Making a true decision, unlike saying, “I’d like to quit smoking,” is cutting off any other possibility. In fact, the word “decision” comes from the Latin roots de, which means “from,” and caedere, which means “to cut.” Making a true decision means committing to achieving a result, and then cutting yourself off from any other possibility. When you truly decide you’ll never smoke cigarettes again, that’s it. It’s over! You no longer even consider the possibility of smoking.

Money can’t change who we are. All it does is magnify our true natures. If you’re mean and selfish, you have more to be mean and selfish with. If you’re grateful and loving, you have more to appreciate and give.

If you’ve ever felt stress — and who hasn’t? — chances are excellent that it’s because you felt you just didn’t have enough time to do what you wanted to at the level of quality to which you were committed.

many of the most famous people in our culture have achieved their dreams but have still not found a way to enjoy them. They often turn to drugs because they feel unfulfilled. This is because they are missing the distinction between achieving one’s goals and living one’s values,

Remember, don’t drive into the past using your rear-view mirror as a guide. You want to learn from your past, not live in it — focus on the things that empower you.

You are now at a crossroads. This is your opportunity to make the most important decision you will ever make. Forget your past. Who are you now? Who have you decided you really are now? Don’t think about who you have been. Who are you right now? Who have you decided to become? