“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.” 

James Allen (1864–1912) was a British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry and as a pioneer of the self-help movement. His best known work, As a Man Thinketh, was published in 1903 and has been a source of inspiration to motivational and self-help authors.

If you’re going to participate in something, then you should be fully engaged in it.  It’s not good enough to get involved superficially because you’ll get less than you could out of it, and others you may be participating with may then only match your level of participation, and then whatever it is you’re doing ends up being less than it could be because nobody put all they could into it.  Do you know people who get involved in something but don’t really do all they could?  How many times have you joined in on something and watched it suffer because it doesn’t have all the support it needs?  To limit these kinds of less that whole-hearted examples, you need to discover those things you really want to participate in and then get fully involved in them.  And get others to participate fully.  That’s how to get the most out of the things you participate in today.

“I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance.”

Pablo Casals (1876-1973) was a Spanish composer, cellist and conductor. He was posthumously honored by the Spanish government under King Juan Carlos I, which issued in 1976 a commemorative postage stamp in honor of his 100th birthday.

How much do you care about the things you’re responsible for?  If it’s a casual type of responsibility then you probably don’t care all that much.  And if that’s the case, how much good can come out of that?  It’s certainly true that the more you care, the more you’ll put in and the more you’ll get out of whatever you’re doing.  Don’t you remember your mother saying “you get as much as you give”?  And don’t most religions teach that “what you sow is what you’ll reap”.  This all means that the more you care the more you’ll get, and the deepest meaning and significance will come from those things you care the most about.  Think about the things you need to do or get involved with today, then commit to caring a lot about those things.  And then at the end of the day see how much you get out of each of those things.  And know this: those things you’re responsible for – that you own – will return as much as you put into them, and more.

“You try to stay within the rules for the sake of the game, but you can always turn up the intensity.”

Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed “L.T.”, is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL).  He is considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of football, and has been ranked as the top defensive player in league history.

This is a perfect quote and author on the eve of this year’s Super Bowl.  Any time you have a championship event there are lots of very competitive and success players involved.  Sometimes it’s a team sport, other times it’s about an individual’s prowess and skill and determination.  But in any case, it’s always about the intensity and passion for what they’re doing.  Most of us are attracted to these kinds of events because they showcase excellence and drive and spirit, all of which serve to inspire us and give us something to strive for.  No matter who we are, or what we do, life is full of competitions and challenges.  And the best way to approach them is with intensity and passion.  So turn those up in what you’re doing today and see if you can’t be part of a championship effort.

“Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity.” 

Robert “Bo” Bennett started “Adgrafix”, a graphic design firm, right after graduating Bryant University in 1994.  He later started Archieboy Holdings, LLC as a holding company for many different web properties.  Today, Bo’s primary focus is on eBookIt.com.

How enthusiastic are you?  And how do you show your enthusiasm??  Not surprisingly, successful people tend to be excited about the things they do, the way they do them and the people they do them with.  And the basis of this enthusiasm is not some giddy or frivolous feeling.  You’ll find inspiration in the work of successful people: they really feel what they’re doing and are totally into it.  And then you’ll find motivation: that means they believe in what they’re doing and won’t quit until they’ve achieved their goals.  And lastly, there’s creativity: there’s no challenge in doing the same old thing the same old way, and there certainly won’t be great success and acclaim when doing it that way either.  If you want to make your mark at anything, then you’re going to have to be totally into it.  And that involvement and engagement has to be something that others can feel and see and recognize.  And believe in.  That’s how you can leverage the ownership you feel about the things you do to be successful today.

 “Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed.” 

-Mohandas Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869 – 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. A pioneer of satyagraha, or resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience—a philosophy firmly founded upon ahimsa, or total nonviolence.

Are your thoughts and words and deeds in harmony?  And are your thoughts and words and deeds in harmony with those you work or play with? Much of the time we think in terms of just getting things done and often overlook any disconnect between what is said and done.  But a team, whether it’s at work or on a playing field, has to work in harmony with each other and in harmony with their ideals and in harmony with their goals and aspirations and in harmony with the rules of the road or game.  If you aim at achieving this kind of harmony then your efforts will most likely be better than if you didn’t.  If you want to have effective team work and a great amount of team spirit, then you have to work at achieving this kind of harmony.  So talk and work openly with your teammates today and aim to achieve harmony of thought and word and deed.  Then see how well your team can really do.

