Have you ever read a quote that instantly hit you right in the heart and had such an affect on you that it has anchored into your soul?
I have had two quotes in my life that have changed the way I view the world, challenges and my life. They have helped me to push through difficult times and to get back up when I have fallen and thought there was no way I could get back up again. These quotes have molded me and helped direct my decisions in life – I hope that they will resonate within you too or at least be a guiding light in the darkness next time you are faced with a difficult choice.
MY FIRST LIFE CHANGING QUOTE
The first quote or saying that changed my life came from a poster my parents bought me when I was a child. This poster hung in my room until I was teenager and we moved to Durban from Cape Town, South Africa.
Here is a picture of it:
“Adversity can make you strong”
This is the poster I saw everyday. It was a great cause of reflection for me as I thought about the implications of the words with the image.
The adversity of the bird breaking it’s way out of it’s egg will give the bird the strength it will need to survive in the world. Similarly, we are all faced with challenges and difficult times, but if we see the challenge as an opportunity instead of as an obstacle, then we place ourselves in a position of power and strength in order to learn and to grow. No challenge is too great to overcome, it is only you who decides whether you will accept the opportunity to grow or not.
MY SECOND LIFE ALTERING QUOTE
I found this quote online when I was about 18 years old. I wrote a whole bunch of quotes on pieces of cardboard and stuck them onto my wall. Out of all the quotes this one has stuck with me the most, came to my memory the most and resonated with the most.
The quote by Henry Ford:
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way you are right.”
This was the moment that truly changed me. I realized that my destiny was purely up to me and what I chose to achieve.
Despite what anyone else would say – I knew that I was the only one who could decide for myself what was possible for me.
THE TRUTH
These two quotes have helped me make decisions that were tough or scary or very hard. They helped me to overcome the death of my younger brother and be able to open myself up to pain, regret, sorrow – which helped me to be more underst anding to others, more patient and kind.
I have been able to face my fears, for example the fear of heights:
Me jumping off Moses Mabidah Stadium in Durban
The fear of drowning and the ocean:
This is me scuba diving in Zanzibar
This year I will be competing in my very first Triathlon, something I have wanted to do for a few years now. What you don’t know about this dream is the amount of effort, early mornings, hours and hours of training, running, swimming and cycling that I have put into this…mornings when it is still very dark and very cold, mornings where I have trained by myself. I have endured and am now prepared to face this challenge.
Another big dream of mine was realized a few weeks ago as I got married to my best friend – I’m a super blessed man!
One of my greatest personal triumphs came as I created a guide that I was very skeptical of releasing as I was not sure how successful it would be – and the thought of not succeeding crippled me into not releasing the guide. It took a bit of time for me to fight the doubts that filled my mind, but through constant effort I finally overcame them.
I’m sure you too have had a dream, but when the thought of going for it seemed too big, you got scared or began to find excuses as to why it was not possible, why you would fail.
Maybe you went for it, but didn’t find immediate success and so put the dream aside.
The guide I wrote is the Go Go Bum Bum Go Go (You can grab a free copy by clicking here).
I wrote this guide to help others take back control of their lives, stick to their goals, and achieve their dreams – through the one principle I have learned over the years that has helped me reach my dreams and to stick through tough times.
No dream is too impossible, too big – only YOU can decide what is possible for you!
Remember:
“Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way you are right”
“Adversity can make you strong”
I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below this article in the comments section. Let me know what your one big dream is. I’ll reply to every comment!
Also, grab a FREE copy of the “Go Go Bum Bum Go Go” by clicking here.
Let me know what you think of the guide and which chapter was an eye opener for you – I’d love getting some feedback!
Now go out there and be extraordinary!
Your Friend
Grant