“If you are healthy and have food on your table, there is no excuse for not doing your best”
Mother
Read Story“If you are healthy and have food on your table, there is no excuse for not doing your best”
Mother
My mom faced some hard times when young and repeated these words to me throughout my childhood. She always tried to show that I was privileged and how others took the most of opportunities to...
“If, at the end of the day, you can look in the mirror and honestly say: ‘I have given it all’, then you are good.”
Youth coach
I learned about this saying from one of my youth coaches. It took me till I was 20 years old to realize its true meaning. Now, to me it means that I have to put...
“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) ― President of the United States, 1953-1961
I find this quote to be quite inspirational. That such a tremendous leader would attribute leadership success across disciplines, fields, etc. to a moral virtue speaks volumes in my mind.
“If you are gonna do something, do it right.”
Grandfather
Even if you think no one is watching or evaluating you, someone is. Take pride in your work, even the small things.
“Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.”
Richard Branson ― Entrepreneur/Businessman
It’s how you treat everyone that matters, not just a select few.
“You will rarely regret telling the truth.”
Former boss
My former boss greatly valued honesty and transparency as part of his management philosophy. Working in HR, I faced a number of tricky situations in which I had to balance employee and company interests. Whenever...
“Know Thyself.” + “To thine own self be true.”
A Delphic maxim + William Shakespeare (1564-1616): ‘Hamlet’ ― Poet/playwright
I pride myself on possessing high personal, situational, and contextual awareness. Its important that all leaders know their strengths and weaknesses so that they can understand how to improve themselves and lead others. I understand...
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) ― Theoretical physicist
Each person defines success differently, and your own definition of success can shift as time goes on. Because of this, striving to be a success can often be vague and unfulfilling, which is why striving...
“Integrity should be your magnetic north.”
Stryker Warren ― Healthcare consultant/Mentor at Vanderbilt University
This seems pretty obvious, but it’s a good reminder to always be honest and uphold the values you’ve established throughout your personal and professional life. Honesty takes many forms and can be difficult at times,...
“A moral backbone is important. It makes tough decisions easier and justifiable to others and it garners respect.”
Stepfather
I respect my stepdad immensely and its honestly hard to put into words why, but he’s maybe the most well-balanced person I know. His emotional relationships work out extremely well, he’s done extremely well for...