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Self Improvement Quotes

    “To be self-compassionate is not to be self-indulgent or self-centered. A major component of self-compassion is to be kind to yourself. Treat yourself with love, care, dignity and make your wellbeing a priority. With self-compassion, we still hold ourselves accountable professionally and personally, but there are no toxic emotions inflicted upon and towards ourselves.”

    Christopher Dines

    Charles Colton Quote on Uprooting Vices and Planting Virtues

      “He that has energy enough to root out a vice should go further, and try to plant a virtue in its place.”

      Charles Caleb Colton

      Beyond the Quote (107/365)

      How hard is it to dig up the roots of an old tree?  Even trying to dig up the roots of a small tree or a bush can be incredibly hard.  This is why, after a tree gets cut down, the stump is either left behind or it’s sawed down and the roots are simply left underground.  Trying to take all of the roots up from a cut down tree simply isn’t worth the time and effort it requires in most cases.

      Now, how hard is it to plant a seed for a new tree?  Even planting a seed for the mightiest of trees is a breeze.  There might be some variance in the specifics, but for the most part, you prep the land/ soil, dig a hole to the proper depth, place the seed in the hole, put the soil back on top of it, and make sure it gets enough water and sun and voila!  You’re done.

      Read More »Charles Colton Quote on Uprooting Vices and Planting Virtues

      Anne Frank Quote on Reflection and Doing Better Each Day

        “How noble and good everyone could be if at the end of the day they were to review their own behavior and weigh up the rights and wrongs.  They would automatically try to do better at the start of each new day, and after a while, would certainly accomplish a great deal.”

        Anne Frank, via Stillness is the Key (Page 53)

        Beyond the Quote (104/365)

        How often do you just sit down at the end of a long day and reflect?  Reflect on what went well and what didn’t go so well; what could have been improved and what could have been discarded; what made you smile and what made you sad; what you might have done differently and what you think was right on point.  See, reflection isn’t just about thinking.  What really happens when you take time to reflect on your day is you are taking responsibility for what happened and you are taking control of where you’re heading.  Reflection, in this sense, is your Life GPS.

        Read More »Anne Frank Quote on Reflection and Doing Better Each Day

        Stillness Is The Key [Book]

          Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday

          By: Ryan Holiday

          From this Book:  66 Quotes

          Book Overview:  All great leaders, thinkers, artists, athletes, and visionaries share one indelible quality. It enables them to conquer their tempers. To avoid distraction and discover great insights. To achieve happiness and do the right thing. Ryan Holiday calls it stillness–to be steady while the world spins around you.  In this book, he outlines a path for achieving this ancient, but urgently necessary way of living. Drawing on a wide range of history’s greatest thinkers, from Confucius to Seneca, Marcus Aurelius to Thich Nhat Hanh, John Stuart Mill to Nietzsche, he argues that stillness is not mere inactivity, but the doorway to self-mastery, discipline, and focus.  More than ever, people are overwhelmed. They face obstacles and egos and competition. Stillness Is the Key offers a simple but inspiring antidote to the stress of 24/7 news and social media. The stillness that we all seek is the path to meaning, contentment, and excellence in a world that needs more of it than ever.

          Buy from Amazon! Listen on Audible!

          Not enough time to read/listen to the whole book? Check out the 18 minute Blinkist version of Stillness Is The Key and get the key insights here for free.

          Post(s) Inspired by this Book:

            “There is no enlightened one.  There is only the one who is seeking further enlightenment.  Proper Being is process, not a state; a journey, not a destination.  It’s the continual transformation of what you know, through encounter with what you don’t know, rather than the desperate clinging to the certainty that is eternally insufficient in any case.  Always place your becoming above your current being.  That means it is necessary to recognize and accept your insufficiency, so that it can be continually rectified.  That’s painful, certainly—but, it’s a good deal.” ~ Jordan Peterson, 12 Rules for Life (Page 362)

              “With any loss comes gain.  If things don’t work out my way, the consolation prize is a lesson I can keep close to me for the rest of my life.  Those lessons encourage more self-awareness, which in turn strengthens my most important relationship—the one with myself.” ~ Humble the Poet, Things No One Else Can Teach Us (Page 273)

                “Your ultimate leverage is your craft.  Stop taking meetings, stop networking, stop trying to cut corners, and get better at what you do.  As you get better, your craft will be your leverage, and opportunities will find you.  Devote more time to your craft and become irreplaceable.” ~ Humble the Poet, Things No One Else Can Teach Us (Page 241)

                Albert Einstein Quote on Monotony and Solitude and How It Affects Creativity

                  “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”

                  Albert Einstein

                  Beyond the Quote (73/365)

                  In lieu of recent events, it seems as though many of us are going to be experiencing more monotony and solitude than we otherwise might have expected or wanted.  And while, yes, the unknowns associated with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) are certainly nerve-wracking and have been demanding our full attention, if you find yourself in a position of isolation or solitude—rather than looking at it as a prison from exploring the outside world, why not try looking at it as an opportunity to explore the depths of your inside world?

