I am part of BNI Champagne, a business networking group that meets in St. Catharines. It’s a very structured networking system which is probably why BNI is the world’s largest networking organization of its kind. Members take turns running the chapter. My job at the moment is to find an inspirational quote to set the tone until our next meeting.
There are many thousands of great, inspiring people in the world who have said a great many quotable things. However, in light of what’s going on in the world, I’ve decided that I will focus on finding quotes from prominent Canadians to use while I am in this role. It only seems fitting.
I’ve started compiling a list, which I thought I would share here. These have been lifted from all manner of websites. I hope you enjoy them!
Inspiring Quotes Relevant to Business from Prominent Canadians
You can shed the past. You can’t shake it. But you certainly get new skin. You can grow and become stronger.
Does it pay to listen? Always.
The leadership role is really to build the riverbanks and let the water flow freely.
When you behave well toward somebody regardless of what you’re receiving, you feel better about yourself. So be decent to people.
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, but the size of the fight in the dog that matters.*
Moral courage is a concept that isn’t talked about but is always noticed by its absence.
It’s difficult to learn from success. I’ve learned more from my mistakes.
If you’re going to get out there and not be prepared to fail, you’re missing out in life. Failure is half the fun.
We limit what we set out to do by what we convince ourselves is realistic. But I believe in possibilities, and sometimes we have to redefine what is realistic.
When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.
Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.
If you were always happy, you’d suck. You wouldn’t force yourself into doing things differently.
“Follow your heart,” they say, “and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I don’t know who it is that feels this way, but it’s certainly not me. The way I see it, following your heart is the hardest thing you can do.
I think real leadership is being yourself and having an apt willingness to do whatever job is in front of you, regardless of your position.
I have an expression: if you’re always right, you’re wrong. Because you’ve never taken that step off that might be a little different.
“Follow your heart,” they say, “and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I don’t know who it is that feels this way, but it’s certainly not me. The way I see it, following your heart is the hardest thing you can do.
Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and above all, don’t let anyone limit your dreams.
You [can be] physically tired . . . but at the same time, you’ve got to just tell yourself, ‘I can do it. I can’t give up.’ You’ve got to go out there and perform. Just make magic, make it happen.
*Regarding this quote, there’s an original quote attributed to Mark Twain. I’ve also seen versions attributed to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Jones, Archie Griffin, Barry McGuigan, and probably others. “Mad Dog” Vachon’s is a slight twist on the original.