Quote of the Week: inspiring students and educators
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. – Mark Twain
For our final quote this year, I have saved my favorite. Too often my students don't realize that they are born for a reason; that they have a plan and a purpose. I have come to find out that the greatest joy comes from finding and pursuing ones purpose. Sadly substance abuse and suicide are the leading causes of teen deaths. Both of these rob a child of his or her destiny and rob the world of that gift. Connecting people to their purpose is one of our most important tasks as educators.
I hope you have enjoyed this year of inspirational quotes. The work you do as educators is heroic.
For our final quote this year, I have saved my favorite. Too often my students don't realize that they are born for a reason; that they have a plan and a purpose. I have come to find out that the greatest joy comes from finding and pursuing ones purpose. Sadly substance abuse and suicide are the leading causes of teen deaths. Both of these rob a child of his or her destiny and rob the world of that gift. Connecting people to their purpose is one of our most important tasks as educators.
I hope you have enjoyed this year of inspirational quotes. The work you do as educators is heroic.
These quotes are from my book, Noble Quotes for Noble Hearts.
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The greater the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. – From the movie The Butterfly Circus
The Butterfly Circus focuses on Will, a freak-show attraction, played by actor Nick Vujicic, a man who in real life was born without limbs. Due to his birth defect, Will believes his destiny is to endure the gawking of amused visitors. After joining up with the Butterfly Circus, the new ringmaster challenges him to find his talents. Will believes his limitations prevent him from any meaningful work. However, the ringmaster refuses to give Will any pity. He says to him, in fact, “You are magnificent!” Will spits in his face in contempt.
The ringmaster sees Will, not as a limbless man, but as a limitless man. To learn more about the award-winning movie, visit thebutterflycircus.com. To find out more about Nick Vujicic, read his best seller, Life Without Limits.
The Butterfly Circus focuses on Will, a freak-show attraction, played by actor Nick Vujicic, a man who in real life was born without limbs. Due to his birth defect, Will believes his destiny is to endure the gawking of amused visitors. After joining up with the Butterfly Circus, the new ringmaster challenges him to find his talents. Will believes his limitations prevent him from any meaningful work. However, the ringmaster refuses to give Will any pity. He says to him, in fact, “You are magnificent!” Will spits in his face in contempt.
The ringmaster sees Will, not as a limbless man, but as a limitless man. To learn more about the award-winning movie, visit thebutterflycircus.com. To find out more about Nick Vujicic, read his best seller, Life Without Limits.
Bad choices lead to experience. Experience leads to good choices. – Unknown
How we respond to our moments of failure determine whether we will repeat a mistake or grow from it. If we deny the experience, sweep it under the rug, make excuses, or inflict guilt on ourselves or blame on others, we will find ourselves going through the lesson again in the future. Denying the experience doesn’t erase the problem; it leaves the seed inside of us. Excuses are simply an attempt to redefine the negative as normal. Lessons must be lived to be learned. Dodge the lesson and you’ll get a second try. These responses leave us with the guilt and shame. We end up feeling worse instead of growing from the experience. All of us—children and adults too—benefit when we have the opportunity to own and confront our mistakes with a healthy and productive approach.
How we respond to our moments of failure determine whether we will repeat a mistake or grow from it. If we deny the experience, sweep it under the rug, make excuses, or inflict guilt on ourselves or blame on others, we will find ourselves going through the lesson again in the future. Denying the experience doesn’t erase the problem; it leaves the seed inside of us. Excuses are simply an attempt to redefine the negative as normal. Lessons must be lived to be learned. Dodge the lesson and you’ll get a second try. These responses leave us with the guilt and shame. We end up feeling worse instead of growing from the experience. All of us—children and adults too—benefit when we have the opportunity to own and confront our mistakes with a healthy and productive approach.
