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Witt Lowry Quote on Happiness and Why You Need To Free Yourself From Materialism

    “If you’re not happy, you’re forever in debt.”

    Witt Lowry, Debt

    Beyond the Quote (228/365)

    Debt is something, typically money, that’s owed. When you borrow $20 from your friend, you’re in debt to them. Until you pay them back, you will have that debt weighing on your shoulders. That’s why repaying a debt is such a gratifying, lightening feeling. You’re lightening the worry of your load. But, what about the debts that we imaginarily create in our minds? Sounds ridiculous, right? But, think about it.

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    Kobe Bryant Quote on Keeping Calm and Centered in Basketball and in Life

      “The game is full of ebbs and flows—the good, the bad, and everything in between. With all that was going on around me, I had to figure out how to steel my mind and keep calm and centered. That’s not to say my emotions didn’t spike or drop here or there, but I was aware enough to recalibrate and bring them back level before things spiraled. I could do that in a way others couldn’t, and that was really key for me.”

      Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 175)

      Beyond the Quote (226/365)

      And so it is for life, eh? The game of life is full of ebbs and flows—the good, the bad, and everything in between. I think 2020 highlights that in more intense ways than in many years of recent past—especially for Kobe—may he rest in peace. And while it’s natural to hope that things go back to “normal” and that the ebbs and flows “level out” so that they may be more easily managed—it would be unrealistic and naive to expect it to actually happen. The ebbs will continue to ebb and the flows will continue to flow, like they always have and like they always will. So, what then are we to do?

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      Tony Robbins Quote on Focus and How Questions Are One Of The Most Powerful Tools To Utilize

        “The most powerful way to control your focus is through the use of questions.”

        Tony Robbins

        Beyond the Quote (225/365)

        Distracted? It’s because you’re asking yourself the wrong questions: Am I missing out on any new posts on the socials? I wonder what he/she is doing right now? I wonder how much it would cost to buy a new kayak? How come I always get so distracted? Why is life always so unfair to me? What am I going to eat for dinner? How can I get rich, quick? What shortcut can I take for better health? Why is my dog so cute? You get the idea.

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        Charlie Munger Quote on Ideas and Why You Should Start Taking Them Seriously

          “Take a simple idea and take it seriously.”

          Charlie Munger

          Beyond the Quote (224/365)

          Reading 20 pages from a book every day is a simple idea. Writing in your journal before bed every night is a simple idea. Going for a walk every morning is a simple idea. Stopping eating after 8pm every night is a simple idea. Reaching out to and connecting with at least one friend every day is a simple idea. People have these types of ideas all of the time. The problem isn’t the ideas or even the simplicity of the ideas (although “complicated” can certainly be a problem). The problem is the taking of the ideas seriously.

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          Drake Quote from Emotionless on Posting To Social Media and Trying To Impress People

            “I know a girl whose one goal was to visit Rome/

            Then she finally got to Rome/

            And all she did was post pictures for people at home/

            ‘Cause all that mattered was impressin’ everybody she’s known”

            Drake, Emotionless

            Beyond the Quote (223/365)

            Happiness is only real when shared. That’s the last thing that Chris McCandless wrote before he died in the movie, Into The Wild. (Warning: More spoilers ahead) Based on a true story, the main character, after getting accepted into Law School, decided he wanted to pursue an alternate path and donated all of his college money to charity, bought a cheap car, and drove out west in pursuit of a remote life in Alaska. He wanted to travel, explore, and live completely free from conformity.

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            Hayao Miyazaki Quote on Relationships and Broadening Our Definition of Love

              “I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live… if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”

              Hayao Miyazaki

              Beyond the Quote (222/365)

              …Inspiring another person to live—what higher expression of love is there? And by live, of course, we mean really live—fulfill your life in a way that’s far beyond merely existing. Living is exploring; existing is hiding. Living is questioning; existing is tolerating. Living is risking; existing is comforting. Living is a rarity that few people embody to its full extent; existing is the commonplace for the rest. And what more can be said about love in its true expression?