“To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”

Benjamin Franklin (1706] – 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.  He was elected to the Second Continental Congress and worked on a committee of five that helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. Though much of the writing is Thomas Jefferson’s, much of the contribution is Franklin’s.

Every member of every team needs to have humility, courtesy and nobleness.  Humility to supervisors is respectful and supports the notion that while you can disagree, you should never be disagreeable.  Courtesy to equals shows that you care about and play well with others, which is very important in a team environment.  And nobleness to those who look up to you proves you understand and appreciate the role you play and the importance of how others perceive you.  The people who prance around whenever they do something right shows that they have none of these qualities.  Those kinds of vain demonstrations are insensitive, childish and inappropriate.  On any given play, participants can be successful or not – and reacting demonstrably to either result is poor form.  Because it’s not about you or any one play or task, it’s more about the team and its overall effort.  Remember to act and react appropriately and professionally today and make sure others see you that way.  That’s team spirit.

“The higher we soar, the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly.”

-Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Nietzsche’s influence remains substantial within and beyond philosophy, notably in existentialism, nihilism and postmodernism. His style and radical questioning of the value and objectivity of truth have resulted in much commentary and interpretation.

How high will you soar today? The truth is you won’t soar at all unless you’re fully prepared to fly and then do all that’s required to start and stay flying.  In the world of work, this requires a solid and professional approach to all that you do, the knowledge and skills to complete your work correctly, and an attitude that’s conducive to working with others effectively.  Done right, your colleagues, co-workers and customers will feel like their choice to stick with you was appropriate.  Done poorly, these same people will question choosing to stay with you and then possibly take their needs or business elsewhere.  In each case, it’s up to you.  In each case, the closer you stay to these people, the more you’ll be able to accomplish with and for them.  Professionalism is a close contact sport – and when you get too far away from those you’re dealing with, the less they’ll know and see and feel about what you have to offer.  Remember not to soar so high that your professionalism appears small or non-existent to those who cannot fly.

“Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself. ”

Oprah Winfrey (born on January 29, 1954) is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist.  She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.

What are your instincts telling you today?  Are the people around you satisfied and loyal, or are they disconnected and disenfranchised? Do you know what’s going on with family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, or have you somehow gotten too far away from the things that are happening with them?  It’s so easy to get busy and overcommitted, or to get comfortable and possibly complacent, and when that happens you’re ripe for a surprise.  And it’s those surprises that can keep you up at night.  It’s also easy to make decisions based on what others tell you and then find yourself surprised by the confused and anxious reactions of those affected by those decisions.  If any of this sounds familiar, take a moment to reflect on the things you know, believe in and usually practice, and then check to see if what you’ve been doing, or others have been doing for you is consistent with the things that made you personally and professionally successful.   And then follow your instincts, because that’s where your true wisdom will manifest itself.

“Think big and do small”

Today’s quote is another one about innovation from an unknown author.

It’s the last week of 2011 and you’re probably starting to look back to assess your performance and effectiveness during the past year.  Did you think big and do small at all during the past 12 months? Thinking big is always a good idea – that’s how goals are set, and plans are made and ideas are hatched. And since most things get shaped and molded and morphed throughout the period of their creation and  incubation, bigger is better since it gives you much to work with.  Doing small is all about attention to detail – without that you can’t do anything of value.  With that, you can accomplish much of great value.  Mies van de Roe was a Scandanavian architect who once said “god is in the details”, and he was right.  The smallest things, when brought together with many other things, can result in something far greater than ever anticipated.  But nothing great can come of small things done poorly.  So take time today to dream big, and then take more time to focus on the details of what you want to do.  Thinking big and doing small will help you to be innovative today!

 “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don”t have integrity, nothing else matters.”  

-Alan Simpson

Alan Kooi Simpson (born September 2, 1931) is an American politician who served from 1979 to 1997 as a United States Senator from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party.  His plain speaking manner has earned him a devoted following of followers.

What really matters? In life it’s important that others see you as someone they can trust and respect, as someone they can rely upon to say what they mean and mean what they say, as someone who will always do what’s right even when it may not be in their own best interest, as someone who is faithful through thick and thin, and as someone who will always be there.  What really matters is that your word really is your bond, your handshake is a real commitment, your focus is in the moment, and whatever you do will be to the best of your ability.  Others will rely on you today and that’s a responsibility you shouldn’t take lightly.  And it takes integrity to make the most of those responsibilities.  Because, if you have integrity, nothing else matters, and if you don’t, nothing else matters.  But like most of the things that are really important in life, this is simple to say and harder to do.