Motivational Quotes and Sayings
Resources to Move You to Action!

We all know that without action, there is no accomplishment. No amount of thinking about building a bridge gets it done. But action doesn't happen without motivation. You might be inspired to unite people, but it's only when you're motivated to build the bridge that gets it done.

Thinking of motivation as more short term than inspiration, I like to look at motivational quotes as sort of added fuel that burns hot to get you to the next phase. Inspiration turns into thinking. Thinking turns into motivation. Motivation moves you to action.

There are thousands of motivational quotes that you could use to increase that fire and get things moving, so how do you choose which ones to use? And how do you use them?

There are plenty of web sites that list motivational quotes and sayings, but you only need the nuggets to move yourself to action. A few choice quotes and sayings will do it.

Resources to help you decide which motivational quotes to use:

Deciding which motivational quotes to use is a very personal process. There are, however, some resources at your disposal that can help. As always, my recommendation is to use only the motivational ideas that really speak to you, and adapt them as needed. You will be much more inclined to use them, and much more inspired and motivated when you do.

• Books - Books with inspirational stories are filled with motivational quotes that you can use. Think and Grow Rich is packed full of nuggets, as are the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
• Motivational speakers - A motivational speaker is a great resource. Go to seminars and appearances, or purchase audio or video seminars and borrow the nuggets that you need. Tony Robbins has a great audio program that I highly recommend called Personal Power II. In addition to being a great tool to get what you want, Tony Robbins own personal story is enough to get you going. If you're not pumped up after listening to his story, then you must have slept through it. He's definitely got some great motivational quotes in there that you can use on a regular basis.
• Motivational stories - Stories of success and overcoming obstacles are especially powerful since they offer background and context for your quotes. Stories of almost any length are a good motivator if they have the right message for your situation. Grab the motivational quotes you need from them and remember when you use them to remind yourself of the story behind them for added power. In addition to short stories, look for news items and even poems to motivate you. Magazines are inexpensive and web sites are free. All of these are good sources for you to grab some quotes that you can use.
• TV Shows - I know that many people, including some life coaches, will tell you that TV is a waste of time and drains your energy. It can have its uses, however, and inspirational shows and movies are there for the taking. One such example is No Opportunity Wasted (NOW). Now is a show that gives people the chance to make their dreams come true. Now asks "What would you do if you had 72 hours and the opportunity to live that dream?"

  From the NOW web site...

  No Opportunity Wasted (NOW) separates dreamers from doers. It's a philosophy about turning thought into action. No more shoulda, coulda, woulda. Think big, dream large, ditch the excuses, … live life NOW.

Set a goal to attack these resources and find the quotes you need to get what you want.

A word about targeted vs. general quotes and goal setting:

In addition to selecting your resources, make sure that you choose a targeted motivational quote versus a general quote. This is an important aspect to making your decision as to which quote to use.

If you have a very specific goal, you'd want a targeted quote to match, right? Well...

I've talked to some people who tell me they have a goal of "saving more money" and want to know the best way to go about doing it. When I talk about inspiration and motivation to these folks, they kind of glaze over and don't really get it.

The truth is, if your goal is that general, it's not a goal, it's just a vague desire. It's hard to get inspired and easy to get distracted when you're vague. Remember that the more specific your goal, the more specific your outcome.

Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.
-Ralph Marston

Some would argue that a more general goal, however, may be more appropriate if you need some flexibility. My personal feeling on this is that if you feel you need a general goal, you haven't really yet decided on what you want. You should take a tip from some of the self help gurus and avoid general goals. You should be as specific as you can be down to the last dollar, shade of color, size of house, or pound of weight you want to lose. Think on this long and hard.

You'll be much more inspired and motivated if you use specific goals as tools.

How does this sound? "I want to lose weight." What about this... "I want to lose 23 pounds and 3 inches off my waistline in 60 days." Your brain will go to work harder and faster if you have a specific end in mind. Part of the reason for this is that an unclear vision leads to unclear choices.

With specific goals in mind, you'll be focused. When you come to a fork in the road, your brain will know where to turn. If you hit a set-back, your brain will recover faster.

