Every now and then, we come across a phrase or saying that captures our attention. Sometimes, these one-liners are inspirational and can move us in bold ways. On other occasions, they cause us to stop and take the time to thoughtfully reflect upon their message and to see how it can apply to us and what we might do to incorporate it into our personal or professional lives.

Here are some truisms I have compiled over the years. I have found them to be meaningful and inspirational, and I hope they might do the same for you.

·         Do inspirational reading.

·         Face your fears and do the thing you fear.

·         Eliminate the word "if" or "if only."

·         Set a goal yourself, write it down, and set a schedule for its completion.

·         You control only two things in your career: your attitude and your activity. Skill is rarely the element that distinguishes productivity.

·         You become what you think about most of the time (Earl Nightingale).

·         Inspect what you expect.

·         Your associates, customers, and clients don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

·         If your life is not guided by philosophy, it will be guided by fantasy.

·         If you have failed to consciously define a philosophy of success, you have unconsciously defined a philosophy of failure.

·         The clearer your definition of success, the greater your chances of reaching success. If you fail to define success, you can never hope to reach it.

·         Maximum flexibility in your pursuit of success will translate into maximum potential for success.

·         School is never out for the professional.

·         Remember to listen with your ears, but to hear with your heart.

·         Achievement is related to the struggle: Little struggle-little achievement. Big struggle-Big achievement.

·         Develop the capacity to re-live your successes instead of your failures or shortcomings.

·         Goals should be S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Risk- Oriented, and Time-Phased.

·         A sense of purpose is always accompanied by inspired performance.

·         There is no traffic jam on the extra mile.

·         Attitude doesn't change behavior, but behavior changes attitude.

Good luck on your journey to success.

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By Bob Arzt, CLU, ChFC, LLIF

Robert A. Arzt, CLU, ChFC, LLIF, is CEO of Polaris One and InsuranceCoachu.com. He coaches professionals who want to achieve more. Contact him at 301-610-5624, bob@insurancecoachu.com or through his website at www.insurancecoachu.com.