Life’s Victories & Failures, Joys & Pains

“I’m telling people life is full of ups and downs, victories and failures, joys and pains, good and ugly,
and someday it’s all going to come to something beautiful.
Sometimes we don’t understand. Sometimes it’s to develop us or to focus us.
But it’s all for a reason. … When I look at my life and how far I’ve come,
I have to say it’s a masterpiece. I’m blessed through it all.”

~ Deitrick Haddon,
Singer, Songwriter, Arranger, Producer, Pastor, Actor & Pianist

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An Excellent End

“Just because you didn’t start out perfect doesn’t mean you can’t have an excellent result in the end.”

~ Debi Thomas,
Nebelhorn Trophy (1985), World Figure Skating Championships, (1986 ), Skate America (1986), Skate Canada (1988),
St. Ivel International (1988), Grand Prix International Saint Gervais (1985), U.S. Figure Skating Championships (1986, 1988),
World Professional Figure Skating Championships (1988, 1989, 1991)

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

Work That You Love, Work That Fulfills You

“What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will come.”

~ Oprah Winfrey,
Chairwoman & CEO of Harpo Productions,
Chairwoman, CEO & CCO of Oprah Winfrey Network,
Television Host, Producer, Author, Actress & Philanthropist

Victorious Thinking

“Victory starts in your thinking. You can’t think the same way and expect different results.”

~ Joel Osteen,
Pastor of Lakewood Church, Motivational Speaker & Author

The Greatest Victory

“In the end, the greatest victory we can know is the result of all of our
hard work, discipline, and dedication: the realization of our dreams.”

~ Cheryl Burke,
Dancer, Model, TV Host, Author, World Cup Professional Rising Star Latin Champion (2005)
San Francisco Latin Champion (2005), Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Latin Champion (2005),
Dancing with the Stars Champion (2x), Prime Time Emmy Outstanding Choreography (2006)
Filipino/American Library Gala Role Model Award (2007),
& Asian Excellence Awards Viewer’s Choice Award (2008)

Grow or Die

  “Complacency is the worst. I never allow myself to be content with what I have done,
and I have always tried to instill this in everyone around me. Grow or die.
If you want to innovate, don’t focus on the results.”

~ Amancio Ortega Gaona,
Businessman, Co-Founder Inditex, Co-Founder – Zara Clothing

Personal Growth

“Growth is a result of process and process operates through the matrix of time.”

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

Oppose Those Stifling Fears

“Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation.
I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure.
Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins.”

~ Charles Stanley,
Founder & President – In Touch Ministries, Senior Pastor – First Baptist Church,
Theologian, Author & Photographer

Put Imagination to Work

“Creativity is putting your imagination to work,
and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture.”

~ Ken Robinson,
Educator

When Experience & Expectation Don’t Line-up

“Whenever your experience doesn’t line-up with your expectation,
Jesus is trying to give you a revelation of who He is.”

~ Robert Madu,
Speaker

Like a Leaf in a River

“Instead of drifting along like a leaf in a river,
understand who you are, how you come across to people,
and what kind of an impact you have on the people around you,
the community around you and the world,
so that when you go out, you can feel you have made a positive difference.”

~ Jane Fonda,
Actress, Writer, Political Activist, Fitness Entrepreneur, Academy Award (2X),
BAFTA Award (2X), American Film Institute AFI Life Achievement Award (2014) & Fashion Model

Everything We Say

“Everything we say signifies; everything counts, that we put out into the world.
It impacts on kids, it impacts on the zeitgeist of the time.”

~ Meryl Streep,
Actress & Singer

Every Choice Matters

“Just remember that every choice matters; that’s what I know now.
Every good choice I’ve made has really mattered and made an impact.
And every bad choice I’ve made I had to find my way out of it.”

~ Suzanne Somers,
Actress, Author, Singer, Businesswoman and Health Spokesperson

Did I? Did You?

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing?
Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?
These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits,
here in this world and the life to come.”

~ Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen,
Priest, Professor, Writer, Author, Public Speaker,
Theologian, Thomas Merton Award (1985)
Ronald McDonald House Charities Award of Excellence (1996)
Emmausprisen Prize (2002)

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)

Not From the Outside

 

“America will never be destroyed from the outside.
If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

~ Abraham Lincoln,
Lawyer & 16th President of the United States

All the Things Guaranteed

“Socialists can provide you shelter,
fill your belly with bacon and beans,
treat you when you’re ill;
all the things guaranteed to a prisoner or a slave.”

~ Ronald Reagan ,
Actor, Sports Announcer, Politician, 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975) &
40th President of the United States (1/20/1981–1/20/1989)

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Your Victorious Life

“A victorious life begins in your mind.”

~ Joel Osteen,
Pastor of Lakewood Church, Motivational Speaker & Author

Serendipitous Opportunities

“A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds;
it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities
that were somehow absent before the change.”

~ Earl Nightingale,
Motivational Speaker, Author, Voice Actor &
Radio Show Host, known as the “Dean of Personal Development”

Risk the Usual & Get the Extraordinary

“If you are not willing to risk the usual,
you will have to settle for the ordinary.”

~ Jim Rohn,
Entrepreneur, Author & Speaker

A Vote FOR Them Without Voting

“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”

~ George Jean Nathan,
Drama Critic & Magazine Editor

Making Our Voices Heard, Now

“People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people.
Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those
who make themselves heard and who vote – a very different thing.”

~ Walter Henry Judd,
Medical Missionary (1925-1931),
Missionary Physician (1934-1938), Orator,
U.S. House of Representatives, Minnesota (1943-1963) &
Presidential Medal of Freedom (1981)

 

Backs Turned Against the Fire Burns Behinds

Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad, looking at an album of photographs

 

“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision.
If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds,
then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

~ Abraham Lincoln,
Lawyer & 16th President of the United States

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Will We Deny Ourselves, Now?

“Nobody will ever deny the American people the right to vote
except the American people themselves
and the only way they could do this is by not voting.”

~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
Statesman & 32nd President of the United States (3.4.1933 – 4.12.1945)

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)

Harness Power to Passion

“Forget about the fast lane.
If you really want to fly,
just harness your power to your passion.”

~ Oprah Winfrey,
Chairwoman & CEO of Harpo Productions,
Chairwoman, CEO & CCO of Oprah Winfrey Network,
Television Host, Producer, Author, Actress & Philanthropist

No Ordinary Means for Us

“Nothing EXTRAORDINARY is achieved
through ORDINARY means.”

~ Scott Belsky