“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.”    David Viscott*

What a wonderful thought! David Viscott was a psychiatrist, author, and radio show host. Though he struggled wit his own demons, he inspired many people with his pithy, profound words of wisdom. A gathering of some of his thoughts may inspire us as well:

“If you could get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.”

“There is some place where your specialties can shine. Somewhere that difference can be expressed. It’s up to you to find it, and you can.”

“To fail is a natural consequence of trying. To succeed takes time and prolonged effort in the face of unfriendly odds. To think it will be any other way, no matter what you do, is to invite yourself to be hurt and to limit your enthusiasm for trying again.”

“Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors.”

“The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.”

“Once a person says, ‘This is who I really am, what I am all about, what I was really meant to do,’ it is easier to decide how to spend one’s time.”

“To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.”

“Just imagine that you are the person you want to be.”

“In the end, the only people who fail are those who do not try.”

“If your life is ever going to get better, you’ll have to take risks.
There is simply no way you can grow without taking chances.”

“Your ultimate goal in life is to become your best self. Your
immediate goal is to get on the path that will get you there.”

“You are the only one who has to live your life.”

Inspired and emboldened, let’s all write on!

* Many thanks to Dr. Rob Gilbert’s wonderful Success Hotline (973.743.4690).