5 Short Quotes You Can Apply To Life

I find insight and motivation from the words of others.

It’s why reading is so important, we have a chance to learn from what others have already figured out. We have the chance to skip their mistakes but inherit their wisdom.

Leo Tolstoy once vented that he couldn’t understand, “how some people can live without communicating with the wisest people who ever lived on earth.” That’s what a book is, your chance at communicating with the wisest who’ve ever lived.

As less and less people choose to read, even less remember what they read. I’ve written about keeping a notecard system, which to me is like creating the greatest book you’ll ever read. After a time, you have a collection of the most important and impactful words ever written, to you. You get to hold on to the lessons that opened your eyes to something or made a new connection in your brain. Within these notes, we build up a collection of great quotes.

I’ve always enjoyed having quotes, relevant to what I’m working on or striving towards, in a visible location.

Goethe said that, “The use of mottoes is to indicate something we have not attained, but strive to attain. It is right to keep them always before our eyes.”

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” – Epicurus

It’s a trap to think we’re a promotion or five less pounds away from happiness. You have a lifetime of evidence to remind you that new desires will always replace your current wants. We can be content, but not complacent. It takes intent and practice to work towards goals and be happy at the same time.

“A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought - they must be earned.” – Naval Ravikant

The world is always trying to sell us a quick fix. Six minutes for abs, a Xanax for the calm mind, and a few swipes for the love of your life. Anything gratifying takes time and concentrated effort. You can easily fill a life with cheap pleasures, the above is something to really strive for.  

“Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Just start. We build things up in our mind to a point where it starts to feel impossible. Figure out the smallest step you can take towards what you want. You’ll learn faster by starting.

“No person hands out their money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! We're tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.” – Seneca

If we see someone blowing money or throwing away food, we think what a waste. We rarely think about time the same way. It’s the only thing we wake up with less of than we went to bed with.

“If you know the way broadly, you will see it in everything.” – Miymoto Musashi

The real benefit of committing to a goal, to going all in on something, is learning the process. You realize that achieving excellence in one area of your life, can lead to it in anything.

The beauty of quotes is their succinct wisdom. They say a lot, without saying much. It’s easy to see them each day and be reminded of what we’re striving towards.