11 Quotes That Will Help You Become a Better Person
Advice from philosophers to comedians and everyone in between.
Quotes have an interesting way of packing a lifetime of lessons into a few simple words. We have been following them since the beginning of modern humanity, finding scribbles on cave walls and carvings in stone. They have appeared in some of the histories most transformative literature and continue to change how we think.
While everyone loves to share a quote on social media and turn to their wisdom for quick hits of inspiration, we often fail to sustainably apply them for long-term growth.
Results don’t happen from a line in a book or a speech in a motivational video. Quotes are simply an outside source of knowledge reminding us that we are not alone on this crazy journey. How you let their advice influence your decisions in the seconds, days, and weeks after reading a quote is the important part.
Here are a few quotes that have inspired my actions over the years and, when applied correctly, helped me view life through a different lens.
“The right time is right now.” — Casey Neistat
In Perennial Seller, author Ryan Holiday explains how comedian Sarah Silverman responds to aspiring writers who ask her for career advice.
“I want to be a writer,” they say. Instead of sitting down and saying they can do it with a little effort and good luck, she’s blunt: “Well, write! Writers write. You don’t wait to get hired on something to write.”
Wanting something is not enough. We all have fantasies about writing a book or starting a company. But few people actually go through with it because they are stuck in the fantasy. If you really want to accomplish something, do the work.
It’s up to you to make the first move.
“In the sky, there are always answers and explanations for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy and confusion.”― Ishmael Beah
The world is a big place. And we often forget to appreciate what we have instead of fixating on what we don’t. We feel jealousy when someone gets a big promotion. We feel shame when someone makes more money. But you have to remember, what you do have is far better than a lot of other people.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier helped me realize that I take so many things, like a hot shower or access to food at a grocery store, for granted. When you read about a young child losing his entire family and learning how to survive during a civil war, life suddenly doesn’t seem so hard.
Working a few hours late on a Friday isn’t a real problem. Neither is dropping your coffee, missing the bus, or failing an exam. It’s not life or death.
If you let these tiny problems add up and influence your decisions, you are doing a disservice to others who were not given the same opportunity. Next time you look at the clouds or the stars in the sky, appreciate what you have and pause for a moment to connect with every living creature on Earth.
Suddenly the lows will never feel as low and the highs feel so much higher.
“Life is growth. You grow or you die.” — Phil Knight
Phil Knight made a lot of mistakes on his way to building one of the most iconic brands in history. Whenever he came to a crossroads, he had two choices: overcome the situation by being honest and looking ahead or give up and let his dream die.
I think you know which option he chose every time.
No matter what, in any endeavour, you will make mistakes. Some will be very small and some may be massive. How you respond is what will determine your growth.
“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” — Henry David Thoreau
When an aspiring creator wrote to filmmaker Casey Neistat about an idea he had, Neistate's response was, “I don’t want to hear your idea. The idea is the easy part.”
Having ideas is important. But how many hundreds of thousands of ideas are sitting unfinished in word docs or iPhone notes? The difference between a finished product and the idea for a product is all of the effort and time that went into making it a reality.
If you have a dream, do everything you can to support it by laying the foundation underneath so it doesn’t remain inconceivable.
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” — Steve Martin
Lately, I have been doing a lot of self-reflection about my writing. My passion has never been higher but my progression is beginning to stagnate. When I looked back through some of my recent work, I realized that a lot of it was created for the sake of producing rather than aligning with the next steps I want to take.
As Steve Martin wrote in his memoir, it may take years or even decades to achieve a high enough mastery of your class where people actually pay attention. But that doesn’t mean you can’t commit to creating your best work as often as possible.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — George Santayana
It’s easy to blame other people for our issues. Work sucks, blame your boss. Didn’t play in the game, blame your coach. This line of thinking allows us to roam free of self-reflection. It creates a cycle of outsourcing blame instead of taking responsibility and figuring out the root of your problem.
Some of the things I have said and written in the past make me cringe. They are uncomfortable. But when I think about them, trends emerge and I can learn how to avoid making the same mistakes. This is one of the most difficult parts of the human experience. And that’s precisely why we need to practice real self-reflection and analyze our regretful behaviors.
You may also want to consider what Mark Twain said on the topic: “History does not repeat itself but it does rhyme.”
“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” — Jay Z
Don’t let a job, degree, or relationship be your brand. We all have a choice to be so much more than that. Make sure you're not just another “cog in the machine” and start making decisions that reflect your personal values and creativity. As soon as I figured this out, I found a new world of opportunities that I could pursue.
You’re the CEO of your life. Only you can decide what that means.
“Are you afraid of death because you won’t be able to do THIS anymore?” —Marcus Aurelius
I really like this line as a reminder to build a life that is worth living. We don’t ask ourselves often enough if doing an activity is worth spending a precious moment of life on that we will never get back.
While you may not want to think about death, it can be valuable to understand why you fear it. Is it because you have task after task to complete or because you are enjoying life so much you are afraid to see it end?
The answer to this question can give you a lot of perspective on where you are in life and where you want to go.
“People claim to want to do something that matters, yet they measure themselves against things that don’t.” — Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday’s book Perrenial Seller is by far the piece of work I look to most when working through a creative process. One of the most insightful sections is when Holiday discusses the metrics we use to judge success.
Rather than positioning ourselves for the long-term and being patient, we crave the immediate payoff and gratification. But when you work like this, the chances of longevity drop off significantly. Sure, riding what’s “hot right now” can make you money and fame for a moment. Creating something that will last requires constant adjustment and a respect for the craft.
I think about how anxious I sometimes get to post an article, rushing through the editing process. Then I look back and wonder why it didn’t perform well. Usually, it’s because there are glaringly obvious sections that weren’t fleshed out enough or didn’t align with the core message.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” — Dr. Seuss
Do you like collecting baseball cards? Then collect them. Always wanted to make a YouTube video, but afraid of what your friends will think? Just do it.
At the end of the day, you think about yourself far more than anyone else. As Olin Miller said, “You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do!”
Respect the voice inside that wants to do something exciting, energizing, or satisfying. Lead by being curious. Leverage it as a new navigation system guiding your forward. I never would have found my passion for health and fitness if I didn’t drag my skinny, insecure, 6ft4in frame into the gym and start asking questions. Now, it’s a huge part of my life that has led to dozens of other life-changing opportunities.
People find curiosity alluring. Embrace it.
“Care about people’s approval, and you will always be their prisoner.” — Lao Tzu
Nothing else matters outside of what you think of yourself. We get so caught up in caring about other people’s opinions that we forget to ask ourselves for permission to make a decision. Never underestimate the power and freedom that comes with committing to yourself
You’re just wasting time worrying about things that won’t improve your quality of life.
Final Thoughts
For more than 200,000 years philosophers and deep thinkers have helped us grow, explained why life is hard, guided us through hardships, and shown us a different path to solving problems.
But their words won’t do anything without application.
After you read something powerful, sit with the words for a few minutes. Let it sink in. Then turn it into action.
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