Indeed it is possible to stand with one foot on the inevitable 'banana peel' of life with both eyes peering into the Great Beyond, and still be happy, comfortable, and serene - if we will even so much as smile.
Douglas FairbanksRead
The man who is gloomy, taciturn and lives in a world of doubt seldom achieves more than a bare living. There have been a few who have groaned their way through to a competence, but in proportion to that overwhelming number of souls who carry cheer through life, they are as nothing - mere drops in the bucket.
Interpretation
A positive attitude and cheerfulness are essential for achieving more in life than mere survival.
This quote emphasizes the importance of maintaining a cheerful and optimistic outlook on life. It suggests that individuals who live in doubt and gloom are unlikely to accomplish more than the bare minimum, while those who carry positivity and cheer are far more abundant and successful in their endeavors. The comparison indicates that a joyful approach to life leads to greater achievements and fulfillment.
In practice
In a motivational speech about achieving goals.
Indeed it is possible to stand with one foot on the inevitable 'banana peel' of life with both eyes peering into the Great Beyond, and still be happy, comfortable, and serene - if we will even so much as smile.
I've written about 2,000 short stories; I've only published 300 and I feel I'm still learning. Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he'll eventually make some kind of career for himself as a writer. Ray Bradbury, 1967 interview (Doing the Math - that means for every story he sold, he wrote six "un-publishable" ones. Keep typing!)
Find something you love to do. If you don't make money at it, at least you love going to work.
Did you ever feel, as though you had something inside you that was only waiting for you to give it a chance to come out? Some sort of extra power that you aren't using - you know, like all the water that goes down the falls instead of through the turbines?
I'm going to be dead for a long time, so I have a lot to do now.
Some people take certain things and they try to forget what that pain felt like. I don't. I take that same pain and I chase it every time I walk in a weight room.
Let us praise even the slightest improvement. That inspires the other person to keep on improving.
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