Tag: Quote Inspired

Freedom From / Freedom To

Published on December 9, 2022

“Freedom in its own right doesn’t take on meaning. It’s like ‘culture’—it’s only when it’s applied to ‘freedom from…’ or ‘freedom to…’”
Daniel Greenwald

It’s a frequently discussed topic: freedom. Many people claim it’s their ultimate goal. But, is it really? Because you could up and quit your job, walk away from all of your responsibilities, say goodbye to all of the relationships in your life, venture into the nearest forest and be completely, “free.”

But, I suspect you won’t be happy for very long.

Which is why, as Daniel outlines so brilliantly above, we have to give “freedom” specific context. Context that allows “freedom” to take on a shape and/or gives it deeper meaning that will lead us to what we’re really after… a long-term, deeply felt, constantly renewing source of joy.

And an excellent way to give freedom context is by specifying what it is *exactly* that you want freedom from and/or what it is you crave the freedom to do. I suspect, if you spend even 15 minutes filling in the blanks as honestly as you can… you might just bring to light a vision of freedom that doesn’t feel so blurry and far-fetched after all.

For example, does “financial freedom” equate to some arbitrary seven digit number that you copy and pasted into your head from somebody else’s mind? Because what you might realize is that what you really want is, “freedom from work that sucks” or “the freedom to work only 20 hours per week (so you can spend the rest of your time doing whatever you want).”

…And you don’t need seven figures to do either one of those now do you?

Freedom via Money

Published on October 30, 2022

“Money isn’t the goal—freedom is.”

Careful.

Because if money is the means to an end… and you’re miserable along the way (trying to make a bunch of money so you can buy freedom)… you’ll end up confined within a prison of your own making—unfree—without realizing it until you blink and years of your life are gone…

…And you’re left with bags of money (best case scenario) that can’t buy back any of the freedom that came with the youth that’s been spent.

If freedom is the goal, make freedom the means.

Better to creatively find ways you can work less (so you can enjoy more free time) or more freely—doing what you love, with people you love, on a mission you love working on—so that freedom is your reality with each step along the way.

P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

The Space Between A Line And 66 Hours

Published on October 18, 2022

Seth Godin pointed out that even the longest biography is only 66 hours on audio… which means the author has to leave out almost everything.

What’s more, is that when it comes time for people to reflect on you and your life, they will likely summarize who you were and what you stood for in a line or two.

That’s right… decades and decades of life… in a mere line of words.

…Nobody is reading a 66 hour biography at a remembrance of your life.

This space, between a line and 66 hours of audio, is the space you have to fill with legacy.

Those who plug their ears and “la-la-la” this thought are usually the ones who end up with regrets and a “mismatched” legacy.

Those who do the hard work of picking out their “line or two” now and use it as a guidepost for the rest of their life… are usually the ones who live lives that stand out—the kind that are deliberate, aligned, and inspiring.

Ask yourself: What do you hope people would say about you? What do you hope they would write? What do you want to be remembered for in one breath of words?

Now is the time to figure it out—while you’re alive and still have a say. Pick your legacy, embody it, and let your actions paint the picture of your legacy that’ll inspire thousands of words to follow. Live your masterpiece life.

P.s. Want to read more on legacy? Read my personal collection of 100+ quotes and resources on legacy here.

Befriending The Ego

Published on July 23, 2022

“The body is the first student of the soul.”
Henry David Thoreau, via MoveMe Quotes

…And the ego is what intercepts the soul’s communication to the body.

If we don’t learn how to befriend the ego—it will always be our enemy.

What makes the ego our enemy is its relentless desire to choose immediate over delayed gratification. The ego wants comfort now. It wants pleasure now. It cares nothing of later.

And it is in this one main desire—to seek immediate pleasure and avoid immediate pain—that our body suffers. Because what’s generally good for us is what involves delayed over immediate gratification.

If we want our body to succeed—the soul’s first student—we need not underestimate the ego and its deceptive, cunning powers. We need to come prepared. Like a parent ready to confront a moody toddler that’s about to choose violence.

