He had been taught as a child that Arras was a festering mass of inequity, iniquity, and waste. But all the people he met, and all the people he saw, in the smallest country village, were well-dressed, well-fed, and contrary to his expectations, industrious. They did not stand about sullenly waiting to be ordered to do things. Just like Anapestic, they were simply busy getting things done. It puzzled him. He had assumed that if you removed a human being's natural incentive to work -- his initiative, his spontaneous creative energy -- and replaced it with external motivation and coercion, he would become a lazy and careless worker. But no careless workers kept those lovely farmlands, or made the superb cars and comfortable trains. The lure and compulsion of profit was evidently a much more effective replacement of the natural initiative than he had been led to believe.

— Ursula K. Le Guin

I disagree with the adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Good intentions are powerful mindsets which will drive your actions to accomplish the results you want. Setting good intentions sets you up for success by providing you with a vision and a plan to “get ‘er done” and make it happen!

— Susan C. Young

If being brave were easy, more people would be.

— Susan C. Young

If we can cease envisaging ourselves as metaphorical fetuses, and substitute the image of a newborn child, then that will be at least a small intellectual advance. In time, perhaps, we may even learn to toddle.

— Salman Rushdie

If we seek spiritual heroism ourselves, the old ego is just back in control under a new name. There would not really be any change at all, but only disguise, just bogus self-improvement on our own terms.

— Richard Rohr

If you do not see light at the end of the tunnel, consider it an opportunity to create an opening yourself, wherever you want.

— Ashok Kallarakkal

If you try anything, if you try to lose weight, or to improve yourself, or to love, or to make the world a better place, you have already achieved something wonderful, before you even begin. Forget failure. If things don't work out the way you want, hold your head up high and be proud. And try again. And again. And again!

— Sarah Dessen

Ignoring his advice, I got up, walked over, gently rested my hands on two of their shoulders and said, “Ladies, I have to tell you how much you have impressed me. I just moved to Madison from Florida and left behind all my girlfriends. I have been sitting over there admiring your friendships. You remind me so much of my girlfriends back home, and I had to come over and speak with you.” And without missing a beat, I next asked, “Can I be your friend?” They were so impressed by my sincere request, they kindly opened their circle and invited me in.

— Susan C. Young

Imagine how many new friends you would make, how much new business you could create, and how much fun you could have by simply taking the initiative to be the inviter.

— Susan C. Young

Imagine how many new friends you would make, how much new business you could create, and how much fun you could have by simply taking the initiative to be the inviter. Try it today. Welcome new relationships into your life that would never have occurred otherwise.

— Susan C. Young