I recently read It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be: The World’s Best Selling Book by Paul Arden. The book was first published in 2003 and is geared toward the advertising field but has gained a much wider audience. I flipped through the book and picked out a few phrases that sounded like platitudes but they caused quite an internal tug of war between my skepticism and what I’d like to believe is true or possible.  Contemplating that gap told me a lot about what might be keeping me circling instead of moving forward.

• You can achieve the unachievable.
• You must develop complete disregard for where your abilities end.
• Try to do the things you’re incapable of.
• Make your vision of where you want to be your reality.
• Nothing is impossible.
• Do not look for your next opportunity. The one you have in hand is the opportunity.
• If you can’t solve a problem, it’s because you’re playing by the rules.
• The person who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.
• How you perceive yourself is how others will see you.
• If you get stuck, draw with a different pen. Change your tools.

This small book has lots of drawings and quotes, perfect when someone needs a nudge. And who doesn’t now and then?