“Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing.” — Oscar Wilde

Simplicity is sometimes elusive, but almost always present. Sometimes you just need to know where to look for it, or how to look for it. Luckily, the sages of the ages have shared lots of thoughts on simplicity in the form of quotes that we can borrow and build on.

“Success is not a destination thing, it’s a daily thing.” – John Maxwell

When I think of leaders and leadership, I think of John Maxwell. He is a speaker and author, and leadership is his super skill. He leads by example but more importantly, he’s created an amazing knowledge base of leadership patterns and practices by way of his books and his speaking engagements

Whether you find the free prize or not, this post will make you think.

My manager pointed out to me a while back that today’s problem isn’t information overload, it’s filter failure. Here’s a quote by Clay Shirky, New York University new-media professor, writer, and consultant …

Some things bounce back, and some things don’t … Sometimes the right metaphor helps us see things in a new way, or just right. In his 30 second speech on work-life balance, Brian Dyson (CEO of Coca Cola) gives us a powerful metaphor for thinking about what bounces back, and what does not:

“Kid, you’ll move mountains! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!” – Dr. Seuss

When I was a kid, Dr. Seuss was a constant source of inspiration for me. His stories filled my head with endless possibilities.

“If I tell you I love you, can I keep you forever?” – Casper

When you’re in love the birds sing, the sun shines, and the flowers bloom. When you’re broken hearted, the world turns cold and black.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I decided to put together a collection of love quotes for your browsing pleasure. I reached far and wide across songs, movies, and famous people to find some of the best quotable quotes.

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” – Tony Robbins

This post is my attempt to surface and share some of my favorite lessons from Tony Robbins.

Tony Robbins is a living example of smart and gets results. He walks his talk. He’s a powerful combination of action, passion, and commitment to continuous improvement. When it comes to unleashing your best, Tony Robbins sets the bar. I actually think one of his super skills is bringing NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) to the masses and making it practical.

Part of “standing on the shoulders of giants”, is finding the heroes to learn and model from. Starting with the assumption that “everybody has flaws,” you can choose to focus on people’s super skills and insights. Everybody brings something to the table.

In this post, I’m focusing on Guy Kawasaki. His super skill is making Entrepreneurs more effective. He’s also a master at the business of life. He lives life in a sustainable way, living his mantra of “empower Entrepreneurs,” keeping things real, enjoying the ride, and staying authentic.

This is my collection of happiness quotes. I think quotes are a great way to share the wisdom of the ages and modern day sages. I think a good quote is a like a good song … it means something to you, maybe even beyond the original intentions. By filling your quiver of insights with inspiring quotes, you have more to draw from in any situation.

So tell me … are you feeling lucky? You can build a “lucky mindset” that either works for you or against you. If you think the world conspires with you, or if you think the world conspires against you, you’re right. Your views on luck can dramatically influence your success.

Time is all you have. Master your time and you master your life. Time management is one of those wonderful, timeless topics with so many lessons and so many great mentors. To get a better view on time management, we can first “stand on the shoulder’s of giants.” To do so, let’s take a stroll through some words of wisdom from our sages of the ages.

Sure you know Bruce Lee the martial artist and movie star. But do you know Bruce Lee the philosopher, comedian or master of personal development? Bruce was one of my early inspirations. He continuously pushed his mind and body to new levels and his physical prowess inspired and influenced body builders and martial artists alike. As far as heroes go, Bruce Lee truly set an example of what it means to be YOUR best. Bruce was all about making the most of what you’ve got, seeking truth knowledge, and applying what you know. If you’ve seen him in movies or you know some of his quotes, you know exactly what I mean. In this post, I share my lessons from Bruce Lee.

I created a browsable list of my favorite motivation quotes. Everybody needs a little inspiration now and then. I find that quotes and sayings are a great way to share insight and action. Sometimes, just the right words, said just the right way, are just the lift you need.

Photo by Babele Dunnit
The right words, said the right way, at the right time can change your life … or at least give you a new lens and vantage point.  I’m a fan of quotes, but one of the issues I’ve had is finding the right quotes when I need them.  Since I’m doing some productivity research, I decided to share my collection of personal productivity quotes.  It’s not complete  or exhaustive … by design.  Instead, it’s a "good enough for now" collection where …

Photo by Per Ola Wiberg
How do you give your best where you have your best to give? You’re special. You’re an individual with a unique set of strengths, weaknesses, and experiences. Maybe only your closest friends know your true strengths. Maybe you don’t show your strengths at work. Why not? No matter what the task is, you can leave your mark. You have your signature strengths. Use them. In Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance, Marcus Buckingham writes about giving your …

Goal setting is a powerful tool for personal development. In Your Road Map for Success: You Can Get There from Here, John C. Maxwell writes:
“Retail department store founder J.C. Penny declared, “Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal and I will give you a stock clerk.” Penny recognized the power and importance of goals. While you work on them, they work on you. And what you get by reaching your goals …

In A Simple Statement: A Guide to Nonprofit Arts Management and Leadership, Jamie Grady writes:
As Peter Drucker once proclained, management is doing things right — improving operational performance, maximizing revenues, and reducing expenses while increasing artistic production values and audience appreciation. Leadership is doing the right things — setting organizational priorities and allocating human and fiscal resources to fullfill the organization’s vision.
I like this simple distinction between leading and managing.
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Management is Doing Things Right, Leadership is Doing the Right Things
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