What are you using your skills for and working towards? Is it the achievement of one's goal? Or financial fulfillment? Our selection of work and skills quotes is here to inspire your progress. The Oxford dictionary offers us an explanation with four options to choose from:
Zig Ziglar, in his book 'Born to Win! (Amazon) argues that it is hard to define successful outcomes of work and skills in one sentence, but instead, it consists of many things. Frankly, the definition of success is subjective. While that is indisputable, it is the role of work and having the requisite skills required for success that is clear.
Today, soft skills are more important than ever. Common traits of successful people often include a positive attitude, entrepreneurial mindset, and leadership qualities.
Below are 12 inspiring quotes about Work and Skills on the road to staying successful.
In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.
Widely known for his numerous works as a novelist, Kazantzakis was one of the Greek writers who shaped modern Greek literature. Some of his popular works that gained widespread recognition, even among native English speakers, were Zorba the Greek (1964) and The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, both on amazon).
As revealed in Kazantzakis' quote, we shouldn’t tie success to just hard work or daily affirmations. Believing is also a vital part of the process. Your hard work or affirmations won't count if you don't "first believe that you can."
Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.
Christopher Morley is an American Journalist, essayist, and novelist who spent the bulk of his life knocking off exciting stories right from college. Morley has authored over a 100 books (amazon), including articles as a columnist for the New York Post.
Achieving your definition of success can be challenging. But it's not impossible. Perseverance is the key, as revealed in Morley's work and skills quote. Reflecting on what you have achieved in life, sometimes, is all you need to keep going. Even when you feel unaccomplished. Keep working and honing the skills that you need to accomplish success.
The simple truth is that in order to become good, you have to be obsessed. You have to put in an awful lot of time and hard work and couple that with desire and unflagging perseverance.
Rated no. 7 among 10 of the greatest electric guitar players of all time by Times Magazine, Malmsteen is a force to reckon with in the world of rock. The Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader is famous for his neoclassical metal playing style in heavy metal. Check his catalog on amazon.
Hard work may be the engine of success, but it takes more than just working extra hours at your job. Committing extra time to the best isn't just enough. You have to build a lifestyle that offers no distractions from your goals. Malmsteen advises this "and unflagging perseverance" is the blue-chip for standing out.
Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door.
Chandler is an American actor famous for his roles in one of the longest-running TV series -Grey's Anatomy (amazon)- for which he earned his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Since making his debut in 1988, Chandler has starred in over 20 films, and earned over 17 nominations- winning five.
Chandler's work and skills quote is a reminder of why many people fall short on the hustle to greatness. To be successful, you must have a keen eye for spotting opportunities. There are no guarantees that someone will drop the success you are looking for in your laps. This is why you must learn to spot opportunities and grab them, as dramatically presented in Chandler’s quote.
Leave your ego at the door every morning, and just do some truly great work. Few things will make you feel better than a job brilliantly done.
Robin S. Sharma is one of the top leadership experts on management and success. His book 'The 5 am Book Club' (on amazon) blends Sharma's original insights into legendary leadership, and exponential productivity to help you produce work that allows you to have a dominant personality in your world.
Ego affects work performance. It is the ‘death’ of any individual seeking personal growth and development. You can have the best skill set in the market or the sharpest of minds, however, what counts is "just doing some truly great work."
What helps people, helps business.
The NY Times regards Leo Burnett as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Burnett, an Advertising bigwig, was responsible for some of the well-known figures in advertising and for scoring big deals with McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and Hallmark.
The lifeblood of any business is great customer service. If you want to dominate the market with your business, pay attention to your customers. Burnett sums it up with the quote: "What helps people, helps business." Ignoring complaints about your business, or the attitude of your customer agents will knock your business down in no time. If you have a workforce, teach them to be customer-friendly, accountable, and helpful.
Our greatness has always come from people who expect nothing and take nothing for granted - folks who work hard for what they have, then reach back and help others after them.
Michelle Obama is much more than the first African American First Lady of the United States. She is also a model for millions of women across the globe, as well as an advocate for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating.
A life living for others is a life worth living for. You shouldn’t see reaching out to help others as doing them a favor. Selfless service is one of the symbols of true greatness. And there's no better way to put it than in Michelle Obama's quote. Your value as a person lies in how much you help others.
Related: Our lists of mental health quotes and giving back quotes might further inspire your opportunities to support others.
Quality is not an act, it is a habit.
Although we know little about his life, Aristotle was an acclaimed Greek philosopher and the founder of the Aristotelian tradition. He wrote on diverse subjects, including physics, biology, economics, and politics.
Quality goes beyond what you did once. It takes more than just changing the way you dress or talk to for others to recognize your worth. Quality is more than an act, "it is a habit,” explains Aristotle. It is something that should be a part of your daily routine, whether at work or home or anywhere. "When you are out of quality, you are out of business," explains Phil Crosby.
I just love being able to create and make things that inspire and that make people laugh, and my motivation to keep going is to make more opportunities to do that.
Amanda Seales is an American comedian, actress, disc jockey (DJ), recording artist, television personality, VJ, author, and poet. Seales is an advocate against smoking and runs an anti-smoking campaign with Truth.
We draw inspiration from a lot of things. It can be from real-life stories to motivational talks to anything that connects to us in some way. However, the ultimate question, according to Seales, is: Are you touching lives? How much of what you do affects others positively? Questions like these may feel unsettling. But in some ways, they help check our lifestyles as individuals.
A sustainable world means working together to create prosperity for all.
Jacqueline Novogratz is an entrepreneurial bigwig and author. The American is the founder of Acumen, a non-profit, largely focused on eradicating poverty using an entrepreneurial approach. Forbes named Novogratz as one of the 100 Greatest Living Minds.
