The Inspiring Dad

“I’ve said it before, but it’s absolutely true:
My mother gave me my drive, but my father gave me my dreams.
Thanks to him, I could see a future.”

~ Liza Minnelli,
Actress, Singer, Dancer, Choreographer, Philanthropist,
American Theater Hall of Fame inductee, Best Actress Academy Award,
BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, David di Donatello Career Award,
Grammy Award, Grammy Legen Award, Primetime Emmy Award & Tony Award

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My Greatest Achievement

“I would say my greatest achievement in life right now –
my greatest achievement period is – and I’m still trying to achieve it –
is to be a wonderful father to my kids.”

~ Bo Jackson,
Baseball and Football Player (1983-1994)
Co-Owner & CEO of Bo Jackson Elite Sports Complex,
Co-Owner of The Burr Ridge Bank and Trust;
Heisman Trophy (1985)

Change

“Change is the law of life, and those who look
only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

~ John F. Kennedy,
35th President of the United States (1961-1963)

If You Keep Doing That …

“If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.”

~ Jackie “Moms” Mabley,
a.k.a. Loretta Mary Aiken
Stand-up Comedian

Your Shared Future

“A ring means a commitment. But more than that, it means that you’ve talked about
your shared future and have decided together on a shared vision of it.”

~ Patti Stanger,
Businesswoman, Matchmaker, Author &
Founder & CEO – Millionaire’s Club International, Inc.

This is When You Lose

“Really, you don’t lose until you stop trying.”

~ Laurence ‘Mr. T’ Tureaud,
Actor, Bodyguard, Television Personality & Retired Professional Wrestler

A Man of Knowledge

“A man of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting.”

~ Carlos Castaneda,
Anthropologist

Half Our Time Wishing

“Many of us spend half of our time wishing for things
we could have if we didn’t spend half our time wishing.”

~ Alexander Humphreys Woollcott,
Drama Critic, Essayist, Playwright, Editor, Actor, Raconteur & Radio Personality

What’s Really Loved?

“There’s always time for what you really love.”

~ Sheryl Lee Ralph,
Actress, Singer, Author,Activist & Independent Spirit Award (1991

Significant Accomplishments

“Where there are no goals,
neither will there be significant accomplishments;
there will only be existence.”

~ Author Unknown,

Life Together in the Years to Come

“If you’re going to get engaged make sure you’ve talked
to your partner about life together in the years to come.”

~ Patti Stanger,
Businesswoman, Matchmaker, Author &
Founder & CEO – Millionaire’s Club International, Inc

Carve Out Your Life

“You have to create your life.
You have to carve it, like a sculpture.”

~ William Shatner,
Actor, Author, Producer, Director, Musician, Screenwriter, Celebrity Pitchman &
Owner, Trader, Breeder, Rider, and Aficionado of Horses

Snoop’s Scoop

“When I’m not longer rapping,
I want to open up an ice cream parlor
and call myself Scoop Dogg.”

~ Snoop Dogg,
a.k.a. Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr.
Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Film Actor, Voice Actor,
Entrepreneur, Investor, Record Producer & Television Director,

Make it Across the Finish Line

“The world is full of people who have dreams of playing at Carnegie Hall,
of running a marathon, and of owning their own business.
The difference between the people who make it across the finish line
and everyone else is one simple thing: an action plan.”

~ AUTHOR’S NAME,
OCCUPATION

Your Golden Dream

“You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream.
You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.”

~ Diana Ross,
Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Record Singer & Author

Natural Problem Solvers

“Guys are natural problem solvers – they like to have strategies.”

~ Chadwick Boseman,
Actor, Director & Writer

The Vision You See

“Vision is not what you know; vision is what you see.
And then, it’s what you do about what you see.”

~ Dale C. Bronner,
Founder & Pastor, Word of Faith Worship Center

The Dreaming Doers

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers.
But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.”

~ Sarah Ban Breathnach,
Author, Philanthropist & Public Speaker

Everyone Gets 24 Hours

““Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem.
We all have twenty-four hour days.”

~ Hilary Hinton “Zig” Ziglar,
Author, Salesman, & Motivational Speaker

Work, Stay Active & LIKE What You’re Doing

“I just see too many people retire and say,
‘I’m going to take off, travel, spend time with my family’ and they are just miserable.
They end up dying. People who work and stay active, and like what they are doing, live longer.”

~ Terry Bradshaw,
NFL Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback (1970-1983), Actor, TV Analyst, Super Bowl Champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)
Super Bowl MVP (XIII, XIV), Pro Bowl (1975, 1978, 1979), First-Team All-Pro (1978), NFL Most Valuable Player (1978),
Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (1979), Pro Football Hall of Fame (1989) & College Football Hall of Fame (1996)

Creative Entrepreneurs

“Everywhere I go, I always look for creative entrepreneurs,
whether it’s artisans and craftsmen, small farmers and gardeners, or restaurateurs
who use fresh, locally sourced ingredients. I admire the courage and self-reliance
it takes to start your own business and make it succeed.”

