This is a post I am expecting to really polarise opinion! I don’t tend to talk too much about this with others as a rule as I know people are rarely indifferent when it comes to motivational quotes – the general consensus is they are either loved or hated. Very much like discussing politics, I rarely address it as I have no desire to get involved in heated debates which can often ensue! However, in the nature of ensuring this blog is completely open and honest, I’ll discuss them here.

I get an awful lot from motivational quotes. I can understand the arguments against them (‘why does anyone need to read a quote to give them a bit of get up and go?’ is a common one!), though they are really beneficial and inspiring for me. I consider myself to be a reasonably driven person (quietly so though – previous blogs explain why…) and I’m at a stage where I know exactly what I want to get out of life and I have a reasonable idea of the steps I need to take to achieve that. However, we don’t always have good days. There are some days when my energy levels drop and I really don’t feel like doing anything productive. There are other days (though thankfully not too frequent) when the lack of self-confidence kicks in and I question if pursuing my goals is actually worth it, and sitting on the couch and binge watching a box-set seems a far better option than anything else. Days like these are when motivational quotes give me the pep-talk I require. They’re also really valuable during the days when I feel productive too – they’re certainly not something I just refer to when I simply feel a little less motivated than other days. I reference them on a regular basis and they’re now very much a part of my daily life.

As a result of this, I will share a modest amount of my favourites here. I have folders set up in the gallery section of my phone, including ‘motivational images’ (564 and counting), ‘side hustle; (I’ll explain that later; currently 112 images), ‘advice for my daughter’ (19 images), ‘music quotes’ (just the 14 at the moment), and a video folder: ‘videos – motivational’ (11 videos). I’ll likely post links to all these videos in a future post as I find them all hugely inspiring, though for this post I’ll focus on the images below.

This is currently the wallpaper on my phone. I am haunted by the prospect of being on the corporate hamster wheel for another 20 years or so. This provides a daily reminder that this need not necessarily be the case.

I adore Roald Dahl. This quote is so, so true. For me, lukewarm is no good. Either dive in headfirst or not at all.

This actually causes me some sadness every time I see it as I am something of a perfectionist and find myself frequently complaining about a number of these issues, even though there’s usually no need to. This image reminds me to remember to appreciate everything in life and to try to find the positives in every situation.

I’ve never been particularly materialistic; even less so the older I get. This quote sums things up perfectly for me.

Again, another one which really resonates with me. I’ve had this blog milling around in my head for a good 2-3 years now, yet I didn’t publish the first meaningful post until May. Looking back, that horrifies me. I’m really pleased to have got started and it has given me the impetus to address many other objectives and goals I have. Getting something done and out there, no matter how imperfect, is certainly better than doing nothing at all.

I’ve always loved English (certainly my favourite subject at school) and I find this image to be really profound. Just look at the power of the words we use. Both columns essentially mean the same thing but how much more powerful are the lines in the final column?

This really resonates with me. I’m not having a midlife crisis (honestly…) but I don’t want to reach the latter stages of my life and be using any of these lines.

Summarises my current thinking exactly.

Profound when it was first used, even more profound now. I am always slightly cynical when I see quotes attributed to famous people (especially when the same quote is attributed to 3 or 4 people!) but regardless of whether or not George Carlin said this, it is absolutely true. Scarily so.

This speaks for itself. Another really significant one for me. I’m not too sure who the ‘real me’ is but I don’t think I’ve arrived there yet. Starting this blog is certainly the first step in trying to get there. 

A quote from my ‘side-hustle’ folder. I’ll explain more about this concept in a ‘coping mechanisms – podcasts’ post in the very near future, especially as I listen to a truly amazing podcast on this very subject on a daily basis, but, for now, the fundamental concept of the side hustle is that, in this day and age, we needn’t be reliant on a single source of income (i.e. our day job). There are many ways to earn additional income (the ‘side hustles’ of the folder title) and we should all try to consider just what we are capable of and what may work in this regard. I used to say I didn’t have time to do things (start this blog, write e-books, write scripts, write songs, etc) but it turns out that’s absolute nonsense. I’ll explain why in a future post…

Linked to the above, I find this helps enormously. I have a short attention span and easily get bored and distracted. The Pomodoro technique isn’t perfect for me though, in terms of productivity, it certainly works better than any other method I’ve used to date.

I’ll leave it there for now in terms of images, otherwise this will be a huge post (I really could go on for hours about this). If it’s of any interest, my main sources for these quotes are Facebook and Instagram. I have had a Facebook profile for a number of years now and there are some excellent accounts on there, including Goalcast (@goalcast), Fearless Soul (@iamfearlesssoul), Read, Love and Learn (@readloveandlearn), and Innerlight Media Group (@InerlightMedia).

Regarding Instagram accounts, there is a wealth of excellent material available. When it comes to Instagram, I am definitely a viewer / consumer rather than a prolific contributor and some of the accounts I follow on a regular basis include Motivation Stories, Elephant Journal, Fearless Motivation, Evolve Your Mindset, Winners Things, Motivation Dot, Anxiety Support, Build Your Empire, and Get Joe Money Right. I follow many more pages though I find that the posts often start repeating themselves across numerous accounts. Those listed here are the ones I view more frequently than others.

Finally, on the subject of sources, I also have a small number (primarily as I’ve rarely spoken of this to many people before) of like-minded friends who share quotes with me. I won’t dwell on this, save to say that those people will likely be reading this (you know who you are!), therefore providing me with an opportunity to say thank-you – it is very much appreciated.

If you’re firmly in the ‘motivational quotes are twee and pointless’ camp, I doubt I’ll have done anything here to convert you so please ignore this post and tune in again next week! If, however, you also find something positive and upifting in them, I hope some of the content here resonates and please let me know if you have any particular favourites of your own.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this – I really do appreciate it. Take care and remember – yes, you can do it.

Until next time.

Best wishes,

Mick