Collected over the years

Quotes

Words worth keeping, one at a time.

Dreaming

January 31, 2026

“A big dream is as much work as a small dream. So dream big.”

- Jorge Lemann

Rules for Success

December 26, 2025

One of the best gifts I was ever given.

When I was twenty-one years old, fresh out of college and about to start my first job, my father gave me a handwritten list of instructions.

Here are my dad’s rules for success:

Do at least 10% more than you are asked.
Never, ever, to anybody, present as fact, opinions on things you don’t know. Take great care and discipline.
Be courteous and considerate always— up and down.
Don’t knock, don’t complain—stick to constructive, serious criticism.
Don’t be afraid to make decisions when you have the facts on which to make them.
Quantify where possible.
Be open-minded but skeptical.
Be prompt.

I’ve passed these same rules on to my own children and the original copy hangs next to my bathroom mirror.

- Marc Randolph via Twitter/X

Director

May 20, 2025

I was an accidental entrepreneur but serial now. I don’t think I’ll ever work for anyone else and likely will move from one thing to another so for me it’s a personality trait. I get bored easy and need to move on to something else. But I don’t have a risk taking personality. I am more trained there by mentally pushing myself to take the next step.

It doesn’t come easy but I view my life as if I was watching a movie about my life. I want to watch an amazing interesting movie. To make that happen it’s like I’m directing a scene and tell myself that in this scene take the next step and let’s see what happens. It’s uncomfortable for me but I pretend it’s not. People view me as very assured and confident whereas in reality it’s the director asking the actor to be very assured and confident in this scene.

- Several-Ad2548 on Reddit

Waiting

January 7, 2025

If you wait until you are ready, it is almost certainly too late.

-Seth Godin

Donkey

January 23, 2024

If hard work leads to success, the donkey would own the farm.

- Old rural saying

Who's left

September 1, 2023

The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen.

- Phil Knight

Risk

August 7, 2023

If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.

-Erica Jong

You Are Enough

July 31, 2023

“Tibetan Buddhist texts liken this type of addictive behavior to ‘licking honey off a razor.’ The initial sensation may be sweet, but the underlying effect is quite damaging. Seeking satisfaction in others or in external objects or events reinforces a deep and often unacknowledged belief that we, as we are, are not entirely complete; that we need something beyond ourselves in order to experience a sense of wholeness or security or stability.”​**
_
**—_ Joyful Wisdom byYongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Happiness

January 31, 2023

There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.

— Thich Nhat Hanh

Options

June 21, 2022

“Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side because it is fake.”

- Betty Rocker

Decisions

May 20, 2022

Observe people wherever you will and you will notice that those who cannot make up their minds are neither popular nor successful.

- N. Hill

Direction

December 12, 2021

“You only need to know the direction, not the destination. The direction is enough to make the next choice.”

— James Clear

Act

September 17, 2021

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer the negative elements in your life, don’t sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy!”
**
**— Dale Carnegie

Doubts

May 10, 2021

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

Beginnings

February 15, 2021

Realists

January 29, 2021

Procrastination and Perfection

January 18, 2021

Karate

November 2, 2020

Every black belt is a white belt who didn’t quit.

Adversity

September 27, 2020

A calm sea does not produce a skilled sailor.

Value Prop

September 4, 2020

A lot less people would buy a lottery ticket if the rule was “pick a number between 1 and 300 million. If you guess right, you win.”