With the growing gap in personal wealth and economic differences across the globe, there is an urgent need to save our planet from hunger and poverty. Unfortunately, this problem is also evident in workplaces low wages is still a long-standing issue for many.
Novogratz's work and skills quote suggest that eliminating these gaps requires a joint effort. We should discourage unhealthy reforms that don't protect the underprivileged, especially in workplaces.
Fires can't be made with dead embers, nor can enthusiasm be stirred by spiritless men. Enthusiasm in our daily work lightens effort and turns even labor into pleasant tasks.
James Baldwin (amazon) is a famous, poet, essayist, and activist. Baldwin was a strong critic of racial discrimination and sexual and class distinctions. Many have described Baldwin as the greatest Black writer of his time.
Enthusiasm fans success. Without it, it is impossible to love your job. It is what keeps you tied down to your job even when you get nagged at by your boss. When you are enthusiastic, it sets you apart from the rest of your colleagues. And Baldwin's Work quote paints an even better picture: '’it turns even labour into pleasant tasks".
We win more business, not because of pitching but because clients say, 'We like the work you're doing.'
David Droga is an advertising executive and the founder of the agency Droga5. Droga has earned numerous awards for his outstanding works in advertising and, in 2013, became the youngest person inducted into the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame.
People and their reviews determine the success of a business, not brilliant ideas only. Droga's work and skills quote suggest a focus on delivering excellent customer service. Customers, their satisfaction, their reviews, and their recommendations, are what matters.
Success hardly ever comes easily. Other times, it's staying successful that turns out to be an even bigger problem. In the end, we achieve things because of the choices we made. Not big choices, but small, daily ones. Being successful requires work, good work, and the willingness to keep learning.
Besides, we build success on good habits. When you focus on helping others, you end up laying the groundwork for opportunities to come.
Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you'll be able to see farther.
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
A good idea is about ten percent implementation and hard work, and luck is 90 percent.
All honest work is good work; it is capable of leading to self-development, provided the doer seeks to discover the inherent lessons and makes the most of the potentialities for such growth.
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
I motivate others by making sure that they understand to go after their dreams and don't let anyone tell you you can't. If you are motivated enough and put the work in that you can achieve anything in life that you set your mind to.
All good work has magic in it, and addresses the mind in a subtle way.
Working together on solving something requires a high level of humility and a high level of self-awareness.
Careers very rarely are a waste of time; jobs usually are.
People always accuse me of being motivational in a way, like it was a bad thing, but that's just how I was raised. My mom raised me in a positive environment, with lots of love in my heart, and that reflects in my music.
When Thomas Edison worked late into the night on the electric light, he had to do it by gas lamp or candle. I'm sure it made the work seem that much more urgent.
Band members have a special bond. A great band is more than just some people working together. It's like a highly specialized army unit, or a winning sports team. A unique combination of elements that becomes stronger together than apart.
The House of Marley started with the concept of working together for a better world.
Quality is pride of workmanship.
We should empower teachers to do their job by cutting wasteful spending and crippling bureaucracy, not classroom resources our educators and students need.
Whatever you learn will never go waste. It will be beneficial for me in future.
Creating a better world requires teamwork, partnerships, and collaboration, as we need an entire army of companies to work together to build a better world within the next few decades. This means corporations must embrace the benefits of cooperating with one another.
Learning something new is a fabulous way to be refreshed. When work can grind you down, something about learning a new activity thrills the soul. It reminds you that the world is bigger than your desk and your to-do list.
Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there.
Pace, rhythm and timing. Pace, rhythm and timing is what it's about. The content's got to be great, but then it's got to be delivered. It's a tricky thing to do, and it takes a lot of work.
A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.
If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.
My motivation was an idea of being able to improve the conditions of life, to try to find a remedy to many of the problems facing the world. That's what led me into economics. I saw it as a way of helping people.
It seems like a gross waste of time to continue our career predicated on the idea that we're going to divide opinion. What's more important is just doing something that you love.
Growth hackers don't tolerate waste.
There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.
It's a lot easier to do good work when you have good words to say and work with good people.
The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first.
There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.
Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
You need lofty goals. Then cement it with a great work ethic.
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.
Whatever hardships there have been in my life I still live in a very privileged position. Fear is not knowing where your next meal is coming from. Fear is seeing a child get hurt. Fear is watching someone you love waste away. Fear is knowing you are going to die yourself. But there's no fear in what I do. I write books.
Our world faces difficult challenges, but no more so than in the past. Working together in a constructive spirit, we can assure our children the future they deserve.
Live like you'll die tomorrow, work like you don't need the money, and dance like nobody's watching.
If you love your work, you'll be out there every day trying to do it the best you possibly can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you - like a fever.
If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.
It has been a long journey, but if you dream and have the ambition and want to work hard, then you can achieve.
When you form a team, why do you try to form a team? Because teamwork builds trust and trust builds speed.
For millennials, conducting business with a purpose that goes beyond making profits is critically important in determining the kind of company they want to work for - and the kind of company with whom they are willing to do business.
Well, I think that - I think leadership's always been about two main things: imagination and courage.
This working together is just so important: you're either working together, or you're not working together.
Most of the time you will fail, but you will also occasionally succeed. Those occasional successes make all the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.
Exceptional firms have always been good at aligning their mission or purpose with their execution and, as a result, have enjoyed category leadership in sales and profits.
I really believe that everyone has a talent, ability, or skill that he can mine to support himself and to succeed in life.
Work hard. Laugh when you feel like crying. Keep an open mind, open eyes and an open spirit.
The best way to learn is by doing. The only way to build a strong work ethic is getting your hands dirty.
No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.
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