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              John Leland Quote on Happiness and How Gratitude is the Key That Unlocks the Door

                “Some people are grateful seemingly as their default state, even when no one’s looking.  Their lives aren’t necessarily better than other people’s, but they find more reasons to give thanks for their small rewards.  Fred Jones was one of those people.  Giving thanks made him happy, which made him grateful, which made him happy.”

                John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 119)

                Beyond the Quote (221/365)

                Maybe you know one of those people too? A person who seems to be grateful by default and is seemingly more happy as a result. Or maybe it’s that they’re more happy by default so they express more gratitude? Does it matter which one it is? Does one cause the other or are they both inextricably linked? …I believe that it does matter and understanding this catch-22 will help you understand how to be more like the Fred Jones’ of the world. Let’s take a closer look.

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                Andy Andrews Quote on Leadership and How To Properly Influence Others To Keep Moving Forward

                  “It is never the duty of a leader to struggle for someone else;  a leader must encourage others to struggle and assure them that the struggles are worthwhile.  Do battle with the challenges of your present, and you will unlock the prizes of your future.”

                  Andy Andrews, The Traveler’s Gift

                  Beyond the Quote (219/365)

                  I repeat: It is never the duty of a leader to struggle for someone else. Nor is it their duty to take the struggle away from, to suffer the pain for, or to handle challenges that someone else is facing. A leader needs to live their own life as much as the follower needs to live theirs. But even more importantly, it is the duty of the leader to lead the follower to a better place—and doing the work for them doesn’t get them there. If anything, it handicaps them and makes them more vulnerable to the future rather than more resilient.

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                  Og Mandino Quote on Happiness and How It Is A Gift—Not A Desire

                    “So long as I can laugh never will I be poor.  This, then, is one of nature’s greatest gifts, and I will waste it no more.  Only with laughter and happiness can I truly become a success.  Only with laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor.  Were it not so, far better would it be to fail, for happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal.  To enjoy success I must have happiness, and laughter will be the maiden who serves me.”

                    Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World

                    Beyond the Quote (218/365)

                    Laughter and happiness isn’t something that you save for later. Nor is it something that you should have to pay for or have to work to achieve. It’s not hidden in some exotic destination. And it’s not found in a designer store nor is it unlocked with a blue checkmark on a social platform. Laughter and happiness is, as Mandino points out above, “one of nature’s greatest gifts.” It’s a gift that has already been given to you. It is given to everyone at birth. You can access it at any time. If you can’t access or unlock this gift, it isn’t because it isn’t there, it’s because you have become confused or have misplaced or forgotten about it.

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                    Kobe Bryant Quote on Work Ethic and How He Stuck To His Routine Even On The Busiest Days

                      “My routine was grueling. It involved early mornings and late nights. It involved stretching, lifting, training, hooping, recovery, and film study. It involved putting in a lot of work and hours. It’s—no lie—tiring. For that reason, a lot of players pare down their lifting and training during the season. They try conserving their energy. Not me, though. I found that, yes, this work might be strenuous on the day-to-day, but it left me stronger and more prepared during the dog days of the season and the playoffs.”

                      Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 42)

                      Beyond the Quote (217/365)

                      Not everybody needs to maintain a grueling routine like Kobe did. After all, not all of us are competing in professional sporting events against some of the most intense competition in the world. But, there’s an underlying key mindset here that does apply to us all: Don’t make sacrifices on your routine merely for the sake of conserving energy. Let’s take a closer look.

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                      Kevin Kelly Quote on Habits and What Their Purpose Is In Our Lives

                        “The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth, to flossing.”

                        Kevin Kelly, Blog

                        Beyond the Quote (215/365)

                        When you get a look at a day in the life of a high performing individual it can leave you feeling dumbfounded. I’m sure you’ve found yourself wondering, like me, how on earth they do so much in one day? What’s their secret? Is it something in their nature? Is it a learned skill? Is it 10 coffees?And while, for some, it might involve 10 coffees, the underlying secret that helps all high performing individuals perform to the best of their ability is their habits.

