Inspiration

7 Quotes for When You Need a Push Forward

And how to actually apply them

The possibility of wandering through life aimlessly is enough to keep anyone awake at night.

Your time is limited, and now more than ever predators are stalking your attention everywhere. Your smartphone wants to alert every time a celebrity Tweets about their ice cream. The news wants you to feel like the only responsible thing to do is be outraged. Your boss wants you to work late again tonight.

With so much competition for your attention, it’s easy to lose sight of your limited time in life. You fall into a pattern of doing what you have to do each day just to get through it. You’re stuck and going nowhere, and you call it living.

As time goes on, the days all run together because there’s less variety in them — fewer events to distinguish one day, week, or a month from another.

Enough!

You can’t live a life of meaning and purpose if you stay stuck in the same place. Sometimes, all you need is a kick in the pants to help you take a step forward. And a step is all it takes. As J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Little by little, one travels far.”

Here are seven quotes for when you need a little push forward, and some practical ways to use them.

1. When you don’t like your job

“The fellow with a future isn’t often the one who scorns what he is doing at present. He’s the man who thinks his job is important, and so goes on to ever more important jobs.” -Channing Pollock

Many people fall into what Cal Newport calls the passion trap. They believe that if they could just find what they’re passionate about, they would be happy. Nowhere is this more evident than on the job. If you’re in a position you dislike, it’s easy to feel entitled to something better. Just because you aren’t “passionate” about what you’re doing at the present moment, doesn’t mean it isn’t important to your overall development. There are skills you are learning now, even in a difficult or boring situation, that will help you get to the next level.

How to use it

Approach whatever you’re doing with the mindset of a craftsman. Use your current position to learn or test out new ideas on how to live in the world. When the time is right, you’ll move on to bigger things.

2. When you feel afraid

“I learned early on to suppress my emotions and respond to danger with great composure. I was never the plaything of fear or greed.” -Cyrus the Great, Xenophon’s Cyrus the Great

There will be many times you feel unsure of yourself. The fear of what might happen or what is happening will send your mind spiraling. You’ll be tempted to either run away or fight for what you have. Don’t be the plaything of fear or greed. It will destroy you. Instead, learn to steady your nerves and quiet your mind through constant practice when the stakes are lower. Suppressing your emotions doesn’t mean ignoring them altogether, it means putting them in the passenger seat in the moment so you can drive and on what’s in front of you.

How to use it

Practice controlling your response in small ways. When someone cuts you off in traffic, when a client yells at you, or when a stranger insults you, respond without anger. Maintaining your composure doesn’t feel good to your ego when you do it, but it will make you stronger in times of crisis.

3. When you keep making the same mistakes

“There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring.” -Ernest Hemingway

Beating yourself up is useless. Studies show that self-criticism is harmful to achieving goals. It takes time to get comfortable with who you are. Everyone from the janitor to the tech guru is trying to find their place in life. Stop beating yourself up over making mistakes because time is the ultimate teacher and also the price you pay for a life well-lived.

How to use it

Give yourself some grace when you’re trying to figure out life. Everybody else is too, even if their Instagram profile makes it look like they’re living their best life.

4. When you need more grit

“I will either find a way, or make one.” -Hannibal Barca

If you want to reach a goal of any kind, it takes a huge amount of determination. Some days you thrive, and some days you persevere. You’ll come against seemingly impossible obstacles, and you will feel the urge to quit. These moments are a test. Will you give in and go back home? Or will you find a way?

How to use it

No matter what, there’s always a way. It might not be pretty or glamorous, but if you aren’t willing to get a few cuts and bruises you won’t reach your goals. Stay flexible and the way forward will open up.

5. When it’s time to move on

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” -Robert Frost

“To everything, there is a season,” said the writer of Ecclesiastes, and the seasons never stop. Pain is a part of life. People come and people go. In the wake of a crisis — whether personal or larger — it’s normal to take some time to recalibrate yourself. Unfortunately, the world doesn’t stop for you, or anyone. You will find that the river keeps carrying you swiftly along.

How to use it

No matter how bad it seems right now remember, life goes on if you don’t give up.

6. When you miss an opportunity

“Space I can recover. Time, never.” -Napoleon Bonaparte

The worst thing about a missed opportunity is the time you spend in self-pity afterward. Pick yourself up and keep moving forward. There will always be more opportunities, but time is something you can never get back. You don’t want to reach the end of your life and realize you spent all your time in regret.

How to use it

Don’t spend another minute regretting what you missed. Opportunities are everywhere.

7. When you face your fear

“What you resist not only persists, but will grow in size.” -Carl Jung

The scariest monsters are the ones left in the dark. The problems you refuse to face now continue to grow when they’re ignored. You can move to a new city, find a new job, or start a new relationship. But remember, you always take yourself with you wherever you go. The attitudes and habits you had back there will still be with you here. So take care of business. Slay the dragon while it’s a baby.

How to use it

When you feel the urge to resist facing a problem, jump headfirst into it. Know that by facing the pain and discomfort early on, you will save yourself much greater pain in the future.