Do you ever have one of those days (or weeks) where you don’t feel all that motivated to keep doing what you’re doing? Nothing seems to be going smoothly, everyone wants what you don’t have to give, and you feel tired, worn down, and almost ready to give up, causing you to look for some sort of inspiration…some reason to continue to push yourself forward?
If you’re a small business owner, of course you do.
Well, some people let this temporary lack of drive stop them, using it as an excuse as to why they aren’t achieving their goals. Others find ways to become inspired, to become motivated, to move beyond those feelings so they can start doing great things yet again.
If you are the second type of person, the one who wants to be encouraged to bust through your comfort zone, step beyond your boundaries, and be your own personal best, then these quotes are for you.
They are sayings from the top nine people on Fortune’s “The World’s 50 Greatest Leaders 2016” and, once you read them, you’ll find it easier to get back in the right mindset and run your small business like the champion you are!
#9: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court
“You can’t have it all, all at once. Who—man or woman—has it all, all at once? Over my lifespan, I think I have had it all. But in different periods of time, things were tough.”
#8: Paul Ryan, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives
“Only by taking responsibility for oneself, to the greatest extent possible, can one ever be free, and only a free person can make responsible choices – between right and wrong, saving and spending, giving or taking.”
#7: Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
“I believe in human ingenuity; that when we decide on a task to be done, no matter how daunting it may seem at the beginning, we are able to unleash human ingenuity and human innovative capacity that was unknown, and takes us to a solution.”
#6: John Legend, Recording Artist and Activist
“Soul is about authenticity. Soul is about finding the things in your life that are real and pure.”
#5: Tim Cook, CEO, Apple
“You can only do so many things great, and you should cast aside everything else.”
#4: Pope Francis, Pontiff, Roman Catholic Church
“Life is a journey. When we stop, things don’t go right.”
#3: Aung San Suu Kyi, Leader, National League for Democracy
“If you choose to do something, then you shouldn’t say it’s a sacrifice because nobody forced you to do it.”
#2: Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany
“The question is not whether we are able to change, but whether we are changing fast enough.”
#1: Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon
“What we need to do is always lean into the future. When the world changes around you and when it changes against you – what used to be a tail wind is now a head wind – you have to lean into that and figure out what to do because complaining isn’t a strategy.”
So, which of these is your favorite?
Or do you have another quote or saying that inspires you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn what words help you overcome difficult times, so feel free to share below!
I’m always interested in learning other small business owners’ thoughts on relevant topics and issues, so if you have a unique article idea, feel free to contact me at [email protected] (put “Businessing Magazine” in the subject line, please). If I use it, it’s a free link to your website!
short url:
