Quotes for the Road (of Life)!

Quote Power!

During a visit to my storage facility this past week, I found a box that had not been opened in some time. From this cardboard treasure chest emerged clothing that will likely never fit (or make a style resurgence) again, as well as my high school yearbook.

In looking through, seeing old friends (and hairstyles), I began to read the quotes that my classmates had selected under their photos. The sources of these words of wisdom ranged from Shakespeare and Sting to Brecht, Buddha and Bono.

When I got to mine, I couldn’t help but smile.

“There are two paths you can go by, but in the long run,
there’s still time to change the road you’re on”.

Ah yes, the immortal lyrics of Robert Plant, taken from the Led Zeppelin chestnut “Stairway to Heaven” (which has enjoyed swan song status at virtually every high school dance since 1971).

In retrospect, I have changed roads over the years. Many times. With excellent results. Occasionally with not-so-excellent results.

As a motivational speaker and coach, I often hear people talk about their roads of life, which have virtually become ruts. They feel stuck, much like the kiddie go-karts rides with the safety rail, restricting adventurous drivers from blazing their own trails beyond the limited path. When such people cannot veer from the path, they often feel doomed to a ho-hum existence in a boring bubble.

Too many lives resemble this…sadly.

If you are happy on your path, great! If not, on which road would you prefer to be traveling?

If you doubt your ability to blaze a new trail, please answer this question: Did you wake up this morning with fresh air in your lungs and a conscious desire for change in your mind?

If so, congratulations! There’s still time to change the road you’re on.

It just requires a choice. It takes the knowledge that you can travel the road desired. Not sure how? Find someone who has taken that road, and ask that person for advice and directions. Truly successful people will offer their hand willingly.

You can do this, if you truly want to. The road may not always be as smooth as you like. There may be slight impediments to your progress. You may scratch your head in wonder if part of the trail is not as obvious as you would like. Remember Lewis and Clark, the great American explorers. They explored uncharted territories of America, faced many dangers and fears, and had the incredible honor of being the first non-Native Americans to see the most amazing natural beauty of our country.

All journeys, large and small, share a common thread: they all began with a single step (paraphrased from Confucious).

What journey are you ready to take? What are the limiting beliefs currently holding you back? Are they real, or did you assemble them yourself, out of fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of trying?

In closing, I will leave you with another powerful lyric, from Aerosmith’s first album (it was my second choice for the yearbook):

“Life, in time, will take you where you want to go” (S.Tyler/J.Perry).

Where do you want to go?