3 Cliche Quotes to Read (Again) With a Fresh Perspective
They’re overused because they work.
Aren’t you sick of listening to cliche quotes when you ask for advice?
Don’t they sound like phrases people casually throw around?
Haven’t we heard them hundreds of times, ever since we were kids?
My friend told me today there’s no replacement for hard work and I could pull my hair thinking okay, Sherlock, thanks for enlightening me. I mean, I’m a believer in efficiency. Being efficient helps more than working for long. But hey, even when you’re efficient, you’re working hard.
I thought of all the cliche and cringey quotes and realised they actually hold a deep meaning, which is why we keep repeating them.
Of course, you’re the captain of your ship. Because if you aren’t, who is? And why should somebody else ride your ship of life? Of course, being a quitter vs being a winner is a thing, because who really stays for long enough when they keep failing?
Here are some super cliche quotes you’ve heard a hundred times, but this time, you’ll see them from a fresh perspective. And honestly, they’re worth the hype and repetition.
1. Believe in Yourself
This is the most overused one, but also the most important. I heard it many times but only implemented it once, and when I did, everything moved. From my confidence to my preferences and my career, everything changed for good.
The thing is if you don’t believe that you’re good enough, you behave in a certain way. You walk with slouched shoulders, you second guess yourself, you apologise too often, you’re too scared to pursue things — because you don’t believe you’re capable of the goodness you seek.
Your lack of belief leads to actions that support that disbelief, which creates your life.
“If you believe you are right, or you believe you are wrong, you’re right. Whenever you are certain about it, you will support it. Remember that.” — Tony Robbins
2. If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It
Says every guest invited in schools and colleges to deliver a talk. I always thought this is pure BS. I dream to work less and get paid more, can I do it? No, because everyone would do it then.
But everyone thinks this way and that's why they stay where they are.
In September 2020 I worked on battling my negative belief systems and had the courage to dream to do something startlingly different — quit my job to write full time and also get paid well. Right now, that’s happening.
It all happened because I could see it in front of my eyes instead of thinking about the ten reasons it’s impossible.
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
3. Live Everyday Like It’s Your Last One
You know this; you believe in it, but do you pursue it?
This is like reading self-help and knowing what you should do to get closer to your goals but just stopping at knowing and not moving to doing. Your life can change in a split second, entirely.
My grandfather had extensive plans after his retirement and even moved to our city to be closer to us. He got a brain stroke and spent the rest of his life in paralysis. All those plans and the money he saved his entire life for them vanished. A 16-year-old junior from school got cancer. She was so young! There are countless stories like this.
Anything can happen anytime to us, so we should truly be grateful and make the most out of today.
“Don’t be dead serious about your life — it’s just a play.” — Sadhguru
I know your days have a routine to them and could also be mundane, but if you’re healthy and living, be grateful because thousands would want to be like you and experience life. So why don’t you experience it?
When you overuse something, it's cliche. But you only overuse it because it makes sense, right? Why would somebody overuse a phrase like “live like a grasshopper” because it makes zero sense.
We’re tired of hearing the above quotes, but they’re only repeated because they work. Simple.
Here’s a quick glance at these quotes (again):
- Believe in yourself
- If you can dream it, you can do it
- Live every day like it's your last one
Let me know what you resonate with most.
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