~ Martha Stewart,
Entrepreneur, Writer, Television Host,
Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia & former Fashion Model

Do What We Can Do for Our Country

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you,
ask what you can do for your country.”

~ John F. Kennedy,
35th President of the United States (1961-1963)

Putting Yourself Twenty Years Ahead

“Instead of looking at the past,
I put myself ahead twenty years
and try to look at what I need to do now
in order to get there then.”

~ Diana Ross,
Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Record Singer & Author

Your Vision, Dream, Goal, Heart’s Desire: Your PLAN

“Don’t call it a dream.  Call it a plan.”

~ Author Unknown,

Innocence of Kids

“Hold back the tide. Keep your kids innocent as long as possible.”

~ Tony Danza,
a.k.a Antonio Salvatore Iadanza
Actor, Television Personality,
Tap Dancer, Boxer, Teacher

Reaching for Stars

“Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”

~ Casey Kasem,
a.k.a Kemal Amin “Casey” Kasem,
Co-Founder – American Top 40 franchise, Disc Jockey,
Music Historian, Radio Personality, Voice Actor & Actor

“The Voice of NBC”
The voice of Norville “Shaggy” Rogers for Scooby-Doo franchise (1969-1997) and (2002-2009)

Business: Risks & Chances

“In business, there’s a difference between a risk and a chance.
A well-calculated risk may very well end up
as an investment in your business.
A careless chance can cause it to crumble.
And when an opportunity presents itself,
never assume it will be your last.”

~ Martha Stewart,
Entrepreneur, Writer, Television Host,
Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia & former Fashion Model

The Lifetime of an Opportunity

“The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized
within the lifetime of the opportunity”.

~ Leonard Ravenhill,
Evangelist & Author

Financial Fitness

“No one’s ever achieved financial fitness
with a January resolution that’s abandoned by February.”

~ Suze Orman,
Author, Financial Advisor,
Motivational Speaker & Television Host

When You Overcome

“If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort,
eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.”

~ Patrick James “Pat” Riley ,
Professional Basketball Executive, Miami Heat Team President (1995- ), Motivational Speaker, Author,
Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award (2012), NBA Championships (2012 & 2013: Miami Heat)
Head Coach (1995-2003 & 2005-2008), NBA All-Star Game Head Coach (9x)
NBA Coach of the Year (1989–90: Los Angeles Lakers, 1992–93: New York Knicks & 1996–97: Miami Heat)
10 Greatest Coaches in NBA History Award (1996) & Los Angeles Lakers’ Championship Team Player (1972)

The Gradual Result

“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.”

~ Patrick James “Pat” Riley ,
Professional Basketball Executive, Miami Heat Team President (1995- ), Motivational Speaker, Author,
Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award (2012), NBA Championships (2012 & 2013: Miami Heat)
Head Coach (1995-2003 & 2005-2008), NBA All-Star Game Head Coach (9x)
NBA Coach of the Year (1989–90: Los Angeles Lakers, 1992–93: New York Knicks & 1996–97: Miami Heat)
10 Greatest Coaches in NBA History Award (1996) & Los Angeles Lakers’ Championship Team Player (1972)

Lofty Goals

“Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.”

~ Bo Jackson,
Baseball and Football Player (1983-1994)
Co-Owner & CEO of Bo Jackson Elite Sports Complex,
Co-Owner of The Burr Ridge Bank and Trust;
Heisman Trophy (1985)

100% In

“I learned to put 100 percent into what you’re doing.
I learned about setting goals for yourself,
knowing where you want to be and
taking small steps toward those goals.
I learned about adversity and how to get past it.”

~ Kristi Yamaguchi
a.k.a Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchi,
Ladies’ Singles U.S. Olympic Champion (1992), World Champion (1991 & 1992),
U.S. Champion (1992), World Junior Pairs Skating Champion (1988),
National Pairs Skating Champion (1989 & 1990),
& U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Inductee (2005),
Founder – Always Dream Foundation,
Designer – Tsu.ya Activewear, Author,
Asian Excellence Awards (2008), Sonja Henie Award (2008),
Thurman Munson Award, Women’s Sports Foundation Flo Hyman Award,
& Great Sports Legends Award

An Ultimate Life Dream Project

“My ultimate life dream project is my kids. My family.”

~ Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr.,
Golden Globe Awards recipient (2x), Tony Award,
Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor

Journeying to Your Entrepreneurial Passion

“If you want to begin the journey to discover your entrepreneurial passion
you, first, must analyze your own interests, strengths, weaknesses, and desires.
You must consider carefully how hard you want to work.
And, then, you must research in a serious way
the job or field in which you believe you might want to work.”

