Quote: Chinese Proverb

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.

Quote: Napoleon Hill

Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. 

-- Napoleon Hill 

Quote: Florence Nightingale on perseverance

I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse 

-- Florence Nightingale

Quote: Charles Swindoll on self-control

Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. 

-- Charles Swindoll

Wisdom from a Chinese fortune cookie

He who asks is a fool for 5 minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever 

-- Chinese fortune cookie 

Quote: Mark Twain on achieving one's dreams

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore, Dream, Discover.   

-- Mark  Twain 

Quote: Steve Jobs on life

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life 

-- Steve Jobs 

Quote: JK Rowling on adversity

You will never truly know yourself or the strength of your relationships until both have been tested by adversity 

--JK Rowling 

Quote from the blog's author

"If you build it, they will come," perhaps not right away, or very often, and they may even poke fun at you, but you can be sure no one's coming if you simply sit on your ass! 

-- Julie C. 

Lessons from "The NeverEnding Story" on life and achieving success?

One of my favorite movies growing up was The NeverEnding Story, the first one.  It's strange going back and re-watching movies at different stages of one's life, it touches you differently. (Try it out!)

As a child, the movie was simply an awesome fantastical adventure; I was enthralled by the world of Fantasia, all it's colors, sounds, sights, and endearing characters.  But re-watching it this time, now in my odd thirties, the movie has touched me deeply in a different way.

Even though it is a children's story, The NeverEnding Story offers wise lessons into finding meaning and success in life. How? It demonstrates the greatest treasure we possess as human being: the capacity for creativity, perseverance, determination, and the courage to pursue one's dreams.

Quote: John Wooden on failure

The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success 

-- John Wooden

Quote: JK Rowling on self-esteem

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. 

-- JK Rowling

Quote: Plutarch on self-change

What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality 

-- Plutarch 

Before they were famous: JK Rowling

Reading on the life of JK Rowling was inspiring.  Her life spins a story of an ordinary woman with all the same weaknesses, foibles and fears that plague the most basic elements of our human nature, but one who has risen above all its pettiness to attain the purest expression of what our humanness is capable of achieving, i.e., the power to imagine, create, and persevere in the face of adversity.

In front of the camera, the public mostly sees the glamorous, perfect lives of the rich and famous, but in truth, many famous people had to suffer years of failures and hardships to achieve their dreams, in Rowling's case, it was seven years of it!

The Seven Dark Years of JK Rowling 

The first Harry Potter book took 7 years to complete, from its inception to actually getting it published. And in those long years, Rowling would suffer poverty, death of a loved one, a failed marriage, emotional trauma, rejection and depression.  But ultimately, there was light at the end of that long tunnel, where she found her own voice and inner strength to emerge, perhaps battle worn, but triumphant in overcoming her life's adversities.

Inspirational video: JK Rowling Harvard Commencement Speech

Be inspired by JK Rowlings words of wisdom about the "benefits of failure", and the power of imagination.  

Quote: JK Rowling on failure

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not lived at all 

-- JK Rowling 

Quote: James Cameron on setting goals

If you set your goals ridiculously high and its a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success 

-- James Cameron

James Cameron's secret to success

James Cameron may not actually be the "king of the world", but he's certainly accomplished some amazing things in his life: he's an A-list film producer, director, and screenplay writer, directing pioneering movies such as The Terminator, Titanic, and Avatar. A mixture of dreamy-eyed romantic meets computer-geek, Cameron has pushed the frontiers of CG cinemetics.

But few know that before he became Mr. Hollywood big-shot, he started out as a college dropout making ends meet by trucking.  But that didn't stop Cameron from fulfilling his star-filled destiny.

How did Cameron achieve success?  

                                        Guts, Grits, and Passion

Quote: James Cameron on achieving success

If you follow your heart, and you do it with passion, the money and accolades will come because you're working from a pure place

James Cameron talks about the secret to his success

                       Curiosity, Imagination, & Respect of your Team

Quote: James Cameron on fear

Failure is an option, but fear is not 

Quote: finding meaning in life

We know that the richest experiences in our lives aren't when we're clamoring for validation from others, but when we're listening to our own voice--doing something that matters, doing it well, and doing it in the service of a cause larger than ourselves

-- source: Drive: The Surprising Truth of What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink 

How is Ai-jen Poo inspiring people?

                                      Combining the power of love and grit

Ai-jen Poo is like a modern day Harriet Tubman or Princess Leia fighting for justice in the world.  But instead of fighting to end the evil rule of the "Emperor", she fights to give a voice to marginalized domestic workers (maids, nannies, caregivers, etc, you know, those who are hired by rich people to do the work that most normal people have to do themselves.)

may the Force be with you

 

Share your inspirational stories!

Help motivate your fellow human brethren by sharing your inspirational stories; they can be events that happened to you, events that happened to someone else.  If you know of it, find it inspirational, then please share!

Quote: Tony Hsieh on self-creation

Envision, create, and believe in your own universe, and the universe will form around you 

-- (Tony Hsieh quoting someone else)