[1]
The number of great posts here about the importance of reading the
classics [2] to improve oneself made me think that I should share with
your some of my favorite motivational quotes by some of my favorite
classical authors. If the classics can help us educate ourselves, then
their authors, many of whom have struggled and persevered in the
writing of these massive cultural books, can certainly help us
motivate ourselves.
Here is a selection of five quotations from my quotebook; I often turn
to many of these quotes when I find myself in the midst of an enormous
challenge or when my spirits flag on some of the more stressful days.
I hope they can be of some use to you.
*"I was working on a proof of one of my poems all the morning, and
took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back in." –Oscar Wilde*
This quote by the famous playwright Oscar Wilde motivates me to
constantly pay close attention to the details of all aspects of my
life, especially my writing and blogging. At first glance, the
quotation speaks to the frustrating nature of writing; however, I
believe it also shows that without being extremely motivated, one
could never have the patience to succeed in the face of so many
annoying, seemingly trivial details. However, ultimately, those
details are just as important in life as the overall flow of things.
*"I admit that twice two makes four is an excellent thing, but if we
are to give everything its due, twice two makes five is sometimes a
very charming thing too." –Fyodor Dostoyevsky*
I very much enjoy this quotation because it reminds me that creativity
can be a great motivational agent. All too often we remained trapped
in the status quo; we don't think to look for the pleasures that can
come from imagination and the unknown. Dostoyevsky reminds me here to
look for and thrive on the unexpected, to be charmed by things I
cannot control or that seem impossible. By seeking impossibility, I
can overcome my own limits.
*"Life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us
from the beginning." –Virginia Woolf*
I love this quote because it speaks to how delicate and beautiful life
can be. This quote motivates me to constantly enjoy the envelope of my
life, to 'stop and smell the roses,' so to speak. Woolf was well know
for her writing about the passage of time, how it often can speed
incessantly forward or slow to a near stop as we pass through each
life's experience. This quotation reminds me that, regardless of how
quickly or slowly each moment passes me by, it is a beautiful thing
and I must appreciate it.
*"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed
by preparation, foolish preparation?" –Jane Austen*
Many times I have failed to take advantage of a wonderful opportunity
because I delayed in order to make sure I had carefully evaluated all
of my options. Such evaluation is a good thing, usually, unless it
takes the form of subconscious procrastination. Austen encourages us
to seize the moment of our happiness. First we must learn to recognize
that opportunity, and then we must act. I still struggle with this to
this day; however, I have gotten better as time has passed.
*"It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are
alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and
we must hunger for them." –George Eliot*
Finally, this quotation by Eliot keeps me dreaming and yearning for
good in my life. This desire motivates me to do everything I can to
achieve my goals and to succeed. Without this desire, I would remain
stagnant and anxious. But, because I have something to look forward to
each day I wake up, I am an active person who feels confident that I'm
actively living a better live.
**
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_This guest post is contributed by *Kitty Holman*, who writes on the
topics of nursing colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email
Id: kitty.holman20@gmail.com [3]._
Links:
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[1] http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pickthebrain.com%2Fblog%2F5-motivational-quotes-by-authors-of-the-classics%2F
[2] http://bemoreconfident.info/../improve-your-mind-by-reading-the-classics/
[3] mailto:kitty.holman20@gmail.com
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