Are you having one of those days? The kind where you feel ready to throw in the towel? Maybe it’s simply the time of year, maybe you recently received some negative feedback, or perhaps it’s just the continual drain and imbalance of your input verse output ratio?
Whatever has you down today, please take a moment to pause, sit back, and soak up these 7 lessons from Dr. Seuss to help motivate you to keep going.
“And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)”
So long as you keep at it, with your end goal in mind, you will succeed. Take small steps each day towards your goal. There is no doubt that obstacles will come up along the way. A key part of the journey is overcoming the many roadblocks to success. But with your determination and time, you will succeed.
“Only you can control your future.”
Remember there will be things in your control, and things outside your control. Focus your time and energy on improving the things in your power, and accepting the things outside of this. While others will have their opinions on what you’re doing, or how well you’re doing these things, you’re the one sitting in the drivers seat with the ability to steer your future.
“It’s not about what it is. It’s about what it can become.”
Perception tests confirm to us that not everything is as it seems. When it comes to individuals, and our projects, these have the ability to grow and flourish. Identify where you could improve by listing any gaps in your (or your projects) skillset. This is the first step towards filling such holes. Keep hope in your heart, and visualize on how you would like things to become.
“You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
This is your life path, nobody else needs to understand why you are motivated to follow it. Focus on your mountain, not the mountain others want you to climb. Think about which direction you want to head in and set off. You may in fact decide along the way that you want to change your direction, for whatever reason, and this is okay too.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
Ultimately you make the decisions regarding your future. Use your unique skills and interests to get to where you want to go. It’s so common for individuals to feel pushed into an undesired direction by both the individuals around them and various social norms. Take the time to own your decision making power and consciously think about your next steps.
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Endings are inevitable. While it’s normal to experience feelings of grief when one chapter closes, try to also focus on the wonderful reasons that it was worth it in the first place.
“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
We can easily overcomplicate the solution, by listing the endless things we should be doing. When you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, (or perhaps you can’t even find a single thing to add to your list to get things moving,) bring yourself back to the original question. Ask yourself the question, and listen to your intuition. What is it telling you to do? Follow that.
Want to learn more about the motivational life of Dr. Seuss? ‘The Story of Dr. Seuss’ explores the fascinating life behind one of our favorite authors through rhyme. We know and love his books, including The Cat in The Hat, The Grinch, and Green Eggs and Ham, and now we can get to really know the man himself. Exclusive to Audible.