"This above all, to thine own self be true"

- William Shakespeare

As many of you know, I worked 20 years in a jail.  Often times I would see inmates who could not tell the truth, or would not tell the truth, if their life depended on it.  That was always disturbing.  But what was even more disturbing was the victims.

Often times, we would get a male inmate in for domestic violence, the female being the victim.  Before we could even get the inmate booked in, the female victim was their wanting to get him out of jail.  They would say things like "He didn't mean it", "I love him", or even "I deserved it".  Thankfully, most of the time, the domestic violence charge meant they were unable to bond out of jail until seen by the judge.

This saying says to be true to yourself.  Don't mislead yourself.  In the cases I described above, those victims were operating on pure emotion and often times were telling themselves a story that was not true; they were misleading themselves.

"Success comes in cans, failure in can'ts".

- Author unknown

I remember as a kid my grandpa reading me bedtime stories when I stayed at their house.  One I remember as a small kid was about the train engine trying to make it up the hill; you remember, where the train engine kept saying:

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can"

and then as he topped the hill, he started saying:

"I knew I could, I knew I could, I knew I could"

That is the essence of this quote, think you can and you will!  Think you can't, and you wont!

The Mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

The Mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires.
- William Arthur Ward

We all should be teachers in everything we do.  Whether it be to our kids, to the new guy or girl at the office, to the next door neighbor, or even the stranger on the street; we all should try to teach something to others. 

But teaching is more than just "telling", or even more than "explaining", and even more than "demonstrating"; true teaching is inspiring someone to learn.  True teaching can change behavior in wayward individuals; it can make someone's day a little brighter; it can even make someone's life better.

Imagine seeing the cranky person today (we all know who they are).  Instead of avoiding that person because they bring you down, imagine when you meet them, giving them a smile and a true compliment.  Maybe, just maybe, it will brighten their day and they in turn will not be so cranky - that is true teaching - inspiring!

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.

People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.
- Zig Ziglar

This quote is probably one of my all time favorites; in fact, it is the quote that got me interested in quotes.

A while back I heard a motivational speaker named Mark Leader speak at a real estate meeting I was at.  In reality, he did not say anything I had not heard before, he just said it a little different.  I thoroughly enjoyed his message and plan on attending a 3-day training seminar he is hosting in the future.

I asked several older agents what they thought; most said something like "He wasn't like all the other 'dog and pony' shows I've seen".  I realize there are a lot of motivational speakers, books, websites, blogs (this one included) and what not that one can have access to.  And it might even be overwhelming at times.  But, like Zig said here, it doesn't last forever.  In my case with Mark Leader, he said a couple things I already knew, but he "reminded" of it; that helped me.  You see, when I went through the previous training and was motivated, it didn't last. I needed it again. 

Zig compares it to bathing.  I worked 20-years in a jail, I dealt with people who did not take regular baths / showers.  Oh they may have taken a bath last week, but, TRUST ME, it didn't last, they needed another one! 

I write this daily quote blog for this exact reason.  To give everyone a little shot in the arm every day!

"Man Cannot Discover New Oceans Unless He Has the Courage to Lose Sight of the Shore."

"Man Cannot Discover New Oceans Unless He Has the Courage to Lose Sight of the Shore."
-Andre Gide

By staying close to the shore, the safety area per se, you will never attain a lofty goal.  Set a goal, a high goal, and go after it!  Don't stay in the "safe area", get out of your "comfort zone" and strive for something worth attaining!  Go discover that "new ocean".

Spiritually speaking, the Word of God tells us in Hebrews 10 that we are to "live by faith".  Most of us live by sight instead.  I am a tithing individual; I give at least 10% of our gross income to my church and missions projects throughout the United States and the world.  Traditionally, I would look at what I made in any given week, figure 10%, round up, and tithe.  On the outside there is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, if you tithe like that, GOOD JOB!  However, recently I was convicted about living by faith and not by sight.  You see, when I tithe on what I made, that is sight - I can see what I made and am tithing on that sight.  Recently I started tithing by faith.  I have an annual income I want to make this year.  I tithe on that number; strictly by faith that God will open doors for me to achieve that number.  That is loosing sight of the shore and discovering new oceans!