Catalyst Quotes

Change Your Thoughts

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, “Let me tell you a story.   I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do.   But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy.   It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die.   I have struggled with these feelings many times.”

He continued, “It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm.   He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended.  He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.”  “But the other wolf, ah!  He is full of anger.   The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper.   He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason.   He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great.   It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me,for both of them try to dominate my spirit.”

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, Grandfather?”

The Grandfather solemnly said, “The one I feed.”     (Azriela Jaffe)

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“The trick is in what one emphasizes.   We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong.    The amount of work is the same.”     (Carlos Castaneda)

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“Change your thoughts and you change the world.”     (Norman Vincent Peale)

Life. Where to Go?

“Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete.   If you’re alive, it isn’t.”     (Richard Bach)

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“Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told:    “I’m with you kid. Let’s go.”     (Maya Angelou)

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“You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go … .”     (Dr. Seuss)

Careful What You Put in Your Mind

“Zig Ziglar used to tell a story about a baseball team on a losing streak.  On the road for a doubleheader, the team visited a town that was home to a famous faith healer.  While the guys were warming up, the manager disappeared.  He came back an hour later with a big handful of bats.  “Guys, these bats were blessed and healed by the guru.  Our problems are over.”

According to the story, the team snapped out of their streak and won a bunch of games.  Some people wonder, ‘Did the faith healer really touch the bats, or was the manager making it up?’  Huh?  Does it matter?    (Seth Godin)

“The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t ‘ is you.    And you don’t have to listen.”     (Nike)

“To move the world, we must first move ourselves.”     (Socrates)

Tigger or Eeyore?

“A father was late getting to his son’s baseball game.  As he sat down behind the players’ bench he asked one of the boys known as a real leader on the team what the score was.  “We’re behind 14 to nothing,” he answered with a smile.  “Really!” the Dad replied.  “I am surprised that you don’t look very discouraged.”

“Discouraged?” the boy replied with a puzzled look on his face.  “Why should we be discouraged?  We haven’t been up to bat yet!”

…  Just as pessimism erodes our ability to deal successfully with change, so does optimism enhance it.”     (Jim Clemmer, Leaders Inspire Their Teams with Optimism)

“You just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or an Eeyore.”     (Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture)

As you go through your day, decide if you want to be an optimist or a pessimist. Don’t forget … others will be affected by what you decide.