3 powerful quotes to uplift your spirit—and those of your employees

A timely quote can stir your soul and alter your mindset.

Wise words pack the power to persuade and embolden, to inspire and motivate, and to lighten our emotional load. Hope and encouragement seem in short supply these days, so why not spend a few moments reflecting on a few choice excerpts?

Here are three quotes from the upcoming issue of Bits & Pieces on Leadership to wrestle with, offered in no particular order:

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

– Rosa Parks

How much of our lives are dictated, shaped and contorted by fear? Fear of the unknown, fear of being alone, fear of a virus, fear of economic ruin. There’s plenty to be scared of these days, but what good does worrying do? Take precautions, certainly. Be careful and smart in your daily choices. But also make a conscious choice to face each day with courage.

Speaking of which:

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.”           

– Maya Angelou

That’s a harsh bit of truth, isn’t it? Whether you’re striving to improve at work or in your personal life, sustained success requires courage, boldness and fortitude. It’s an everyday essential, though it’s easy to get discouraged, deflated and downright disheartened.

Thankfully, “courage” is not mere bravado. It’s not an attribute limited to swashbuckling, villain-punching justice fighters. According to Psychology Today, you can boost “emotional courage” by:

• Not overthinking it.
• Focusing on the threshold, not the act itself.
• Committing yourself ahead of time.
• Recruiting a friend to help you through a tough conversation or interaction.
• Doing something similar in a less scary setting.
• Focusing on how good it will feel after you’ve said your piece.
• Thinking of the doors that will open for you—if you take that leap.

There is power in positive thinking—and it helps to view others in a similarly rosy light.

“Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.”

– Indra Nooyi 

Imagine a world in which people gave people the benefit of the doubt. How much healthier would we be as a society? How much less anger, hatred and stress would we lug around if we simply “assumed positive intent?”

How we choose to interpret others’ actions—for better or worse—is something within our control. There’s no foolproof way to avoid workplace conflict or nettlesome colleagues, but “assuming positive intent” is a good start toward a more harmonious environment.

For more timely and uplifting motivation and inspiration, subscribe to Bits & Pieces on Leadership today.