Wise Words and Wisdom

Quotes from the wise, from those we admire, give us pause for thought and contemplation. How we then enact them is up to us. Here are four quotes that have played themselves into my business.?

To thine own self be true, William Shakespeare

My second-grade teacher was Mrs. Metcalf. ?She wrote in my end of year book, "Wherever you go whatever you do always paddle your own canoe." That’s my earliest memory of someone encouraging my individuality outside of my family. My parents’ entrepreneurial prowess shaped my creative growth.?My mother always encouraged me not to follow trends. Easier said than done when you are already feeling like the odd one out because you have to go to Greek School and instead of wearing jeans to the school dance like everyone else, you have to wear a long 'frock' with purple flowers! Actually, it was much nicer than how that sounds - but still, you get the picture.

Be yourself. Share your unique gifts with the world. We are alive in the age of the evolutionary entrepreneur!?We share 99.9% DNA. That .1% is the gift that we are here to share with the world. You really are enough!

That which does not kill us makes us stronger, Friedrich Nietzsche

Bad things will happen. That’s how life rolls. It’s how we react that makes or breaks us. As Einstein explained, everything has an equal and opposite reaction. We can’t feel love without experiencing fear, need to understand sorrow in order to realise joy, grasp despair to feel freedom. We need to focus on Post Traumatic Growth and find the meaning, the joy, hope and strength. Then we can expand.

There have been many times on the entrepreneurial journey many of us have felt like "throwing in the towel". That's where we need to draw on our passion and remember why we started the journey n the fist place. Every single entrepreneur I have ever spoken with, collaborated with or mentored , knows what's it like to be flung into the abyss. Even the famous ones! It's the refusal to stay down, to Celebrate Success One Failure at a Time, that energisees the phoenix rising.

To succeed in life and in business, we need to grow grit!?

First do no harm, Hippocrates

Your body is the temple that houses your heart, mind and soul. Your nationality, religion, sexual orientation make no difference. ?What you feed your mind, body, heart and soul permeates into your cells. Choose wisely. There is a growing trend by successful entrepreneurs to avoid junk food and bad news. These factors are crucial to keeping a positive mindset.

At present, we are witnessing many events and actions by leaders that are heart-breaking and disillusioning. We are also witnessing the power of the people, those who stand up for justice and what is human. I always found the question, "Which side of history will you be on?" to be hazy. I no longer do. I know what side I'm on.

I went to a retreat many years ago. At orientation we were told that there was only one rule. You could almost hear the silent cheers in the room. Until we thought about what that rule actually meant.

"You can do, and you can say anything you want to, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody else."

Read that a few times and then live into it for the day.

Choose your food and fertiliser for your mind and body well.

Ubuntu

Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Native American Indians and multiple other indigenous tribes are right! We are better together. Always. ?

We are on the precipice. What side of history will we collectively be on?

Indigenous cultures know that every thought, word and action from today, will affect seven generations into the future. What condition will the planet be in 150 years from now? What type of socierty will there be 150 years from now? How will history remember the age of AI and Robotics and humans that became the most divided in history.

We truly are better together.