Rocky's Message to His Son

I love this. It's a quote from the movie Rocky Balboa (2006).

There's a lot of truth here. As a father, I have tried to send this message on to my own kids, as well as try to absorb the full meaning of it in my own heart.

Quoting Rocky Balboa? Yep, truth and wisdom often comes from unlikely sources.

"Let me tell you something you already know.

The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done.

Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!"

See also:
The Man Who Created Rocky

HARRY POTTER QUOTES – The Wisdom of Albus Dumbledore

To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with caution.

It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.

Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!

It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.

Curiosity is not a sin.... But we should exercise caution with our curiosity... yes, indeed.

The consequences of our actions are so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.

Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.

We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.

Indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.

Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.

The Power

I received this great inspirational message from a friend at the beginning of my mission, many years ago. It continues to inspire me. It is a message from Our Father in Heaven, letting us know we have the power to make ourselves as good as we desire. Whether one believes in God or not, the message is still powerful. 

The Power 

I gave you the power to choose. With this gift, I placed you even above my angels, for angels are not free to choose sin. I gave you complete control over your destiny. I told you to determine for yourself your own nature in accordance with your own free will. 

You have the power to choose to degenerate into the lowest forms of life, or you also have the power to be reborn into the highest forms, which are divine. I have never withdrawn your great power, the power to choose for yourself. 

What have you done with this tremendous gift? Think. Look at yourself. What choices have you made in your life that you would do differently, if only you had the opportunity to choose again? But what is past is past. The sun cannot rise where it sets, and the milk that was spilt is sour. 

Use wisely your power of choice. 

 Choose to love, rather than hate. 

 Choose to laugh, rather than cry. 

 Choose to create, rather than destroy. 

 Choose to persevere, rather than quit. 

 Choose to praise rather than wound. 

 Choose to give, rather than steal. 

 Choose to grow, rather than rot. 

 Choose to pray, rather than curse. 

 Choose to live, rather than die. 

Know that your misfortunes are not my will, for all power is vested in you! The accumulation of thoughts and deeds which have brought you to this point in life are all your own doing, not mine! 

You are capable of great wonders. Your potential is unlimited. You are more than a human being, you are a human becoming. Never settle for the crumbs of life. Never hide your talents, from this day hence. 

You have been “born again”. But just as before, you can choose failure and despair, or happiness and success. I can only watch – in pride – or sorrow. 

This day, you have been notified.

Dream Big!

Here are some great thoughts on dreaming big, shooting high and doing it right:

Make no small plans. They have no magic to stir humanity’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical plan once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency.
Remember that our sons and daughters are going to do things that will stagger us.
Let your watchword be order and your beacon, beauty. Think big.
-Daniel Burnham, 19th century planner and architect

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big.
- Donald Trump

If you can dream it, you can do it!
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
– Walt Disney

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.
- Antoine de Saint Exupery

What one can dream, one can achieve.
- Jules Verne

SWEAT: An Inspirational Motto

SWEAT is an acronym for five action words that, when realized, can take us to a new level of achievement. Yet any one of these words by themselves could serve as an inspirational motto:

See. Have a vision of the future. Set specific goals, then use those goals to focus your life. You have to know where you=re going in order to get there.

Work. Put in the time and effort necessary to achieve your goals. A veritable smorgasbord of work opportunities await you. And with completed work comes great satisfaction.

Expect. Great Expectations is not just a novel by Dickens. You need to expect that the work you do will produce results. To expect involves an element of hope or belief in oneself. A positive attitude coupled with unbridled optimism will take you far.

Achieve. When we combine specific goals with concerted effort and expectation, achievement will be the result. We rehearse achievement with every successful effort.

Thanks. We need to be grateful to those around us who enable us to pursue our dreams and help us achieve our goals. This attitude of gratitude ultimately permeates our very being, and becomes unconditional rather than contingent on some great performance.