Quote: John Gough on success

If you want to succeed in the world you must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time coming. 

--John Gough

Quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson on destiny

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. 

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote: Chinese proverb

The harder you fall, the higher you bounce. 

--Chinese wisdom

Quote: Walt Disney on adversity

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me...You may not realize when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. 

--Walt Disney

Quote: Booker T. Washington on responsibility

Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him. 

-- Booker T. Washington

Quote: Cinderella in believing

                                 A dream is a wish your heart makes
                                           When you're fast asleep.
                                In dreams you will lose your heartaches
                                      Whatever you wish for, you keep.
                                Have faith and believe that someday,
                               Your rainbow will come smiling through.
                               No matter how your heart is grieving
                                         If you keep on believing
                               The dream that you wish will come true. 

                                                                                   -- Cinderella  

Never lose faith in your dreams

Quote: Machiavelli

 Others will help you if you help yourself

--Machiavelli

Quote: Anais Nin

Anais Nin

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.

-- Anais Nin

Quote: Master Yoda on the impossible

No, no different, only different in your mind.  You must unlearn what you have learned. 

--Master Yoda

In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Master Yoda responds with these words when Luke Skywalker cries, "Now we'll never get it out.  Moving stones is one thing, but this is totally different," referring to his downed fighter jet that had sunk deeper into the swamp. 

Yoda's words teaches us an important lesson, that everything is truly all in the mind.  What you believe you can do, what you believe you cannot do is not a consequence of birth, destiny, genetics, social standing or even your zodiac sign!  

Instead, it simply comes down to the mental perspective you have of yourself.  If you think you're a eagle, then you'll soar like an eagle; if you think you're a chicken, then don't be surprised if your greatest accomplishment is ending up on McDonald's value menu.  

Most people go through life having a fixed mental image of themselves, believing that their capabilities are predestined as oppose to self willed.  But if the countless self-made million and billionaires, such as Oprah Winfrey or JK Rowling  have taught us anything, it is that, whatever your mind can believe AND set itself to do, is what you are destined to be.  

Therefore, it is more appropriate to say that, you must unlearn the limitations of what you have learned.  

Fighting for your life: the enemy from within

Envision, create, and believe in your own universe, and the universe will form around you.--Tony Hsieh 

I'm learning in life that you have to fight for your vision. Everyday is a battle, not between you and the rest of the world, but ironically against yourself, i.e., the skeletons that haunt your closets.  Everyone has these phantoms in the darkest recesses of their minds, they are your fears of failure, of being criticized, of facing rejection, of even trying sashimi and that green stuff!

How many of us have not spoken up for fear of being ridiculed; how many of us have failed to try for fear of rejection; how many of us go home and sink into the comfortable routine of entertainment TV, Online games, facebook, sugary foods and drinks where we consume the products created by other people as we watch on enviously those few who became players, while we sit on the sidelines, forever spectators.  

I always have to remind myself the meaning behind my blog's title, Julie's chopping block; the title reflects a fundamental belief that to find meaning in your life, you have to put yourself out there without fear of ridicule, criticism, rejection or failure.  In fact, it is embracing these "phantoms" that one is able to learn and excel, avoiding them only makes you into a deluded fool.   

Aristotle once said:

There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.

 Of course, this is easier said than done, and "putting yourself on the chopping block" can be psychologically debilitating, but in retrospect, the pain is truly all in your mind.  Most of the time, there is no real bodily harm unless you live in an authoritarian regime, but that's getting off topic.  Assuming you live in a democratic society like the United States, then putting yourself out there to express your creativity has never been easier.

The Internet has made information virtually free and accessible to all, and never has it been easier to learn and be heard.  But yet so many of us continue to live as though in an authoritarian regime, keeping silent and passive for fear of reprisal.  But what reprisal is there?   Reflecting on my own life, there is only the reprisal of emotional discomfort that comes from fear of failure, and the big scary "unknoooown."  But is that really worth giving up your dreams?  Everyone has to answer that for themselves, but for me, I think not.

And so, everyday is a battleground where you have to fight for your vision, i.e., the vision you have for your life, the vision you have for the world you want to create. It will not be easy because you will face a great wall of resistance, which will shake your confidence, your faith, the very core of your identity, because in the beginning you will be laughable, you will be foolish, and you will "suck".  But your greatest enemy won't be the audience laughing at you, instead it will be you.  Because it will be your choice to give-up or persevere.  And should you persevere and learn from your experiences, you will in fact be building your foundations on solid rock.  Even the greatest pros were amateurs once.

I remember going to a local artist joint where a young musician was playing.  He definitely had raw talent but he was kind of weird, he had on thick glasses (Harry Potter's double?), was obviously nervous and kept on saying the dumbest things, quite a dork!  But later on, I was ashamed of myself because he at least had the balls to pursue his dreams, whereas I was sitting in the dark amongst a sea of faceless spectators, merely pointing and snickering but having no more of a spine than a jellyfish.

So if ever you find the courage to climb "onstage" and see people snickering instead of applauding, find comfort in the fact that you, at least, are no longer a faceless, nameless spectator, but a real player on the way to transforming your vision into a reality.   

Quote: Vincent Van Gogh on overcoming yourself

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced. 

-- Vincent Van Gogh

Quote: Aristotle on criticism

There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. 

-- Aristotle 

Quote: Gordon Graham on decisiveness

Decision is a sharp knife that cuts clean and straight; indecision, a dull one that hacks and tears and leaves ragged edges behind it. 

-- Gordon Graham

Quote: Maya Angelou

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. 

-- Maya Angelou