What Did They Say?
As we think about speeches that have moved us
…whether at a Commencement,
…from the TED stage or in a keynote,
…from a funeral or sermon,
what we often recall is a single line that touched us deeply.
I have curated here lines from speeches that may strike a chord with you:
On making your dreams a reality…
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, but it also belongs to those who are willing to work hard to make those dreams a reality.” ~ Michelle Obama
On learning from your failures…
“Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try.” ~ Michael Jordan
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
~ Winston Churchill
“Endings are not failures; they are stepping stones to something greater.”
~ Arianna Huffington
On starting now…
“Your time is now. Start where you stand and never back down.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
“The future depends on what you do today.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.” ~ Orison Swett Marden
“You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward. Just take the next step.”
~ Unknown
On your leadership…
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” ~ Simon Sinek
“Leadership is not about being the best; it’s about making everyone else better.”
~ Bill Walton
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. They are the ones that inspire others to do great things.” ~ Ronald Reagan
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” ~ Sheryl Sandberg
If you’d like to receive these Inspirations in your inbox every other week, you can subscribe to Kathy’s Excellence Advantage Inspirations Newsletter.
Kathy Letendre, President and Founder of Letendre & Associates, advises organizations and leaders to create their excellence advantage.
Contact Kathy by phone or text at 802-779-4315 or via email.