So remember, if your goal is too general, it's not really a goal. Set specific and measurable goals!

Here are some examples of when and how to use motivational quotes:

Below are some good examples of where quotes work well for number of popular areas that people want to change. I've chosen some of the most popular categories from people's "wish lists."

• Weight loss - Weight loss motivation is a biggie. You know what the number one New Year's resolution is? Yup, you guessed it, weight loss and getting in shape. Here are my 10 secrets for weight loss motivation. These 10 factors will supercharge your motivation to lose weight. I used these principles to lose over 60 pounds, and you can too.
• Increased income - Another biggie for motivational quotes and rightly so. Most people I talk to are not satisfied with their level of income. The question then, is, "what did you do today to increase your income?" If the answer is "nothing," then you know where to need to get motivated!
• Debt reduction - Are you in debt? It's not just what you earn, it's what you keep, and most people want to pay down their debt. Motivation to reduce spending is to tough to come by, however, and it's harder to stop spending than it is to earn more money.
• New car - Are you one of those who wants a new car every few years? I am. There's something about driving a new car that gets me going and feeling good about the world.
• New house - There's nothing like a new house, especially a brand new house to renew your zest for all things good. I was fortunate enough to recently acquire a newly built house, and it feels good.

• New relationship - If you're single, and not in a relationship, there's a good chance that you want to be. Most single people I know have a strong desire to be in a relationship, but their motivation comes and goes with each dating experience. Use motivational quotes to push yourself to a new level of dating experience and find that person who just might be "the one."
• Start your own business - You might be unsatisfied with your level of income, your job may be dull or "dead end," or you're just plain old sick and tired of working for someone else. Motivate yourself to take a risk and start your own business.
• Motivation in the workplace - Staying motivated on the job is a huge issue. In companies from the smallest to the largest, morale is often horrifically low. This is even the case in the higher paid employees. At one company I worked for, morale was lower than the pay, which as pretty low. Everyone there was always in a bad mood and bashing the company. I let it get to me. Then, I took Tony Robbins program and changed my attitude. Soon after, I came to work every day pumped up and ready for action. That enthusiasm rubbed off on others.

  If you want an opportunity to further your career, take it upon yourself to suggest an an employee motivation program at your company. In fact, just implement it yourself. After all, who better than you to design one?! Work on it and set the example and watch others follow your lead. Then, submit it to management. You may even get promoted for doing so!

Ways to enhance the effectiveness of motivational quotes:

You can enhance your efforts to motivate yourself, as well as those around you. Do you use motivational words on a regular basis? You should change your vocabulary to regularly include words that motivate you and those around you.

Do you use motivational posters? You should! I have a torn out page of a real estate magazine on my refrigerator showing the type of house that I want to own next. That is my motivational poster and a reminder of what I need to work on.

Surround yourself with people who motivate you and avoid people who drain your energy. Join a club or group that focuses on the skills that you most want to develop.

Better yet, start your own inspirational motivational club! The most successful people in the world typically did not get that way alone. They have what is known as mastermind groups. A mastermind group is a group of people who share ideas, inspiration, and motivation in order further the success of the individuals who belong to the group.

There are certain natural mastermind groups. One example is a company formed as a partnership or a team effort. Microsoft and Apple, two of the most successful companies of all time, owe their successes in part to a small group of people who worked together to inspire and motivate each other during the early stages.

Another example is a romantic partnership. When two people are in love, they naturally motivate each other and stimulate creativity. Their collective thirst for building a strong future together creates a synergy that has tremendous power.

Other examples of mastermind groups are a company board, an organization or charity, or even a loose association of friends. Think about the mastermind groups that exist in your life. How could you make them better?

And here's an idea... start your own motivation mastermind club and see what happens. You could even start a club based around motivational quotes and have the whole group collect them and put them to use. A "quote of the month" club.

So, whether it's a new car, weight loss, a new job, a new level of income, or even a whole life make-over that you want, motivational quotes can help you get there. But, like any tool, choose them carefully, and use them wisely. Use motivational quotes in conjunction with other tools, such as cultivating your natural mastermind groups, to live the life you always wanted.

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