I’m a big fan of the empowering qualities of quotes. I use quotes to affirm my beliefs. They help me remember why I am doing what I’m doing.

I’m a big fan of the empowering qualities of quotes. I use quotes to affirm my beliefs. They help me remember why I am doing what I’m doing.

Quotes are concentrated distilled language that is quick to read. They pack a lot of meaning into a tiny space.

They help me refocus and prioritize my efforts. They are energizing and motivating.

Affirmations are quotes and messages that remind you who you want to be, the behavior you want to adopt, and the life you want to live. By reading empowering affirmations every day, we prime our minds for success.

Beliefs drive actions. Actions drive destiny.

“It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” — Muhammad Ali

Affirmations align your thoughts and actions with your intentions and ambitions. They grow into beliefs, and beliefs influence your life.

I have collected a bunch of quotes that I share on Twitter in a rotating jukebox that pumps them out. My Twitter handle is @jjcousins.

I have no plan beyond providing some empowering encouragement for you and me.

Quotes can be quick reminders to set and maintain boundaries.

Metaphors and Beliefs

We must cultivate our garden.

Pay attention to the metaphors people use to describe what they’re doing and pay attention to the metaphors you use in your own thinking. Be aware of what’s guiding your thoughts and the thoughts of others.

Inlife, you will not get the most prosperous condition you want, but the poorest state you will accept. We get what we tolerate. We don’t get what we want, not even what we need, but what we are willing to tolerate.

The alternative is to learn to live with what we can’t rise above.

As the lyric poet Archilochus said, ‘We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.’

Quotes give us something to chew on and contemplate.

Quotes encourage reflection. Contemplation and reflection help us make progress.

Confucius said, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

Tactically its better to have two approaches than one. Many of us rely on the first approach to muscle our way through problems and obstacles. When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Its dangerous to have just one idea to rely on.

There are two ways to approach solving problems and overcoming obstacles.

One way is you can push harder and harder. We can apply more powerful tools to dig deeper into the unknown. We are like tunnelers blasting through hard rock with ever more potent explosives. That is a very male extrovert approach and can be useful.

Or you can take a more introspective approach. We can allow our level of understanding to gradually and gently rise like water. After a while, what appeared as an intractable obstacle is topped over by our knowledge and disappears. We let study, patience, and time work its mojo.

Quotes work like this kind of understanding-water. Be like water.

Both approaches are valid. The skill comes in knowing when to apply each one. We make progress by navigating a delicate balance between monastic contemplation and blowing shit up with TNT.

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