Any time you get jazzed by a quote it means you’ve connected the dots. The quote is touching the dots of your experience, convictions, beliefs, and your hopes & dreams.
The quote is working as a dot connector for you.
You don’t get jazzed by all quotes. How about this:
“Everyone looks at your watch and it represents who you are, your values, and your personal style.”
— Kobe Bryant
Hmmm. For me, who cares? So what? You might be jazzed, but it’s not connecting any of my dots.
Try another one:
If what you say has value, it will last longer than you will
— Vance Havner
Anything there for you? If so, why?
Quotes that speak to you say something you know is true but you didn’t know it was true in exactly that way. If it rings, it might be because those exact words in that exact order create a stronger or more meaningful connection with other things you feel and know are true.
Let’s try a few more:
I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book
— Groucho Marx
Talent is God-given, be grateful.
Fame is man-given, be humble.
Conceit is self-given, be careful.
— John Wooden
Any of those talking to you? Does each feel different to you? Why?
One more:
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm
— Winston Churchill
If that rings your bell, maybe it’s because you know what failure feels like – for you that’s a dot. Maybe you want success and have hopes and dreams – another dot. And maybe you’re encouraged to hear someone say this quote because now you know at least one other person understands. That’s another dot. The words tied things together.
The next time you you get jazzed by a quote, know that you’ve just connected the dots.
Think of a favorite quote. What experiences, convictions, beliefs, and hopes & dreams do those words bring alive?
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This is Day 21 of 31 Days of Connecting the Dots: make more sense of your life, your world, your hopes and dreams.
