Self-motivation is a Must for All Leaders

“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily,” said Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker and author of See You at the Top.

Leaders are always susceptible to personal motivation and inspiration-drain because they are constantly motivating and inspiring others. That is just the nature of the job. What many do not realize is that they also need to constantly replenish their self-motivation and self-inspiration. Just like a fine-tuned race car requires high octane high quality racing fuel and needs to be refueled regularly, leaders also need their high quality driving force refueled regularly.

Not maintaining your motivation at high levels results in lowered performance and productivity for you and your team.

Realizing this and taking action is the first step in self-motivation. There are a number of ways to refuel. However one quick simple way is to use a collection of quotes that speak to you, uplift you or motivate you. Below is a small collection that you can add to as needed to begin your day, to boost your performance or when you just need that something extra.

Quotes to Stay at the Top of Your Game

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." – Albert Einstein

“If we all did the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.” – Thomas Edison

“I don’t think of work as work and play as play. It’s all living.” – Sir Richard Branson

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison

“Losers visualize the penalties of failure. Winners visualize the rewards of success.” –
William S. Gilbert

"To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when no one else will." –
Sugar Ray Robinson

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” – Bill Cosby

“If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride – and never quit you'll be a winner.” – Paul “Bear” Bryant

“Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.” – Stephen R. Covey

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

"Men are born to succeed, not to fail." – Henry David Thoreau

Note – there is a difference in refueling your self-motivation and refueling inspiration. It takes words with different energy to inspire versus motivate. The list below is intended to be the beginning of refueling your inspiration – which leads to break-through thinking, problem solving and innovation.

Quotes to Inspire

“The secret to being wrong isn’t to avoid being wrong! The secret is being willing to be wrong. The secret is realizing that wrong isn’t fatal.” – Seth Godin

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” – Leo Tolstoy

“You don’t need someone to tell you what to do. You know what you need to do. Do it.” - Randy Gage

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” – Walt Disney

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” - Abraham Lincoln

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain

“I can't believe that God put us on this earth to be ordinary.” – Lou Holtz

“You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” – Zig Ziglar

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”— Norman Vincent Peale

"An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere while a pessimist sees only the red light …he truly wise person is color blind." – Dr. Albert Schweitzer

"Time is the coin of life. Only you can determine how it will be spent." – Carl Sandburg

“Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein

The quotes in both of these categories are all about helping you maintain and grow your personal and professional leadership performance. Add to these examples and create your own mini list you can take with you, load onto your mobile devices or use as post-it note reminders for an instant uplift – a necessity for a busy leader.

© Pat Heydlauff, all rights reserved 2013