Hi, SE Readers! Joan here on this Monday morning. No matter if we’ve been writing twenty years or twenty days, if we have dozens of published books or none, most of us have times when we get discouraged.
Sometimes we may even want to give up. But then, you’ll come across a quote, a line in a movie, or a sentence in a book that makes a significant impact on your life. Often, these things come when you need it the most.
So today, I’m going to share a few quotes that have made an impact on my life and my writing career.
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ― C. S. Lewis
I’ve often said that I wish I had begun writing at an earlier age. I could let those regrets keep me from writing now, or I can choose to write. The quote by C. S. Lewis is an excellent reminder that we are never too old to begin something new.
“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.”—Vincent van Gogh
In one of the first writing classes I took, the instructor used this quote by van Gogh. He referenced painting, but it equally applies to writing. I struggled with self-doubt for years but this quote has made a big impact on me. Now, whenever my inner voice tells me, “You cannot write,” then I write. Writing silences that voice.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill
There are times when we will succeed and times when we will fail. If we stop with our first success—whether it is a freelance writing opportunity or a published book, we will miss some great opportunities. Likewise, if we let our failures (and there will be some) to discourage us to the point of quitting, we will never succeed. We must have the courage to continue.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison
Imagine what could have happened if Thomas Edison had given up after two or three attempts at inventing the light bulb. As writers, if we quit after two or three rejections, we will never succeed. Keep striving!
“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.”—Chinese Proverb
The life of a writer is indeed a journey—often filled with unexpected twists and turns. It is a marathon—not a sprint. Sometimes the journey is difficult, but remember, we need to take only one step at a time.
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can somehow become great.” Mark Twain
I don’t like to be around negative people—those that always think the worst and never see anything positive in any situation. Likewise, beware of those who belittle and berate you. They can destroy your self-confidence and ambitions in a heartbeat.
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt
The last quote speaks for itself. Believe!You!Can!
What are some quotes or words that have made an impact on your writing life? Please share in the comments.
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You turned blah into ah with this post Jan. (More post-its for my office.) I wear a ring that is inscribed “be true to your dreams” and on dark days a glimmer of light finds its way to the silver band and reminds me…
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Love the inscription on your ring. And yes, some days we just need a reminder…
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Thank you Joan. 🙂
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Love these quotes! Each is a good reminder to keep moving. Persistence!
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Glad you enjoyed them, Julie!
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Love these quotes, Joan. They are timeless (which is nice, because I’m a day late reading your post!) Since I didn’t start writing my first novel until age 69, I’m especially in love with the first one, but every one of them is powerful, and worth remembering. Thanks for sharing!
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I began writing (seriously) in my fifties. So yes, that first quote really meant a lot to me. Thanks for commenting, Marcia!
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These were awesome quotes, Joan. I especially love the one by Thomas Edison. I never heard that before, but it’s just become a favorite.
Thanks for the Monday motivation! 🙂
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Yeah, that’s a good one. There’s a video somewhere about famous failures. Edison is included, along with people like Abraham Lincoln and the Beatles. Imagine if they had stopped after Decca Records turned them down. Decca’s loss was EMI’s (and the world’s) gain. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Archer's Aim and commented:
Inspiration and encouragement from Joan Hall in today’s Story Empire post! Great job, Joan!
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Thanks, P.H.
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YW!
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A great post to start a new week. Love all the quotes. I feel so motivated now. Thank you, and happy writing to you.
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Some days we just need a little encouragement. Glad these motivated you!
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A fabulous way to begin the day! Thanks for sharing, Joan. Many of these are my favourites too. Cheers! 🙂
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Glad you liked them, Natalie. I have a lot of inspiring quotes that I’ve saved. These are among my favorites.
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Love these quotes, Joan. The perfect encouragement for a Monday morning. 🙂
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Yes, Mondays. Always good to have encouragement on the beginning of the week.
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These are all great quotes. Thanks so much for sharing them, Joan. My favorite quote is by anonymous – “Imagine with all your mind, Believe with all your heart, Achieve with all your might.” Happy Monday!
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I like that one, Jan! Hope you’ve had a great Monday!
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I love the quotes! Some of my favorites are up there. One that has helped me with my anxiety is, “Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles; it empties today of its strength.” – Unknown
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I like that one, Yvette. And it’s so true!
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Great quote, Yvi! 🙂
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‘Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are. It relies solely on what you think.’ (The Buddha)
What we tell ourselves is so important. As you wrote above, if we think we can’t then we can’t, and if we believe we can then we can.
Thanks for this lovely post, Joan 🙂
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That’s a good one, Harmony. Today’s post is a bit different, but we can all use some encouragement now and then.
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“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” —Arthur Ashe
I only came across this one recently, but I find it very applicable, especially for those just starting out on their writing journey. Regardless of the result, you learn something new every time you write. Therefore, every time you write, you get better.
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Great quote, Rebecca. And it’s so true in regards to writing. You are right, we should strive to get better and learn something new with everything we write.
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