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                        John Joseph Powell Quote on Self-Worth and How Interactions Are A Mirror For What’s Within

                          “It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”

                          John Joseph Powell, The Secret of Staying in Love

                          Beyond the Quote (214/365)

                          Mirrors allow us to see our external self. Human interaction allows us to see our internal self. Without mirrors, we wouldn’t be able to truly know how we looked. We can get a sense of how we look and we might be able to guess, but it is only through the reflection of a mirror that we can ever be sure. Without human interaction, how might we ever truly grasp the content of our character?

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                          James Clear Quote on Decisions and How Understanding If One Is Reversible Or Not Can Help You Decide

                            “If a decision is reversible, the biggest risk is moving too slow. If a decision is irreversible, the biggest risk is moving too fast.”

                            James Clear, Blog

                            Beyond the Quote (212/365)

                            Let’s start by figuring out which types of decisions are which. Not going to college, for example, is a decision that can easily be reversed. You can always go back to college at a later point in time. Going to college and getting a degree in something that you aren’t passionate about or uninterested in pursuing is a decision that is irreversible. Quickly committing to college when you’re unsure, undecided, or confused about your path is a big risk. Especially if the college you’re committing quickly to has a high tuition cost.

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                            Eckhart Tolle Quote on Feeling Small and How To See Yourself Differently

                              “If small things have the power to disturb you, then who you think you are is exactly that: small.”

                              Eckhart Tolle

                              Beyond the Quote (211/365)

                              A pebble on the ground will be disturbed by just about anything that crosses its path. It’s too small to stand its ground. Everything from the kicks of a person’s shoe, to the rain the gathers and runs across the ground, to the wind, even, as it gusts up in minor blows, will all affect it. It is in the nature of the pebble to be moved and affected by forces larger than it.

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                              Kevin Kelly Quote on Creating and How To Take Creations from Being “Good” to “Great”

                                “To make something good, just do it. To make something great, just re-do it, re-do it, re-do it. The secret to making fine things is in remaking them.”

                                Kevin Kelly, Blog

                                Beyond the Quote (210/365)

                                The rough draft is never as good as the final copy. The first rendition is never as smooth as the final production. The initial prototype never functions as well as the end-stage product. In each of these cases, what’s the difference between the former and the latter? The re-doing. Re-doing doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch with each of your creations either—although it could be that. Rather, it’s more of an emphasis on constant and never-ending refinement.

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                                Kevin Kelly Quote on Death and How The Only Thing You Take With You Is Your Reputation

                                  “When you die you take absolutely nothing with you except your reputation.”

                                  Kevin Kelly, Blog

                                  Beyond the Quote (209/365)

                                  And what is your reputation made up of? The sum of all of the actions you took when you were alive. All of them. The actions you took when you were excited and joyful—and the actions you took when you were miserable and upset. It’s composed of the things you did for those who you admired, desired, and cared for—as well as the things you did for those who you pitied, hated, and didn’t pay any mind to. Your reputation is nothing more than the summary report of how well you followed the golden rule while you were alive.

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                                  Witt Lowry Quote from Debt on How Things That Are Man-Made Don’t Make The Man

                                    “I should have known that somethin’ man-made couldn’t make me /

                                    I say I’m makin’ music, or is music what creates me?”

                                    Witt Lowry, Debt, Nevers Road

                                    Beyond the Quote (208/365)

                                    Nothing man-made makes the man. It’s what the man makes that makes the man. What somebody else made is a reflection of them. You obtaining what they made doesn’t make you into any kind of different person at all. It might reveal the type of person you are but it doesn’t change who you are. To understand this is to understand the power in making and creating. To forget this is to forget and never realize who you are to yourself or the world.

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