What quotes do you live by?

What quotes do you live by? That was question posed to me by a student at High Point University after hearing my keynote to his freshman class. That got me thinking of great quotes that have impacted me throughout my life. Let’s face it, life is a journey filled with ups and downs, challenges, and triumphs. Along our path to the front-row, we encounter moments of joy and sorrow, success, and failure. When failure hits, a mindset shift can help us be resilient to get back on track. One way to shift your mindset is to have a mantra or a quote to focus on. There have been many that I’ve loved and put on affirmation cards, and openings to each chapter of my books, but these are three of my favorites.

1.  “Any day above ground…is a good day!” –  Zig Ziglar. 

Zig was one of the top motivational speakers in the world when I first learned what that term meant. I started listening to him when I was finishing high school and I’m convinced his work influenced the trajectory of my life.  This quote reminds me that no matter what you and I are going through, the alternative could always be worse!  He was an inspiration with a message of rising to the top and helping others get there too. In fact, he would sign off his letters and personalize his books with “See you at the top!”. I always loved that line, and it inspired me to come up with my own spin on it with “I’ll see you in the front-row!”

2.  “You can suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”  – Dr. Nido Qubein, President of High Point University.

We always have a choice when we face our daily routines. Regret and discipline represent two distinct paths we can take. Regret stems from the opportunities we miss due to inaction or poor choices, while discipline requires us to make deliberate efforts to achieve our goals and live our best front-row lives. Of course, the pain of discipline may seem daunting or uncomfortable in the short term. It may require sacrifices, hard work, and perseverance. However, it is a pain that leads to growth, fulfillment, and the avoidance of the deeper pain of regret, not to mention slipping into the balcony of our lives.  When we choose the path of discipline, we commit to making the most of our abilities and opportunities. We take responsibility for our actions and decisions, and we create a future free from the weight of what-ifs and missed chances. When I think about not wanting to work out or read another book or write another blog there are consequences to taking the easy way out. But this quote reminds me that I don’t want to find myself at the end of my life with regrets that I didn’t accomplish more.

3.  “You can’t walk in gratitude and sit in self-pity at the same time.”  

That one is mine.  Like oil and water, fire and rain, gratitude and self-pity are incompatible. Gratitude is a mindset that focuses on what we have, while self-pity dwells on what we lack or have lost. To walk in gratitude means to actively embrace and appreciate the positive aspects of our lives, no matter how small they may be. When we focus on gratitude, we shift our perspective from dwelling on problems to seeking solutions or even just embracing the good. This shift empowers us to face life’s challenges with resilience and a positive outlook. As a result, self-pity loses its grip on us. By choosing gratitude over self-pity, we can transform our daily experiences. We can find joy in the little things, nurture our relationships, and build a foundation of positivity that supports our journey toward personal growth and success. I wrote this quote after having a dark period in my life. Specifically, I was anxious I wasn’t further along in my career. Then my whole perspective changed when I looked out the window at the DFW airport and I saw an American Airlines luggage cart with an American flag draped over it. They were loading the coffin of a fallen soldier. Sitting in that airport feeling sorry for myself for a long layover with the wrong shoes in a discouraged mood, seeing this I immediately snapped out of it. In an instant I was grateful. Who am I to complain about ANYTHING when I’m literally watching someone boarding their last flight home?  I reflected on how grateful I am to live in a country where people are willing to sacrifice their lives for the freedom we have. Gratitude moved in and the self-pity party was over. The thing I like about this quote is you can interchange self-pity with any other feeling that doesn’t serve you. You can’t walk in gratitude and sit in (anger, frustration, resentment etc.) at the same time. When you start to feel any of those things, shift your perspective to focus on what you could be grateful for.

Incorporating the wisdom of these three quotes into our lives can lead to a profound transformation. We learn to cherish each day as a gift, make choices that lead to a life free from regret, and cultivate a mindset of gratitude that banishes self-pity. Embracing life with gratitude and discipline is a powerful recipe for personal fulfillment and a fulfilling journey to our own front-row, no matter what challenges we may encounter along the way. Remember, every day above ground is a good day, and it’s up to us to make the most of it.

P.S. What are your favorite quotes that you live by? Share them with me. 

I’ll see YOU in the front-row! (Thank you Zig for that one).