Five Quotes to Spark Transformation

If you've been reading for a while, you know I'm a big fan of using quotes in my newsletters. Quotes from great literature, eloquent speeches, and charismatic leaders offer powerful snapshots of big ideas. Distilling monumental concepts into a single sentence is inspiring, and having these nuggets of wisdom can be a real pick-me-up when we need it. And while it's tempting to bombard you with endless quotes, here are five that are currently at the top of my mind, acting as guiding principles for my own journey

We all know the saying, "Better late than never," this proverb simply dresses it up a bit. Sure, hindsight is 20/20, and maybe I should have been investing in Netflix and Amazon in 2002 instead of learning about the water cycle in the second grade. We can spend all day mulling over what we should have done yesterday, last week, or five years ago. But dwelling on "should haves" gets us nowhere. The beauty lies in the NOW. It's the gift of the present moment that allows us to take action. In six months, you'll either have six months of progress or six months of excuses - the choice is yours.

Think of one thing you've been putting off. What's one tiny step you can take today to get started?

Aristotle, the OG philosopher, has no shortage of memorable and impactful quotes. It is also no surprise that every developed society of the last 2,000 years has sought to harken back to the teachings of Ancient Greece. Aristotle understood that excellence isn't some innate gift. We aren't just BORN successful—it’s built through consistent practice. Anyone can achieve excellence by cultivating habits of virtue. Practice doesn't make perfect; practice makes habit. If we dedicate ourselves to virtuous and excellent habits, we embody them.

This one is close to my heart. As a musician, I consider Beethoven's music to be among the most divine. Renowned conductor Leonard Bernstein, the great American conductor of the twentieth century, remarked that Beethoven wrote the note that had to come next. Beethoven was so gifted as a composer that it’s as if the Universe itself were writing his music exactly as it had to be—he merely held the quill. But even beyond the realm of music, this quote speaks volumes about our lives. Imagine if the quote were rewrote as this: "To err in life is insignificant, but to live without passion is inexcusable." A passionate life is the only one worth living, in my opinion. What's the point if we aren't fueled by passion in everything we do?

Think about an area in your life where you've been phoning it in: your job, your marriage, your health, etc. How can you inject more passion into it, even if it's just a small shift in perspective?

Ackerman's words hit me hard the first time I read them, and if there were a single quote currently occupying the front burner in my mind, it's this one. How often do we just go through the motions, letting the days blur together? We're all living the length of a life - we have no choice. The question is: how well do we fill its width? The beautiful truth is that we get to decide how we do. I want to soak up every experience, every moment, every essence of this one conscious life. I know I won't see everything; I know at the end of my life, there will be things I wish I had seen or done. We all have that, and I am resolved in its comfort. But I want to be able to say, "But damn, I had a good time.” “I lived a tale worth telling." This echoes Seneca: "It is not how long you lived, but how well." Live the width of today as if it was your only chance.

Artists are pretty famous for having poetic quotes and fantastic ways to sum up large ideas. I think their secret, though, is not in some hoity-toity, ethereal place that only the fortunate few can access. Art is created through a connection with the Divine, as any great artist will tell you. The torture of art is to always strive to in some way get closer to the Divine and to bring Its character into a single piece of art, or music, or prose. Although this quote is often attributed to Picasso, the quote's true origin remains a mystery. Regardless of who said it, the sentiment rings true: Each and every person, including you, is given a gift by the Universe that only you possess. Only YOU can access it, tap into it, and use it. And when we find it, it is our duty to share it. The world needs who you were made to be, and giving your talents away in freedom of spirit is the reason you were given one. We are not meant to be selfish. Imagine if Einstein had kept his Theory of Relativity to himself. Imagine if Anne Frank had not kept a journal. Imagine if the Wright brothers hadn't shared their design for the first airplane. The list goes on. You, yes YOU, have a gift worth sharing. Your job is to discover it and give it freely.

I could drone endlessly on quotes that have in some way impacted my life, and I’m sure I will again at some point. I hope these quotes will mean something to you and that you will be able to carry these with you today, this week, and beyond. Life is lived one day at a time.

Until next time, live uninterrupted.

~Coleman