“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
1. I know it’s not nice to call people stupid, but this quote makes me laugh. This quote reminds us not to pursue the habit of being too opinionated and argumentative. Strive to be a reasonable person who is approachable but not a pushover.
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
2. Easy enough. Don’t lie or exaggerate the details of a situation. Be honest,but not brutal or harsh with the feedback. Stick with the facts. Don’t get sidetracked by your thoughts or opinions. This will keep you on a path towards peace of mind.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
3. Your determination to succeed is one of the most important elements when it comes to goal setting. Be persistent and unwavering. Work on being a person who has a never give up mentality.
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
4. Strive to build people up as opposed to tearing them down. It is easy to find fault with people and their dreams. Don’t be a dream killer but rather a person who encourages.
“It’s better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”
5. Some people talk when they should be listening. Some people get too caught up in their need to share their opinions that end up making themself look foolish. If you don’t really know what you’re talking about, then you probably shouldn’t act like you do. Think before you speak.
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
6. People tend to procrastinate and avoid the tougher items on their to-do list. A good discipline in life is to get the hard things out of the way first.
“Give every day a chance to become the most beautiful day in your life.”
7. Approach each day with the positive expectation that today is going to be a great day. When you expect good things to happen, you tend to notice the good things that life has to offer.
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
8. Anger, resentment and revenge are dangerous emotions to hold onto. Those emotions will eat you alive and will destroy any hope that you may have to be happy, to have friends and to have healthy relationships.
“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”
9. Strive to be a person who learns from their mistakes. Mistakes can be some of the best teachers available. So don’t be so cautious that you are afraid to try new things. But don’t be so foolish that you don’t think before you act either. By refusing to give up on your goals you will eventually master your mistakes. Then move onward to learn from the next set of mistakes.
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.”
10. The first step is usually the hardest. People don’t want to struggle, look foolish or make mistakes. The key is to show up for the first class, the first push-up or the first whatever. Then keep moving. Do a little bit more than you did the day before and then do a little more the day after that and so on.
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”
11. Things are always worse in our minds than they actually turn out to be. Your imagination can be your greatest gift or your biggest enemy. You get to decide.
“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”
12. Be a person who seeks to find the good in other people. And then let them know that you recognize their positive qualities. Many people go through each and every day without hearing a single kind word from anyone. Every person has their good traits. So start the habit of giving sincere compliments.
“Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.”
13. I spent the first part of my life being shy, insecure and afraid to take chances. I decided in my young adult life to put my energy into facing my fears and putting myself in situations that forced me to reach deep and summon up the courage needed to not only face my fears but to overcome them. I encourage you to do the same.
“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
14. This quote was my wife’s Senior Quote for her high school yearbook and it still exemplifies the standard of how she lives her life today. If we all do the right thing, then the world has no choice but to become a better place.
Mark Webb is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice at Oakwood Counseling Center in Valdosta. He is the author of How To Be A Great Partner and How To Argueproof Your Relationship. Read more of his articles at www. TheRelationshipSpecialist.com