Quotes seem simple, but they’re very complex. In a single quote we find wisdom densely packed into one or two sentences. Like small messages in a bottle, they can remind us of higher concepts and give us new perspectives through which we can look at our situation, including how we work.
The quotes I’m about to share with you are ones that keep returning to me.
When I’m facing a big decision, tough situation or pursuing an opportunity, these are the ones I remember.
#1. “Love people use things, the opposite never works.” Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus
This statement is from the Minimalist documentary on Netflix and was said by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. It reminds me to respect everyone and look for the value in all people, as well as not become too obsessed with material possessions.
#2. “I want to be in the arena. I want to be brave with my life. And when we make the choice to dare greatly, we sign up to get our asses kicked. We can choose courage or we can choose comfort, but we can’t have both. Not at the same time.” Brené Brown
Brené Brown’s work on vulnerability is re-writing much of what is considered leadership today. Her research even led her to refine many of her assumptions about strength, as shown in her talk ‘On Vulnerability‘, which is one of the most viewed Ted talks of all time. The concept of ‘daring greatly’, extending ourselves beyond our comfort zones and, more recently, prevention and promotion in psychology, are requisites for high performance.
#3. “If you wanna change the world, make your bed every day.” Admiral William McRaven
Admiral William McRaven gave an incredible speech at University of Texas in 2014. In it he also said “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day…..making your bed will reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter….and if by chance you had a miserable day, you will come back to a bed that is made.” Recently I’ve been doing a good deal of research into ‘habits’. Habits are the engine room of our activity. They are involved in absolutely everything we do, from walking down the street to driving a car. They can also be used to rapidly increase our performance. This quote from McRaven reminds us how important it is to establish ‘cornerstone habits’ into our daily practice, so we start the day with a task completed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OoCaGsz94
#4. “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to to. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” Steve Jobs
I’ve been fortunate to work in large teams. The best leaders I’ve worked with knew not to over-direct people or micro-manage their activities, just as this quote suggests. If we follow this quote we will be better leaders and learn to access the skills and expertise of the people around us. Beyond this quote, Steve Jobs’ speech at Stanford in 2005 is generally an inspiration, with much advice for work and life.
#5. “Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. If you work hard on your job you’ll make a living, if you work hard on yourself you can make a fortune.” Jim Rohn
This quote reminds us to develop ourselves in ways that extend well beyond our careers. If we follow this advice, we will become happier, smarter, and more resourceful. In this sense, ‘fortune’ refers not just to financial wealth, but holistic wealth in every aspect of our lives.
#6. “Your value will be not what you know; it will be what you share.” Ginni Rometty
Ginni Rometty is the Chairwoman, President and CEO of IBM. She has been with IBM since 1981 and is the first female CEO in its history. Fortune magazine has named her among the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” for ten consecutive years; and between 2012-14 she was ranked No 1 for three years in a row. In this quote, she reminds us that true contribution is not about what we know, or even about what we do….but what we share and how we make an impact on the companies (and people) we work with, as well as the communities we serve.
#7. “How you do anything, is how you do everything.” Dr Rick Rigsby
This quote is amongst many others In Dr. Rick Rigsby’s address titled “Lessons from a 3rd grade dropout”. The lesson here is to do everything well, with full commitment and pride. If we take pride in how we do any task, we will look for and find excellence in both small and large things.
8. “To create, one must first question everything.” Eileen Gray.
Eileen Gray was a famous irish-born architect and furniture design and maker, based in France. She lived until the mid 70s and many of her designs inspired today’s modern industrial designers. For any true innovation, we need to start from scratch. We have seen this same premise in many of the innovations of the last 20 years. From AirBNB totally reinventing travel and accomodation through to the design of the first Apple iMacs, which had colours, a shape and means of connectivity which were all radical departures from computers of their time.
#9. “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Albert Einstein
Whenever we face a problem or opportunity, the first step is to break it down into something that is workable. I’ve always liked this quote because it reminds us to not be overwhelmed by the scale of an issue. Instead, reduce the issue down to parts which can be acted on, but do not reduce it so far that it becomes less meaningful. I’ve thought deeply about this quote when working on business strategy, designing user experiences for digital products, and creating completely new ventures.
#10. “Don’t compare yourself with anyone in this world…if you do so, you are insulting yourself.” Bill Gates
In my career I’ve seen a lot of people compare themselves to others, and been left with feelings of low self-esteem and self-judgement. At the end of the day, we are each the designers of our future. We are our own measure of self-value. When we focus our energy on improving our situation, rather than comparing it to others, that’s when true change and success is possible.
#11. “Consider fully, act decisively” Jigoro Kano
Jigaro Kano was the founder of judo and a great teacher. In business and in life I have seen many decisions made too quickly, either without deep thought or without the right data. This quote reminds us to consider a decision as fully as possible within the time, information or resources that we have available to us and, once decided, act with purpose. This doesn’t mean making slow decisions (many business decisions have to be made fast); rather it’s a reminder to ensure we’re giving due consideration to the consequences of our actions, so we can make better decisions today.
Which is your favourite of these quotes? Are there others you have found helpful in your own life which are not here? If so, please consider adding a comment below.
