Who Will Cry When You Die?

by Robin Sharma

98. Collect Quotes That Inspire You

If you have read The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari or any of my other books, you know that I love using quotations from the world’s great thinkers. I never knew why I loved these as much as I do until one of my mentors, after reading a manuscript I’d written, said, “You love quotations for the same reason I do, Robin. A great quote contains a wealth of wisdom in a single line.”

So often in my readings, I come across just the right quote, which contains the ideal answer to a challenge I am facing. And my mentor was right. The value of a great quote does lie in the fact that it contains a world of wisdom, wisdom that may have taken the author many years to arrive at, in a line or two.

Over the next few weeks, start your own collection of quotations, words that you can keep referring to when you need some instant inspiration or advice about how to deal with those curves life sometimes sends our way. Another effective way that I use quotes is to paste them in places where I know I will see them throughout the day, such as on my bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator door, on the dashboard of my car and throughout my office. This simple discipline keeps me focused on what’s essential during busy times, positive during trying times and centered on the principles of real success. On my personal computer, I have now collected hundreds of quotes from great leaders, thinkers, poets and philosophers on subjects such as how to deal with adversity, the meaning of life, the value of self-improvement, the importance of helping others, the power of our thoughts and the need for a strong character.