Excerpts:
p xviii – “never enough money, never enough time”
p xviii – “psychological stumbling blocks are often less real than we imagine. By confronting them, we begin to see around our obstacles, even the seemingly insurmountable ones … unearth the psychological demons that haunt us”
p 24 – “She found that true freedom came from the confidence that she could live within her means, whatever those might be.”
p 24 – “her sense of purpose and meaning weren’t tied to her pay.”
p 26 – “… he was taught that from the beginning of time everything has always been perfect and only needs to be appreciated.”
p 38 – “Her problem was that she never let herself imagine that what she loved could be a profession.”
p 38 – “Never underestimate our ability to ignore the obvious. So often, that’s what keeps us from clarity – not a lack of desire.”
p 48 – “Our wants are fleeting. They are also indulgent. Every philosophy draws a hard line between what you want and what you need”
p 49 – “… there’s a difference between something that stimulates you for a ear and something you can be passionate about for ten yeas. What’s the difference? The difference is whether your heart’s in it.
p 58 – Passion is infectious – so few people have it … that when you do glimpse it, it makes an indelible impression.”
p 140 – “If I make an early exit from this world, what will I feel worst about not getting done?”
p 162 – “… since children can thrive and fail independent of good parenting, it’s hard to tease out what a mother’s contribution really is.”
p 239 – Vigorously pursue finding the spot where you are no longer held back by your heart, explode with your talents, let your character blossom, and the gifts you have to offer the world will become apparent.
p 313 (et al) – a successful school thrives because they teach character – over and over and over again – and how to handle situations better (respectfully, with integrity, etc.)
p 332 – “Becoming a parent can trigger a return of meaning (to your life) … the relationship with your child is so meaningful it can revel just how meaningless other things in your life are.”
p 386 – People really want to find work that they’re passionate about. “Offering benefits and incentives are mere compromises. Educating people is important but not enough. We need to encourage people to find their sweet spot. Productivity explodes when people love what they do. We’re sitting on a huge potential boom in productivity … it’s a great natural resource that we’re ignoring.”
p 388 – “Usually, all we get is a glimmer. A story we read or someone we briefly met. A curiosity. A meek voice inside, whispering. It’s up to us to hammer out the rest. The rewards of pursuing it are only for those who are willing to listen attentively, only for those people who really care”
p 388 – “If we are the victim of an injustice, it is up to us to find a meaningful way to channel our anger. If we suffer a terrible crisis, only we can transform this suffering into a launching pad for a new life … We get to construct our own story, if we choose to do so. It won’t be easy and it won’t be quick.”
p 389 – “Finding what we believe in and what we can do about it is one of life’s great dramas. It can be an endless (and difficult) process of discovery.”
p 389 – “Treat this as the one true life you get.”
p 390 – We’re not identified by what we do — our identity is anchored in what we’ve had to overcome to get there.”
p 391 – Not all dreams come true, but transformation is available to everyone.