Inspiration Monday: Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

I discovered Dr. Seuss’s book, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, when it first came out in the early 1990’s. I love this book. It mixes enthusiastic cheers for those days when you are so on, soothing whispers of encouragement for the really bad days, and the what are you gonna do about it attitude for the days you simply just wait. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! was perhaps one of my favorite gifts to send along to friends and family who were off to new adventures–whether it was new job, starting a company, or pursuing their studies. I would write a nice letter to them on the inside cover and then fill the inside cover with with what I thought were inspirational quotes. I offer up a few quotes to you today, to help you glean whatever message you need from these wise words.

If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.

~ Thomas Edison

It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.

~ Henry James

Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.

~ George Washington Carver

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

~ Sir Winston Churchill

Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.

~ Mark Twain

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I have a little motivational journal I started in sixth grade. It’s rather tattered and has offered me quiet encouragement over the years. One of my favorite poems from my journal is this one:

by Edgar Albert Guest

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,

You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,

Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,

And a brain to use if you would be wise.

With this equipment they all began,

So start for the top and say “I can.”

Click here to view the entire poem.

You are the handicap you must face,

You are the one who must choose your place,

You must say where you want to go.

How much you will study the truth to know,

God has equipped you for life,

But He Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,

The man must furnish the will to win,

So figure it out for yourself, my lad,

You were born with all that the great have had,

With your equipment they all began.

Get hold of yourself, and say: “I can.”

And remember, next Wednesday, April 18th is the deadline for submitting your mission statement to me. You can either post it in the comments or post in the comments that you will e-mail your mission statement to me and then e-mail it to me. The purpose of this thought provoking exercise is this: First, this will make you accountable to your goals and dreams. Second, you’ll have a chance to win one of three cool prizes. Details here.