Inspiring Words from Inspiring People

During the Memorial Day holiday, many of us remember loved ones, friends, or acquaintances who have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in service to our country. Also during this time, many are prone to reflect on other people they have known who have inspired them with some aspect of their lives or legacies.?

Recently I read an article in a publication for financial advisors that listed a number of such individuals, along with a notable quote or piece of advice from each. I found many of them worthy of further careful contemplation, and I offer them here, in no particular order, for your consideration.

? Laila Ali (retired boxer, TV personality): “Trust yourself, trust your intuition. Don’t let someone else be in control of your destiny.”

? Lily Ebert (Holocaust survivor): “Always make the best from what you have, no matter how little it is.”

? Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft): “I would urge people to foster a love of reading. Start as early as you can and keep on reading.”

? Bear Grylls (survival expert): “The rewards in life go to the dogged, the determined, those who can keep going, pick themselves back up and just hang in there, sometimes quietly and undramatically.”

? Mickey Hart (drummer for Grateful Dead): “Life is all about rhythm. Find your rhythm, live your life to its beat.”

? Jony Ive (chief design officer for Apple): “You have to really focus. Just do one thing. And aim to become best in the world at it.”

? Annie Lennox (Grammy-winning singer): “There will be ‘Aha!’ moments in your life when a light might go on, when you think to yourself, ‘I MUST do that’—whatever it is.”

? Andy Murray (tennis pro and Grand Slam champion): “Believe that when you apply yourself, you can achieve anything. Natural ability will only get you so far, there is no substitute for practice.”

? Esther Perel (therapist): “The quality of your life depends on the quality of your relationships, which are a reflection of your sense of decency, your ability to think of others, and your generosity.”

? Katie Piper (model, burn victim and survivor): “The barriers we put before ourselves don't really exist, except in our heads. We create them, we feed them, and we choose to keep them alive. So, we can also choose to break them down.”

? The Dalai Lama : “Oneness. We are all part of the same family.”

And then, motivated by these comments, the author of the article offered a nugget of his own: “Look inside to define your sense of mission or purpose. Make sure this includes how you will make a positive difference in peoples’ lives.”

At Bernhardt Wealth Management, many of these principles are echoed in our “Four C’s,” the four core characteristics on which our practice is founded: Character, Chemistry, Caring, and Competence. Going a step further, we seek to put the “Four C’s” into daily practice by following “The Bernhardt Way,” a list of the 26 fundamental behaviors by which we seek to manage our relationships with each other and with our treasured clients. To learn more about “The Bernhardt Way,” click here .

Buen Camino !

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Go to the Bernhardt Wealth Management?Blog ?where this was first published to read this and other blog entries.

About Gordon J. Bernhardt: President and founder of Bernhardt Wealth Management and author of Profiles in Success: Inspiration from Executive Leaders in the Washington D.C. Area, Gordon and his team provide financial planning and wealth management services to affluent individuals, families and business-owners throughout the Washington, D.C. area. Since establishing his firm in 1994, he and his team have been focused on providing high-quality service and independent, unbiased financial advice to help clients make informed decisions about their money. For more information, visit?Bernhardt Wealth Management ?and?Profiles in Success .