What other people want

"You can't base your life on other people's expectations."

Stevie Wonder

Going new places

"I love strange choices. I'm always interested in people who depart from what is expected of them and go into new territory."

Cate Blanchett
Actress

Making things better

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better."

Barbara Pletcher
Author

Leaving the future open

"To believe in something not yet proved and to underwrite it with our lives: it is the only way we can leave the future open."

Lillian Smith
1897-1966, Writer

What success consists of

"When I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck."

Estee Lauder
Entrepreneur

Becoming what we believe

"Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it. I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning."

Mahatma Gandhi

What life is made of

"Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindness and small obligations, given habitually, are what win and preserve the heart and secure comfort."

Humphry Davy
1778-1829, Chemist

Where maturity begins

"Maturity begins when we're content to feel we're right about something, without feeling the necessity to prove someone else is wrong."

Sydney J. Harris
1917-1986, Syndicated Columnist

Small people -- and great people

"Keep away from small people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

Mark Twain

2 types of people

"The world is divided into people who do things, and people who get credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class, there is far less competition."

Dwight Morrow

Something so big

"Set a goal to achieve something that is so big, so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time. It must be a goal that is so appealing, so much in line with your spiritual core that you can't get it out of your mind. If you do not get chills when you set a goal, you're not setting big enough goals."

Bob Proctor

Changing what you are doing

"If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it."

Roger Babson
1875-1967