The principle is about competing against yourself; it’s about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before. – Steve Young
For years Steve Young played for a subpar football team. Then he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers during their best days, and there he had to sit on the bench and watch Joe Montana play year after year. His commitment to excellence and hard work carried him through a long drought that would have defeated a weaker man. Since he couldn’t control what team would choose him or when he would start, he competed against himself on a daily basis so that when his opportunity came, he was ready. Many of his statistics were actually better than the legendary Montana.
For years Steve Young played for a subpar football team. Then he was traded to the San Francisco 49ers during their best days, and there he had to sit on the bench and watch Joe Montana play year after year. His commitment to excellence and hard work carried him through a long drought that would have defeated a weaker man. Since he couldn’t control what team would choose him or when he would start, he competed against himself on a daily basis so that when his opportunity came, he was ready. Many of his statistics were actually better than the legendary Montana.
To succeed you must first improve; to improve you must practice; to practice you must first learn; to learn you must first fail. – Wesley Woo
Everyone wants success, but few people want to put forth the effort to improve themselves so they can advance to success. Fewer still are willing to put in the long years of work and practice that improvement requires. And not many will submit in humility to learn. For those who remain, failure will ensure that most don’t give it a second try. Effort, work, humility, perseverance—these are the mileposts on the road to success.
Everyone wants success, but few people want to put forth the effort to improve themselves so they can advance to success. Fewer still are willing to put in the long years of work and practice that improvement requires. And not many will submit in humility to learn. For those who remain, failure will ensure that most don’t give it a second try. Effort, work, humility, perseverance—these are the mileposts on the road to success.
Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead
In 1807, William Wilberforce and a small group of committed men were able to end slavery in the British Empire. At the time, the British colonies spanned the planet. At few times in history has such a small group impacted such a vast population and changed the course of history. George Washington. Abraham Lincoln. Rosa Parks. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mother Theresa. Steve Jobs. Bill Gates. Henry Ford. Thomas Edison. You.
There are only two ways of spreading the light—to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. – Edith Wharton
Many of us spend our lives striving to be candles and being disappointed if we are not. But sharing the light should be as desirable as being the light. Remember, the powerful beam of a flashlight comes from a very small source bounced against a mirror curved around it and focusing that light in a single direction. We can either be that small light, or we can be a part of the mirror
Many of us spend our lives striving to be candles and being disappointed if we are not. But sharing the light should be as desirable as being the light. Remember, the powerful beam of a flashlight comes from a very small source bounced against a mirror curved around it and focusing that light in a single direction. We can either be that small light, or we can be a part of the mirror
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
So often the most profound truths come from the simplest sources, such as Dr. Seuss’s children’s books. A paraphrase of the Bible’s Matthew 21:6 says, “From the mouths of babes come words of wisdom.” We’d be wiser adults if we listened more to the innocent, unfettered, unpolluted words of the little ones. Our adult versions of intelligence are simply the bureaucracy of book smarts—a tottering, top-heavy heap of nonsense.
So often the most profound truths come from the simplest sources, such as Dr. Seuss’s children’s books. A paraphrase of the Bible’s Matthew 21:6 says, “From the mouths of babes come words of wisdom.” We’d be wiser adults if we listened more to the innocent, unfettered, unpolluted words of the little ones. Our adult versions of intelligence are simply the bureaucracy of book smarts—a tottering, top-heavy heap of nonsense.
If you believe in yourself, with a tiny pinch of magic all your dreams will come true. – Spongebob Squarepants
How can you argue with sponge logic? Okay, so he’s only a cartoon and a head-in-the-clouds optimist. He’s still a better role model than most teen idols and a deeper source of wisdom than most of the real people on television. Believing the worst about yourself will help you achieve just that. So put on your square pants, and find out what you have to offer.
How can you argue with sponge logic? Okay, so he’s only a cartoon and a head-in-the-clouds optimist. He’s still a better role model than most teen idols and a deeper source of wisdom than most of the real people on television. Believing the worst about yourself will help you achieve just that. So put on your square pants, and find out what you have to offer.