Inventing Life

"To invent your own life's meaning is not easy, but it's still allowed, and I think you'll be happier for the trouble."

- Bill Watterson

Underdog

Hey, that sounds like my luck
I get the short end of it
Oh I love to be
I love to be the underdog.

- Imagine Dragons, "Underdog"

Simple and Complex

"That's been one of my mantras -- focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains."

- Steve Jobs
Rest In Peace

Committed

"There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”

- Ken Blanchard

Great Things

"No great thing is created suddenly. There must be time. Give your best and always be kind."

-Epictetus

Bump in the Road

"Whenever you have any bump in the road, whether it's two weeks or two years, there are so many naysayers. Let it fuel you. Don't take it personally. Go out and prove them wrong."

- Jenny Simpson

Choice

"You have a choice. You can throw in the towel or you can use it wipe the sweat off your face."

- Gatorade Ad

Nothing to It

"If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. Anything you want to, do it. Wanna change the world? There's nothing to it..."

- Willy Wonka

Take a Risk

"If you take a risk, two things will happen. People will laugh at you. Or you’ll be way ahead of everybody else."

- Steven Tyler

Invincible

Follow through
Make your dreams come true
Don't give up the fight
You will be alright
'Cause there's no one like you in the universe

Don't be afraid
What your mind conceives
You should make a stand
Stand up for what you believe
And tonight
We can truly say
Together we're invincible

During the struggle
They will pull us down
But please, please
Let's use this chance
To turn things around
And tonight
We can truly say
Together we're invincible

Do it on your own
It makes no difference to me
What you leave behind
What you choose to be
And whatever they say
Your souls unbreakable

During the struggle
They will pull us down
But please, please
Let's use this chance
To turn things around
And tonight
We can truly say
Together we're invincible
Together we're invincible

During the struggle
They will pull us down
Please, please
Let's use this chance
To turn things around
And tonight
We can truly say
Together we're invincible
Together we're invincible

- Muse, "Invincible"

No Envy, No Fear

Some are reaching, few are there,
Wandering from a hero's chair.
Some are scared to fly so high,
Well this is how we have to try.
Have no envy and no fear.

- Joshua Radin, "No Envy, No Fear"

Winning Races

"There is a subtle difference between a mission and a promise. A mission is something you strive to accomplish- a promise is something you are compelled to keep. One is individual, the other is shared. When a mission and a promise are one and the same... that's when mountains are moved and races are won."

- Hala Moddelmog, President and CEO of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Starbucks, "The Way I See It" #299

Try

To use the word try is to quit with honor.

~Heard on the Biggest Loser

Never Give Up

Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must, just never give up.

~Dean Karnazes
Starbucks "The Way I See It #263"

Go For It

The world bursts at the seams with people ready to tell you you're not good enough. On occasion, some may be correct. But do not do their work for them. See any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. Don't take it personally when they say "no"- they may not be smart enough to say "yes."

~Keith Olberman, from Starbucks "The Way I See It #17"

Mustn'ts

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child,
listen to the dont's.
Listen to the shouldn'ts
The impossibles, the wont's
Listen to the never haves
Then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be."

~ Shel Silverstein, Listen to the Mustn'ts

What's Up Now?

"The Americans? We're going to smash them," Bernard said. "That's what we came here for."

~Alain Bernard before the 4x100 Freestyle Relay in which the USA won after coming from behind and beating the French who were talking trash.

Perdant.

Olympics Time!

"There are 6 billion of us, we all come from unique places with unique ways of looking at the world, we don't always agree, but for a few shining weeks we set it all aside, we come together to stand and cheer and celebrate as one. We forget all the things that make us different and remember all the things that make us the same."

~ Visa Commercial, Morgan Freeman's voice

Normal

"Don’t let the feeling of being normal inhibit you from achieving something extraordinary."


~Jon Rankin's blog post

Unwritten

I am unwritten,
Can't read my mind
I'm undefined
I'm just beginning
The pen's in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words
That you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten, yeah

~Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten