How a Good Quote Can Help Us Achieve Our Goals

If you’ve been following A Simple and Contented Life on Instagram you’ll have noticed that each week I post an inspirational quote. Proving far more popular than I’d anticipated, it seems that everyone loves a good quote! The number of likes, comments and follows that the quotes I’ve shared have generated in such a short space of time got me to wondering what it is about them that people love so much. I have to admit I’m a bit of a sucker for quotes and it would seem that many of my readers are too! But why is that? What is it about quotes that makes us love them so much?

When looking at those I’d shared plus a few of my other favourites, I very quickly realised that they were all providing some kind of inspiration or motivation. I realised that when used in the right way, quotes can be incredibly powerful. Not only can these little nuggets of wisdom help us find direction and clarity, they can help us achieve our goals too.

The power of a good quote…

Quotes have the power to lift us up when we’re feeling low and they give us guidance when we’re feeling lost. They encourage us when our confidence needs a boost and they reassure us we’re going through the same things as everyone else. Motivating us to keep going when times are hard, they give us the kick we need when we’re procrastinating. They also serve as great reminder of the things that truly matter and show us it’s possible to achieve our dreams. It’s hardly surprising therefore, that quotes are so popular.

So how can quotes help us achieve our goals?

When it comes to achieving our goals a quote or two can keep us motivated and help us to stay on track. If chosen carefully the words can act as a daily reminder of why we want to achieve our goal and encourage us to keep going until we succeed. No matter what we want to achieve, guaranteed there is a quote out there to help us do it. A quick search on Google or Pinterest will reveal hundreds of quotes relating to goal setting, motivation, self-improvement, losing weight, nurturing friendships and improving relationships.

But how do you choose one that’s really going to help? First think about what you want from the quote – what is it you need to achieve your goals? Do you need direction? Motivation? Encouragement? A daily reminder to keep going and not give up? Once you’ve figured this out search for one that truly resonates and save it. Refer to it every time you need that little nudge and you’ll be amazed at just how much it can help you succeed. I keep all my favourite quotes in a notebook and read through it every time I need a gentle reminder or inspiration. If notebooks aren’t your thing, you could try:

Using the quote as the lock screen on your phone
Using it as a screensaver on your desktop
Printing it out and sticking it on your fridge
Framing it and putting it on your wall
Creating a Pinterest board and saving all your favourite quotes there

How quotes have helped me…

My notebook is full of my favourite quotes and every single one has helped me one way or another. Not only do they motivate and inspire me, they also encourage me to keep going when times are tough. Below are five of the quotes that have had the biggest impact on me. Here’s what I’ve learnt and how they can help you too…

“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve” J.K. Rowling

This quote by J. K. Rowling is definitely one of my favourites. The thought of pursuing something we love, of making a change for the better can be pretty scary. Putting ourselves out there and showing our vulnerabilities is terrifying. We’re afraid we might fail, that we’ll look stupid or that we’ll be judged. Our fear of the unknown has the power to hold us back and prevent us from chasing our dreams if we let it. But if we have enough nerve to push past those fears, to be brave and step outside our comfort zones, anything is possible.

J. K. Rowling had her manuscript for the first Harry Potter book refused twelve times before it was accepted by Bloomsbury. Imagine how different things would have been if she’d given up at the first hurdle. J. K. Rowling is living proof that anything is possible if you’ve got enough nerve. This quote gives me the kick I need every time I’m scared of starting something new. This time last year I was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, now I’m chasing my dream of becoming a full-time blogger. Never be afraid of putting yourself out there and pursuing something you love.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time” Thomas Edison

Having enough nerve to step out into the unknown and chase your dreams is one thing. The ability to keep going when things get tough is quite another. Not giving up can be hard. It’s so easy to throw in the towel, to walk away when things aren’t going as planned. But if it feels right, if it’s something we believe in, something we know we need to do, we have to just keep going. Like Dory in Finding Nemo, if we want to achieve, we have to just keep swimming, just keep trying, just keep pushing through. If we try one more time we may actually find the answers we’re looking for.

Whenever I feel like I’m failing, that I’m not making headway, I refer back to this quote. It always gives me the encouragement I need to keep going. It’s taught me that whilst I may not have all the answers, whilst I might not yet know which route to take, if I keep going, the answers will come to me. So whenever you feel like giving up, always try just one more time.

“The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem. Do you understand?” Jack Sparrow

I’m a firm believer that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. We might not always be able to control what happens to us but we can control how we respond. We have the power to choose whether we let a situation bring us down or whether we take a positive from it. It’s all about mindset. My breast cancer diagnosis could have easily got the better of me, but I chose to learn from it. I learnt that spending quality time with those I love mattered more than anything else. It gave me the strength to chase my dreams, to share my story in the hope that it encourages others too. Next time you’re faced with a problem, think about how you could react. Try taking something positive from the experience rather than something negative.

“There is no need of any competition with anybody. You are yourself and as you are, you are perfectly good. Accept yourself” Oshu

It’s taken me a while but I’ve learnt that no matter what I do, I’m still stuck with me. And that’s not a bad thing. Friendships change and people come and go but I will always be me. It’s a working progress but I’m learning to be kinder to myself and accept myself for who I am and it’s important you do the same. If we want to love the life we have, we have to first love ourselves. It’s so easy to be our own worst critics, but we cannot be truly happy and love those who love us until we have first learnt to accept who we are. This quote serves as a daily reminder for me to not be so hard on myself. To not put so much pressure on myself and for me to accept that I am perfectly good as I am.

“Find your tribe and love them hard” Unknown

I love this quote! I can’t remember where I found it now but it’s framed and hung on the wall of my hallway along with my favourite photos of our closest friends and family. Over the years I’ve learnt that family isn’t just about blood relations, it’s also about the friends we find along the way. I count myself lucky to have a small close-knit group of friends who mean the absolute world to me. I feel like I’ve known them forever and I’m fortunate enough that my Hubby is friends with them too. Find your tribe and love them hard. Cherish and nurture those relationships. They’re the ones who’ll be there for you when you need them the most.