Catalyst Quotes

“Our Deepest Fear”

“To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.”     (Confucius)

“I have this theory that I call ‘returning to zero.’   You return to zero when you think you’ve achieved something, when you’ve reached a plateau.  When that happens, you have to go all the way back to square one and treat the experience of success as if it never happened.   You start over from a new angle.   You commit yourself to some new sacrifice and some new risk.”     (Robert Redford)

“I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life’s greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve.  This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent.  As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret.”     (Anthony Robbins)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.   It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.   We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?”        (Nelson Mandela)

“The Best Thing to Give”

“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know.   Knowing is not enough!   You must take action.”     (Anthony Robbins)

“What’s on your list?  

I have kids at home, I don’t have a manager, I need to pay off student debt, my boss never lets me, I’m really busy because of soccer season, my knee is acting up, there’s already five galas coming up, my RSI hurts when I type, I don’t have a degree, I have a degree and can’t waste it, I’m not good at that, I tried it before but it didn’t work, I’ve never tried it before, the weather is crazy, isn’t it, the election is right around the corner, it’s been too long at this job they won’t listen to me, I’m going to retire soon, I’m too young, I’ll never learn, it’s too risky …”

We all have a list.   Most of the things on it may in fact be legitimate reasons for no.

I guess the self-marketing question is, “how often do you remind yourself of what’s on the list?”     (Seth Godin)

  “The best thing to give –

   your enemy is forgiveness;

    to an opponent, tolerance;

    to a friend, your heart;

    to your child, a good example;

    to your father, deference;

     to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you;

     to your self, respect;

     to all men, charity.”      (Swami Sivananda)

“You Must ‘Be’ to ‘Do’ – Audacious Rewards”

“Every one of us, unconsciously, works out a personal philosophy of life, by which we are guided, inspired, and corrected, as time goes on.   It is this philosophy by which we measure out our days, and by which we advertise to all about us the man, or woman, that we are. …   It takes but a brief time to scent the life philosophy of anyone.   It is defined in the conversation, in the look of the eye, and in the general mien of the person.   It has no hiding place.   It’s like the perfume of the flower — unseen, but known almost instantly.   It is the possession of the successful, and the happy.   And it can be greatly embellished by the absorption of ideas and experiences of the useful of this earth.”      (George Matthew Adams)

“Trying to implant a goal that is incongruent with the self-image is like trying to plant grain by dropping seeds on rock hard bone-dry ground.   This happens when a person tries to make a goal that they are not.   No one can consistently out perform his or her self-image.   No one can long overcome it with willpower.   No one can sneak past it and perform in an incongruent manner.   The bottom line is that you cannot ‘do’ things without ‘being’ the kind of person who does those things.   You must ‘be’ to ‘do.’”     (Dr. Maxwell Maltz)

“If you don’t have audacious goals, your people will be status quo instead of status go.”   (Roy Spence Jr.)

“Know yourself and your resources – and know that audacious risks are the parents of audacious rewards.”     (Ezra Adams, music teacher)

“You Have to Pass Through the Fire”

“We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”     (Max DePree)

“It’s a misnomer that our talents make us a success.   They help, but it’s not what we do well that enables us to achieve in the long run.   It’s what we do wrong and how we correct it that ensures our long lasting success.”     (Bernie Marcus, co-founder, Home Depot)

“Ever tried.   Ever failed.   No matter.   Try Again.   Fail again.   Fail better.”   (Samuel Beckett)

“We learn … by growing older, by suffering, by loving, by bearing with the things we can’t change, by taking risks.

The things you learn in maturity are not simple things such as acquiring information and skills. … You learn not to engage in self-destructive behavior.   You learn not to burn up energy in anxiety.  You learn to manage your tensions, if you have any, which you do.   You learn that self-pity and resentment are among the most toxic of drugs.   You learn that the world loves talent but pays off on character. 

You learn that most people are neither for you nor against you:  they are thinking about themselves.  You learn that no matter how much you strive to please, there are some people in this world who are not going to love you, a lesson that is at first troubling and then really quite relaxing. …

Those are things that are hard to learn early in life.   As a rule you have to have picked up some mileage and some dents in your fenders before you understand.   As Norman Douglas said, ‘There are some things you can’t learn from others.   You have to pass through the fire.’”      (John Gardner, founder of Common Cause)

“Hot Dogs and Attitude”

“There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.   He was hard of hearing so he had no radio.   He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspapers.

 But he sold good hot dogs.

He put up signs on the highway telling how good they were.   He stood on the side of the road and cried out:  ‘Buy a hot dog, mister?’

 And people bought.

He increased his meat and bun orders.   He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.   His son came to help him out.

 But then something happened.

His son said, ‘Father, haven’t you been listening to the radio?   Haven’t you been reading the newspapers?   There are problems with the economy.  The war in Afghanistan is bad.   The domestic situation is not too good.’   Whereupon his father thought, ‘Well, my son’s been to college, he reads the papers and he listens to the radio, and he ought to know.’

So the father cut down on the meat and bun orders, took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway to sell his hot dogs. 

 And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.

‘You’re right, son,’ the father said to the boy.  ‘We certainly are in an economic slump.’”     (Author Unknown)

“Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself:   I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today.   I can choose which it shall be.  Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrive yet.   I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”    (Groucho Marx)

“There is a little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference.   The little difference is attitude.   The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.”     (W. Clement Stone)