~ Martha Stewart,
Entrepreneur, Writer, Television Host,
Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia & former Fashion Model

Attributes of Leadership

“I know of no single formula for success.
But over the years I have observed
that some attributes of leadership are universal
and are often about finding ways of encouraging people
to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights,
their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.”

~ Elizabeth II,
Queen of the United Kingdom
& the other Commonwealth realms,
Longest-Reigning Queen Regnant in History &,
Longest-Reigning British Monarch

Are You 30ish and Stiff, or 60ish and Supple?

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.
In order to achieve happiness, it is imperative to gain mastery of your body.
If at the age of 30 you are stiff and out of shape, you are old.
If at 60 you are supple and strong then you are young.”

~ Joseph Pilates,
Author & Inventor of Pilates

Passion & Purpose Aligned

“I have learned that it is very possible to pursue different passions
but it is also very complicated to try and do them at one time.
I think strategic planning, time management, and focus are vital to multi-tasking.
Ultimately though, ask yourself, “What is my purpose for this life,”
and then make sure your passion and purpose align.”

~ Egypt Sherrod,
Multi-media Personality, Author, Real Estate Expert and Philanthropist.

~ Image via NAME HERE

To Stay on Top of Things

When asked to share her secret to having a long career in a competitive industry:

“There is no secret. Prayer, good old-fashioned hard work, giving the personal touch,
never compromising my integrity, listening to good business advice
and keep a talented group of people on my team to help me stay on top of everything.”

~ Egypt Sherrod,
Multi-media Personality, Author, Real Estate Expert and Philanthropist.

~ Image via NAME HERE

Comfortable Inaction

“There are risks and costs to action. Yet they are far less
than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.”

~ John F. Kennedy,
35th President of the United States (1961-1963)

A Strong Legacy

“In Italy we have a strong legacy of family businesses; that is our DNA.
Families think long term. They can renounce some money currently, so they can get to the future.” 

~ Beatrice Trussardi,
Philanthropist & Executive, Trussardi Group

Just as Business Partners

“My husband and I sit down, just as business partners, around our kitchen table
and look at the schedule for the week and figure out
where we need to be and what we need to do,
what each of our commitments are and
what our children’s commitments are”

~ Egypt Sherrod,
Multi-media Personality, Author, Real Estate Expert and Philanthropist.

Vividly, Ardently & Enthusiastically

“Whatever you vividly imagine,
ardently desire, sincerely believe
and enthusiastically act upon
must inevitably come to pass.”

~ Paul J. Meyer,
Founder of Success Motivation Institute and Leadership Management Institute,

Author, Philanthropist & Entrepreneur

~ Image via NAME HERE

Wish, Hope & Work It

Estée Lauder with a customer.

~ Image via Wikipedia Commons

“I didn’t get there by wishing for it or hoping for it,
but by working for it.”

~ Estée Lauder,
Businesswoman, Co-Founder of Estée Lauder Companies
Presidential Medal of Freedom Award,
Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1988,
Time Magazine’s 1998 List of the 20 Most Influential Business Geniuses of the 20th Century

The Plan, The Best

” A good plan is like a road map:
it shows the final destination and, usually,
the best way to get there. 

You will now have a starting place and a destination,

and you will be able to determine what it will cost you

to get there. You will be going someplace.”

~ H. Stanley Judd,
Author

~ Image via NAME HERE

A Good Neighborhood

“If you live in a ghetto
and really want not to just change your life and your family’s life
yet change your ghetto’s life,
make your ghetto a good neighbor-hood, learn science;
try to be like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’d like to see Apple and Dell factories
be brought to the inner cities; in every project in America,
there’s some factory there, and it’s abandoned,
and I’d like to see those factories open
and bring jobs to America.

~ will.i.am
a.k.a William James Adams,
Founder of i.am Angel,
Director of Creative Innovation for Intel (2011)
Founder of The Back-Eyed Peas
Rapper, Singer, Songwriter, Entrepreneur,
Actor, DJ, Record Producer, Philanthropist
Grammy Awards (7), American Music Awards(8), Billboard Music Award,
Teen Choice Award, MTV Video Music Awards (2) and World Music Awards (3).

Your Work, Your Plan

“Plan your work for today
and every day,
then, work your plan.”

~ Margaret Hilda Thatcher,
(Baroness Thatcher),Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (May 1979–November 1990)
Leader of the Opposition (February 1975–May 1979)
Leader of the Conservative Party (February 1975–November 1990)
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment (March 1974–February 1975)
Secretary of State for Education and Science (June 1970–March 1974)
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Science (January 1967-June 1970)Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Pensions (October 1961–October 1964)
Member of Parliament for Finchley (October 1959–April 1992)

~ Image via Wikipedia

Remain Sane, Enjoy Every Minute!

