Over the years I’ve met some very smart and very interesting individuals. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of working with some sharp, out of the box, kind of leaders from all walks of life and industries. I’ve been thinking a lot about some of the “words to live by” snippets I’ve picked up and held on to…
Here’s one I picked up when I was a teenager and is one of my all time favorites:
Life is a journey not a destination.
It really is true. I don’t ever want to feel like I’ve “arrived” anywhere. I want to keep moving, growing, and looking for my next excellent adventure. I think journeying through life is akin to be a student of a life. We should all strive to be learning new things constantly.
Here’s one I picked up an old Oklahoma preacher I once knew:
Never judge an Indian until you’ve walked a mile in his mocossins.
Empathy is a rare quality and an even harder skill to teach. Looking at things from other perspectives and from other experiential points of view is a great quality to have. We are generally too quick to judge and too quick to make all of our decisions from only our own point of view.
Here’s another one:
There are two types of people in this world: Those who watch things happen and those who make things happen.
This quote really spoke to me when I was in college in my early twenties. I’ve never wanted to be a spectator in life. I want to be on the field. It so easy to armchair quarterback or hurl criticism from the bleachers. I want to be in the game. I want to be a part of group that helps shapes outcomes not just passively sits back and never has any impact on those around them.