We need to keep our beliefs clear; our boundaries enforced; our strategies at the forefront of our mind; our patience overflowing; and our love (not our tolerance) unconditional.

We have to find easy (easier) ways to do the hard things now, so that we can achieve the later outcome of peak overall health that each of our souls want us so badly to achieve.

For more thoughts on the ego, you can browse my collection of 45+ quotes & resources here.

Don’t Look Back?

Published on July 15, 2022

“Don’t look back—you’re not going that way.”

I disagree.

Looking back is precisely what you need to do if you’re going to keep moving forward in your life.

I’m not saying to dwell. Nor am I saying you should only look back. But, another way to say “looking back” is to reflect.

And careful reflection is key to calibrating your internal compass. You know… the internal compass that tells you which direction is forward in the first place!

What many people don’t realize is that without a properly calibrated internal compass, forward is merely a guess. And guessing isn’t a good strategy for moving forward in life.

I say, look back; reflect carefully; learn from past experiences; become a strategic, forward-moving boss who utilizes insight from their past to expedite their journey forward.

And don’t ever let yourself assume that you know all there is to know about your past.

As you age, grow, mature—the lens through which you look at past experiences will change. And how you understand those experiences will need updating and revising accordingly.

This is why we should keep looking back—all throughout life.

Change the mantra from: “Don’t look back—you’re not going that way.”

To: “Look back occasionally; calibrate; ensure you’re going the right way.”

Read my full rant on this here: Everyone Who Says You Should Never Look Back Is Wrong

The Impact of Inner Peace

Published on April 19, 2022

Acquire a sense of inner peace and you’ll save thousands of others.

When people are in times of conflict, even more important sometimes than words of advice or helpful actions is simply a peaceful presence.

A solid boulder that can slow the raging river. A brick house that can protect against the ravaging storm. A clear mind that can cut through the invasive fog.

See, a person who has acquired a sense of inner peace brings peace with them everywhere they go. Their impact is made constantly without any specific efforts on their part.

…And so it is for the person who carries conflict with them everywhere they go.

If we care about the impact we have on others, what we have to remember is the lesson that Maya Angelou so wisely shared: “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”

Which means: what people feel from our presence is where the real impact is made.

Focus less on always having to say or do exactly the right thing. A lot of times, the stress and anxiety produced by this desire becomes counterproductive to the very message we’re working so hard to get right.

Focus on being instead.

Being intentional. Being compassionate. Being mindful. Being grateful. Being calm.

Being at peace.

Our impact outward will ripple in proportion to the impact we’ve made on ourselves inward.

Criticism Surgery

Published on February 21, 2022

Want to learn how to become shielded from the unsolicited, hateful, derogatory critiques of others? Stamp this onto your brain:

Don’t accept criticism from people you wouldn’t go to for advice.

Someone called you dumb? Would you ever ask this person for their honest opinion on your character? No? Then why listen to them when you didn’t ask?

Someone hated on your creation? Is this the type of person who actually understands this type of creation and can genuinely comment? No? Then why take their comment to heart?

Someone said something rude or hurtful? If I told you to list your top 5 favorite people to get advice from, would this person be on that list? No? Then why let them on that list now?

And if the answer is ever, “Yes”—you would go to this person for advice—then it’s important to reflect on the following:

(1) Is this the best person for you to be going to for advice? People who give advice in hateful, derogatory, negative ways may cause more harm to our path forward than benefit.

(2) If the answer is still yes, then, assuming there is anything constructive in their feedback, we must train our minds to surgically remove the gems from the emotional weight that burdens and collapses in on what’s said.

Because here’s the bottom line: feedback won’t always come in a pretty package.

And if we can learn how to accept what’s useful, how to disregard what (and who) is not, and how to keep ourselves in mentally healthy places so we can conduct criticism surgery with precision and poise at even a moment’s notice—our growth will become inevitable.