Yesterday, I joined The Women’s Conference community. Part of the registration process included answering “What is your favorite empowering quote?” I have so many that I like…
- Live well, laugh often, love much, which comes from a quote by Bessie Anderson Stanley
- Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive, well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming “WOO HOO, what a ride!” (not sure of the author)
- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. —Joshua J. Marine
- Minds are like parachutes, they only function when open. —Thomas Dewar
…it was hard to choose one. I ended up going with lyrics from a song. I’m much swayed by lyrics and melodies. Music itself inspires me, lifts my mood, gets me going. So, I suppose it only fitting that I selected lyrics for my empowering quote.
Finding Joy and Success Being a Consultant
The lyrics I chose are from “What Did I Do With My Life” by Lenny Kravitz. The words are about life—and a good way to approach life in general, I think—but they are also good words to live by when running a consulting practice or small business.
You can live any way you wanna
All you have to do is dance
Achieve anything you thought of
You just have to take the chance
You can fall in love with your life
‘Cause that truly is romance
What did I do with my life?
Did I learn what I came to learn?
Did I listen with my heart?
Did I do what I came to do?
And how did I play the part?
Did I see the beauty?
Because living is an art
What did I do with my life?
To me the lyrics are about taking chances, about being fully engaged, about embracing the events in your life and living to your full potential. What a great way to approach business as well, yes?
Instead of being mired in the muck — whether that muck is a pesky client, a bad economy, an unfinished business plan, a career that feels stalled or less than fulfilling, or some similar challenge that befalls most consultants and small business owners at some point — look for lessons and opportunities in each situation. Learn from them. Use them to your advantage. Let them be your inspiration to dance, to do something different if that’s what your heart tells you. While our mind is important to a successful business, so is our heart. Listen to it.
These lyrics inspire me in my life and my work, speaking to me in ways that I can’t express in words. And maybe that’s why I chose them as my empowering quote over all the others.
What inspires and empowers you? I’d love to hear.