“You have to love what you do and become completely obsessive with every aspect of your business.
If not, you will get burnt out quickly, leading to failure.
Nobody is going to care about your company more than you,
so be prepared to set the bar high and work harder and longer than anyone else.
The only way you will remain sane is by enjoying every minute of it.”

~ Jonathan Long,
Founder and CEO, Market Domination Media

The “Big Goals” Whittle-Down

“One of my favorite exercises is to whittle down my “big goals” into five achievable quarterly goals,
and then to write these down on an index card. I keep this index card with me at all times,
and especially in front of my computer while I’m working. If I find myself getting distracted,
I look over to my quarterly goals card and ask myself if what I’m doing is directly contributing
to any of these goals. If not, then I move on. I also like to reiterate these goals at each weekly
meeting with my team, to let everyone know if we’re on track of what needs to change to make it happen.”

~ Nathalie Lussier,
Founder of Nathalie Lussier Media

15-Minute Task Blocks

“I start out my week by planning out everything
that I’d like to get done this week.
I, then, divide my tasks into 15-minute time blocks
which allows me to set realistic deadlines and not waste time.
I, then, use TimeDoctor to hold me accountable.
It tracks what applications I use down to the second and
gives me insight on how I work.”

~ Syed Balkhi,
Founder of WP Beginner

Tomorrows, Todays & Yesterdays

“Dream of your Tomorrows, of your future,

planning for them as you enjoy your Todays.

Your Todays were the Tomorrows

you once dreamed of and planned for,

during your Yesterdays (that were Todays).

Yesterday, you dreamed this day;

you dreamed your ‘Today’.

Yes, yesterday you dreamed of this day, 

while it was still called ‘Tomorrow’. 

So, dream of your ‘Tomorrows’ of your future,

planning for them while you enjoy ‘This Day’,

that you visualized during your Yesterdays!”

~ Michelle ‘Chaella’ Boddie

Being Happy Today & Prepared Tomorrow

“The paradox of living in the moment is,
how to be happy Today AND prepare for Tomorrow.”

~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie,
Author

Take the Step, Please

.

“Take the first step,
and your mind will mobilize all its forces to your aid.
The first essential is that you begin.
Once the battle is started, all that is within
and without you will come to your assistance.”

~ Robert Collier,
Author

Storm Stability

“Celebrity hits like a bomb.
So, you have to find what makes you stable in the storm.
Then, no matter what’s happening around you,
no matter what the hype or the publicity,
you can still manage to make leaps in your work as an artist.”

~ Jimmy Smits,
Actor, Co-Founder – National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts,
Primetime Emmy Award (1990), Screen Actors Guild Awards (1995),
Golden Globe Awards (1996), Satellite Awards (1998),
ALMA Awards (2006) & Saturn Awards (2009)

Being Prepared for Unrestricted Freedom

“Having been kept pretty strict in prep schools,
I guess I couldn’t cope with all the freedom at Yale.
I had a wild, wonderful time, got abysmal grades and was bounced out in my freshman year.
I then came back the following fall as a repeating freshman,
lasted until April and got bounced out again – for the same reason.”

~ Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.
Actor & Golden Globe Award Winner

Defeated, Yet Not Finished

“A man is not finished when he is defeated.
He is finished when he quits.”

~ Richard Nixon
37th President of the United States (1969-1974),
U.S. Representative, Senator, &
36th Vice President of the United States (1953-1961)

Building the New

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy,
not on fighting the old, … on building the new.”

~ Socrates,
Philosopher

Prepare to Win

“It’s not the will to win that matters, everyone has that.
It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”

~ Paul William “Bear” Bryant,
College Football Player & Head Coach of the University of Alabama (1958-1982).

Thinking & Questioning

“Constantly think about how you could be
doing things better and keep questioning yourself.”

~ Elon Musk,
Business Magnate, Investor & Inventor

Turn Your Wishes into Goals

“Goals that are not WRITTEN DOWN are just Wishes.”

~ Unknown Author

 

Meaning: Goals that are not written down are wishes with limited power for becoming a reality.

The Most Valuable Result of All Education

Thomas Henry Huxley, English Biologist

~ Thomas H. Huxley, 1825-1895
Biologist

“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education
is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do,
when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not;
it is the first lesson that ought to be learned;
and however early a man’s training begins,
it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.”

The Route to Success with the Vehicle of a Plan

Pablo Picasso, Painter

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”

~ Pablo Picasso

Painter, Sculptor, Printmaker,
Ceramicist, Stage Designer,
Poet and Playwright

Motion or Progress

Bonjour! An insightful quote, below!:

“Do not confuse motion and progress.
A rocking horse keeps moving,
yet does not make any progress.”

Alfred A. Montapert