Tag Archives: motivation

Jawaharlal Nehru on the Risk of Caution

The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all – Jawaharlal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India

I’m a personal finance junkie so the first example of this that comes to mind is saving in “guaranteed” rate CDs which provide a guaranteed but low return, but typically does not even grow at the rate of inflation. You don’t risk money on market fluctuations, so it seems cautious. However, you’re actually guaranteed to lose money in terms of your purchasing power due to inflation.

On the career front, I see people stay in jobs or business ventures they aren’t happy with for too long. They can’t afford the risk of losing the income. In the meantime, they also lose the possibility of a better income elsewhere, or at least sustainability and happiness.

What are you missing by not making a move, making a decision, starting or ending something?

Where in your life – career, finances, relationships or somewhere else – are you too cautious?

Is the pursuit of caution actually opening you up to greater risk?

Thomas N. Vail on Overcoming Obstacles

Real difficulties can be overcome, it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable – Thomas N. Vail 

Are you being conquered by worries that haven’t been realized yet?

Can you recall worries from the past? Did anything of them ever happen?

What if you divided your worry time in half and spent one half worrying (because habits aren’t changed overnight) and one half working on one small step?

Jane Addams on the Danger of Giving Up Too Soon

Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world – Jane Addams 

Some people are held back by fear – fear of failure, fear of success. Addams points out fear can propel us forward: we might instead fear not doing enough, not making a valuable contribution.

This Addams quote also calls on each of us to save the world. Our contribution might be the tipping point. We MUST continue sharing our gifts.

Where are you holding back?

For what dream can you expend an additional push, more inspired effort?

How would you act if you knew your efforts might save the world?