Find Your Fuel for 2017
The essence of Getting Shit Done (GSD) is momentum. Some days, when we have a lot of fuel in the tank, GSD is a breeze. Other days, it’s tough, a real grind. That’s when just the right comment can make a big difference - to remind us that we’ve got the energy it takes, the skills to crush it, and the time to do our fair share for something larger.
Here are some of my favorite examples from last year, plus a few from those who left us far too early. Each of them added fuel to my tank, for which I’m grateful. Here’s hoping they do the same for you.
"When was the last time fear did anything for you?"
Kamelle Mills, SoulCycle instructor
"We can't expect the world to get better by itself. We have to create something we can leave the next generation."
Gwen Ifill, Peabody Award-winning journalist
“Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside. Now fill the world with music, love, and pride.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Pulitzer-prize winning creator of “Hamilton”
"You have a light to share."
The Rev. Karen Oliveto, first openly gay minister elected bishop in The United Methodist Church
“Whatever your hell and back is, that’s your gift.”
Martha Beck, life coach, best-selling author
"Be a source of strength for other people on a good, shared mission, one that’s bigger than any of us."
Dave Hersh, Cofounder, Zag Partners
“Reading books remains one of the best ways to engage with the world, become a better person and understand life’s questions, big and small.”
Will Schwalbe, author of “The End of Your Life Book Club”
“The gold medal wasn’t just for me. It was for people that came before me and inspired me to stay in the sport.”
Simone Manuel, Olympian, first African American woman to win individual gold medal in swimming
“I don’t know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets.”
John Glenn, combat pilot, astronaut, U.S. Senator
“We should use our opinions to start discussions, not to end them.”
Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State
"Immerse yourself in the things you love and the people you love, and keep moving."
Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors coach
"Women my age, at 68, can be badass, too.”
Kathy Bates, Emmy-nominated actress
“Can you make it rain harder?”
Prince
I especially love that last one from Prince. You may remember the moment, if, like me, you were tuned into the Super Bowl halftime show in 2007. There had never been a downpour during a Super Bowl. But that night the sky opened and unleashed the rain.
There will be times this year when you’ll experience your version of that downpour, something that really tests your limits. Embrace it! It will be a chance for you - like it was for Prince on that winter night in Miami - to play passionately through a storm. It’ll be a chance for you - like it was for him in that epic moment - to walk on water.
Now, it's your turn. What’s a quote that fills your tank and why? I'd love to hear one of your favorites!
All the best for a kick-ass 2017 filled with beautiful sunsets - and a year of GSD!
An October 2016 sunset at Hanalei Bay on the Garden Island of Kauai, my soul-nourishing, tank-filling destination.
As always, thanks for checking out my blog. I hope you found this helpful, and I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at ben@thebenkikergroup.com, connect with me via Twitter or on LinkedIn.