiber a day, according to the American Dietetic Association, and health experts recommend a minimum of 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day for most people. Fruits (dried and fresh) and vegetables are great fiber sources including apples, pears, prunes, peas, broccoli and sweet corn.

5. After an intense workout: Carbohydrate-rich foods that are energy dense, easy to digest and familiar and appetizing - like bagels, granola bars, crackers, dried plums and fruit juices - are good choices for post-workout fare to replenish any lost nutrients. Exercise also increases the loss of water from the body, primarily through sweat, so the harder and longer the workout, the more lost fluid that needs replacing.

"Drinking fluids like water, sports drinks, and fruit juices or eating water-containing foods can replace these lost fluids and, in the case of fruits, fruit juices and vegetables, replace much-needed potassium," Dr. Beals says.

Regardless of your current level of activity and commitment to nutrition, it is never too late to make smart decisions. Make the commitment today and take these steps toward a more fit and healthy you.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Shades of Change.....

2010-05-15T05:01:00.000-07:00

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts. - Arnold Bennett

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. - Frederick Douglass

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. - C.S. Lewis

Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken. - Frank Herbert

Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it. - Harry Emerson Fosdick

Character.....

2010-05-13T04:50:00.001-07:00

Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike. - Teddy Roosevelt

Peace Is...

2010-05-13T04:49:00.001-07:00

Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. - Ronald Reagan

Prepare to Win

2010-05-08T05:18:00.000-07:00

You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. - Zig Ziglar

Miracles

2010-05-08T05:12:00.001-07:00

Miracles do not, in fact, break the laws of nature. - C. S. Lewis

Be Great, Powerful Beyond Measure

2010-04-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

The Seed of Greater Benefit

2010-04-12T05:22:00.000-07:00

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit. - Napoleon Hill

Life is Like.....

2010-04-12T05:19:00.001-07:00

Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on. - Samuel Butler

Winston Churchill-Success

2010-04-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. - Winston Churchill

Attitude of Gratitude

2010-03-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. - Brian Tracey

Uncle Miltie-Build a Door!

2010-03-28T03:56:00.000-07:00

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. - Milton Berle

The Best Day of Your Life

2010-03-25T04:47:00.000-07:00

The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins. - Bob Moawad

Eng's Principle

2010-03-25T04:42:00.000-07:00

The easier it is to do, the harder it is to change. - Eng's Principle

All Tyranny Needs

2010-03-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. - Thomas Jefferson

John Adams-What Really Ails America

2010-03-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation. - John Adams

A Vote is Like a Rifle

2010-03-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user. - Teddy Roosevelt

Lincoln-Character is Like a .....

2010-03-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. - Abraham Lincoln

Barkley-Don't Rely on The Government

2010-02-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

Poor people cannot rely on the government to come to help you in times of need. You have to get your education. Then nobody can control your destiny. - Charles Barkley

William Jennings Bryan Quote

2010-02-06T04:26:00.000-08:00

Never be afraid to stand with the minority when the minority is right, for the minority which is right will one day be the majority. - William Jennings Bryan

Martin Luther King-All Progress is Precarious

2010-02-05T04:39:00.000-08:00

All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem. - Martin Luther King

Raising Funds of Love

2010-02-05T04:35:00.000-08:00

Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God - the rest will be given. - Mother Teresa

Friendship.....

2010-02-01T04:09:00.000-08:00

* A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down. - Arnold H. Glascow

* Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. - George Washington

* I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better. - Plutarch

* Silences make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is what counts. - Margaret Lee Runbeck

* When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it. - Edward Howe

You Were Born to Win

2010-01-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. - Zig Ziglar

Conquer Fear

2010-01-18T04:37:00.000-08:00

You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind. - Dale Carnegie

Pay Special Attention to Those Close to You

2010-01-18T04:34:00.000-08:00

Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you. - Augustine of Hippo

Quit Dabbling and Focus!

2010-01-11T04:08:00.000-08:00

"One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular." - Tony Robbins

The Death of Fear

2010-01-11T04:07:00.001-08:00

Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain. - Mark Twain

Break Out of Current Comfort Zone

2009-12-30T02:45:00.000-08:00

A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown. - Denis Waitley

Dale Carnegie Quote

2009-12-30T02:41:00.000-08:00

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. - Dale Carnegie

Cherish Your Visions

2009-12-21T04:48:00.000-08:00

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. - Napoleon Hill

Allow For Detours

2009-12-21T04:37:00.000-08:00

Establishing goals is all right if you don't let them deprive you of interesting detours. - Doug Larson

Be An Angel

2009-12-07T04:51:00.000-08:00

Be an angel to someone else whenever you can, as a way of thanking God for the help your angel has given you. - Eileen Elias Freeman

George Bernard Shaw-Justify or Liquidate

2009-12-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

We should all be obliged to appear before a board every five years, and justify our existence... on pain of liquidation. - George Bernard Shaw

Robert Frost

2009-12-02T04:47:00.000-08:00

Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost

Don't Exceed This Limit!

2009-12-02T04:44:00.000-08:00

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit. -Elbert Hubbard

Hope Is .....

2009-10-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

Hope is the physician of each misery. - Irish Proverb

Leadership

2009-10-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

Leaders are visionaries with a poorly developed sense of fear and no concept of the odds against them. - Robert Jarvik

One Secret of Success.....

2009-10-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes. - Benjamin Disraeli