Do not be afraid to take big steps. You cannot cross a chasm in two small jumps. Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. When you cease to make a contribution you begin to die. First we will be best, and then we will be first. Stop freewheeling, get into gear, and do something with your life. There are so many avenues to explore, so why not explore them? Never be afraid to step into the unknown, into the new. Do it fearlessly, always expecting the very best as you do so. Begin difficult things while they are easy. A thousand-mile journey begins with one step. Remember, a dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live one to swim upstream. Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.
You do not have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things, to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated to reach challenging goals. An objective without a plan is a dream. Begin difficult things while they are easy. A thousand-mile journey begins with one step. The wisest men follow their own direction. Do not tell me this a difficult problem. If it were not difficult it would not be a problem.
Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity. Successful people act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff …and it’s All Small Stuff. Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision, for the limits of the world. We achieve a sense of self from what we do for ourselves and how we develop our capacities. If all your efforts have gone into developing others, you are bound to feel empty. TAKE YOUR TURN NOW. Nothing is so exhausting as indecision, and nothing is so futile. One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man. In times of stress, be bold and valiant. If you are never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take chances.