Quotes About Motivation

Holding your brain hostage against your own stupidity—that was how to get stuff done.

This is genius, Brightness. Truly." She smiled. They liked to say that, and she appreciated the sentiment. The truth was, she merely knew how to harness the genius of others—as she was hoping to harness the storm.

Music is pretty much the lifestyle, not the music itself. The lifestyle really pulled me off the street. Made me want to do something organized and positive.

Why would you do that?

DIG Deep—get deliberate, inspired, and going.

It's not what you do; it's why you do it that makes the difference.

As researcher and writer Sherry Turkle says, "Boredom is your imagination calling to you.

If we want to reignite innovation and passion, we have to rehumanize work.

At some point, if everything on the list is important, then nothing is truly a driver for you.

If you find yourself leading a team or culture in which criticism outweighs contribution, make a conscious and resolute decision to stop rewarding the former.

The best definition of power comes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He described power as the ability to achieve our purpose and to effect change.

Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. – Howard Thurman

Perfectionism is more about perception than internal motivation, and there is no way to control perception, no matter how much time and energy we spend trying.

The three parts are goal, pathway, and agency. We can identify a realistic goal (I know where I want to go), and then we can figure out the pathway to get there, even if it's not a straight line and involves a Plan B and scrappiness (I know I can get there because I'm persistent and I will keep trying in the face of setbacks and disappointment). Agency is belief in our ability to stay on that path until we've arrived (I know I can do this).

who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.

The invitation is to think about the intention behind our choices

Adam Grant has been the top-rated professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for seven years. As an organizational psychologist, he is a leading expert on how we can find motivation and meaning, and live more generous and creative lives.

I think it's also important to ask, "What need is driving this behavior?" and "Am I trying to reach, hurt, or connect with someone specifically, and is this the right way to do it?

According to research, confusion has the potential to motivate, lead to deep learning, and trigger problem solving.

her job was creating the space for others to perform.

Make a list of the work that inspires you. Don't be practical. Don't think about making a living; think about doing something you love. There's nothing that says you have to quit your day job to cultivate meaningful work. There's also nothing that says your day job isn't meaningful work—maybe you've just never thought of it that way. What's your ideal slash? What do you want to be when you grow up? What brings meaning to you?

Setting realistic goals is a skill and a prerequisite for hope.

Enthusiasm! this is the sign that the creative fountain is in you. "Enthusiasm is the All in All," said Blake. I must tell you this often.]

Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action.