                  Read More »Albert Einstein Quote on Monotony and Solitude and How It Affects Creativity

                    “You don’t control the results of growing a plant—it will grow however it grows, because we don’t have god-like powers that can control how a plant will grow.  You don’t control the outcome, but you do control the inputs.  You can water it, give it more sunlight, feed it some nutrients, give it good soil, make sure bugs aren’t eating it.  You control the inputs and environment, but not the outcome.  So Grow a Plant when you’re making changes: you don’t control the outcome, so you can’t get fixated on it.  Don’t attach too tightly to the results of a change.  Instead, focus on creating a good environment.  Focus mostly on the inputs: what are you bringing to the change?  What is your intention?  What is your effort?  What is your enjoyment and mindfulness?  If you do this with weight loss, then you don’t focus on the weight loss itself.  You focus on the input: what kind of food are you eating? Are you eating mindfully?  Do you have a compassionate intention when it comes to your eating?  Are you exercising mindfully?  Are you giving yourself a good environment to support these changes?  If you focus on the inputs, you don’t know what the plant of your weight loss change will result in.  Maybe it will mean a slimmer version of you, maybe a healthier one, maybe a stronger one with more muscle.  You don’t know exactly, because you can’t sculpt your body like clay.  What you can do is water it, give it sunlight and good nutrients, and see how it grows.” ~ Leo Babauta, Essential Zen Habits (Page 57)

                      “There is nothing wrong with striving to improve your life situation.  You can improve your life situation, but you cannot improve your life.  Life is primary.  Life is your deepest inner Being.  It is already whole, complete, perfect.  Your life situation consists of your circumstances and your experiences.  There is nothing wrong with setting goals and striving to achieve things.  The mistake lies in using it as a substitute for the feeling of life, for Being.  The only point of access for that is the Now.” ~ Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now (Page 86)

                      The Power of Now [Book]

                        The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle

                        By: Eckhart Tolle

                        From this Book: 50 Quotes

                        Book Overview: To make the journey into The Power of Now you need to leave your analytical mind and its false created self, the ego, behind. Access to the Now is everywhere – in the body, the silence, and the space all around you. These are the keys to enter a state of inner peace. They can be used to bring you into the Now, the present moment, where problems do not exist. It is here you find your joy and are able to embrace your true self. It is here you discover that you are already complete and perfect.  Although the journey is challenging, Eckhart Tolle offers simple language in a question and answer format. The words themselves are the signposts to guide you on your journey. There are new discoveries to be made along the way: you are not your mind, you can find your way out of psychological pain, authentic human power is found by surrendering to the Now. When you become fully present and accepting of what is, you open yourself to the transforming experience of The Power of Now.

                        Buy from Amazon! Listen on Audible!

                        Not enough time to read/listen to the whole book? Check out the 16 minute Blinkist version of The Power of Now and get the key insights here for free.

                        Post(s) Inspired by this Book:

                        Extreme Ownership [Book]

                          Extreme Ownership Book
                          By: Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

                          From this Book: 22 Quotes

                          Book Overview: In Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin share hard-hitting, Navy SEAL combat stories that translate into lessons for business and life. With riveting first-hand accounts of making high-pressure decisions as Navy SEAL battlefield leaders, this book is equally gripping for leaders who seek to dominate other arenas. Jocko and Leif served together in SEAL Task Unit Bruiser, the most highly decorated Special Operations unit from the war in Iraq. Their efforts contributed to the historic triumph for U.S. forces in Ramadi. Through those difficult months of sustained combat, Jocko, Leif and their SEAL brothers learned that leadership–at every level–is the most important thing on the battlefield. A compelling narrative with powerful instruction and direct application, Extreme Ownership revolutionizes business management and challenges leaders everywhere to fulfill their ultimate purpose: lead and win.

                          Buy from Amazon! Listen on Audible!

                          Great on Kindle. Great Experience. Great Value. The Kindle edition of this book comes highly recommended on Amazon.

                          Post(s) Inspired by this Book:

                          1.  18 Quotes from Extreme Ownership That Will Help You Lead and Win
                          2. A Navy SEAL’s Checklist for Planning—from Jocko Willink and Leif Babin [Excerpt]
                          3. Jocko Willink Quote on How Your Greatest Strength Can Also Be Your Greatest Weakness (Beyond the Quote 165/365)

                            “You must determine where you are going, so that you can bargain for yourself, so that you don’t end up resentful, vengeful and cruel.  You have to articulate your own principles, so that you can defend yourself against others’ taking inappropriate advantage of you, and so that you are secure and safe while you work and play.  You must discipline yourself carefully.  You must keep the promises you make to yourself, and reward yourself, so that you can trust and motivate yourself.  You need to determine how to act toward yourself so that you are most likely to become and to stay a good person.” ~ Jordan Peterson, via 12 Rules for Life (Page 63)