Would you like to take great strides in your professional and personal life, by (quickly and easily) learning from inspiring thinkers, writers, and business people?

Inspiring quotes can be words of wisdom from almost anyone – from Greek philosophers and poets right up to present-day CEOs.

As a business coach, I’ve made “quotching” a big part of my work over the past year or so. Quotching is a term I’ve coined (though you’re welcome to use it too) that means “coaching through the use of powerful and inspiring quotes”.

The great thing about quotching is that it’s a technique you can easily use for self-coaching: I’m sure you’ve got a few favorite quotes of your own, or you might have come across some on Facebook or Twitter.

Quotching is completely free, and can produce truly wonderful results.

So what’s the catch?

Sadly, most people read quotes on the surface. We might remember them for a moment, but we don’t always take the time to dig in and really apply them.

For quotching to be effective, you can’t simply find a quote and glance at it once. You need to take that quote into your life, and infuse it into your world to give you the motivation to rise to new challenges and to make changes.

The best quotes are:

•    Fairly short and memorable. Ideally, you can memorize them, or at least read them in a few seconds rather than a few minutes.

•    Linked to your goals. You might come across a wonderfully profound quote – but it won’t be much good to you if it has nothing to do with what you’re trying to achieve.

If you want to get started quickly, here are three short quotes that apply to a wide range of situations:

“The journey of a thousand miles begins and ends with one step.” – Lao Tzu

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.” – Carl Sandburg

Those are a few great and inspiring quotes to help get you started. But now it’s time to learn how incorporating quotes into your day can motivate and inspire you to do great things.

For maximum effect, you want to make sure you see your quote frequently throughout the day. Simply catching site of it may be enough to help give you the motivation to change your behavior.

#1: Memorize Your Quote

This is the simplest way to keep your quote with you constantly: commit it to memory.

Obviously, the shorter the quote, the easier this is! You may want to write out your quote several times, or repeat it aloud, to help it stick in your mind.

#2: Write Your Quote on Your Calendar

There’s a good chance that you look at your calendar at least once a day, checking for appointments, meetings, personal appointments, and so on.

By recording your quote on your calendar, perhaps on a Post It note, you’ll see it frequently over the course of a week. This could be especially effective if your quote relates to some of those scheduled events too.

#3: Put Your Quote on Your Fridge

At home, a great place for your quote is on your fridge – especially if your quote relates to healthy eating! You could fix it there with a magnet, or even look for one of the many magnets with an inspiring or funny quote printed on.

Other good locations include your bathroom mirror, your front door, and even your television remote!

#4: Share Your Quote

To dig deeper into your quote, share it with someone else. Tell them what it means to you and how it relates to your life – and ask if they have any new insights to share in return.

You might choose to do this with a colleague, friend, or family member. You could even share your quote on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, and ask your online friends what they think.

#5: Display Your Quote in Your Workplace

Many powerful quotes relate to work, perhaps encouraging us to adopt different behaviors in our workplace interactions, or helping us stay on task in a busy world full of distractions.

By keeping your quote visible in your workplace, you’ll have a regular reminder of your commitment to change. You could set it as your screensaver, attach it to your monitor, or even add it to the office bulletin board so others can be inspired too.

#6: Journal About Your Quote

Do you keep a journal? (If not, you may want to start this powerful habit.) Your journal is a great place not only to record your chosen quote, but to also think through how that quote applies to you and your life.

You might like to finish your journal entry by writing one to three action points that you will commit to completing over the next few days:

#7: Take Action Inspired by Your Quote

Quotes can be comforting and encouraging, but they’re only truly powerful when they inspire you to take action.

Whatever quote you choose, find a way to put it into practice. For instance, a quote about gratitude might inspire you to write down a list of things you’re grateful for, or it might even motivate you to develop a habit of sending personal, hand-written thank you notes.

Choose a quote today that resonates with you, and select at least one idea from the list above to use right away.

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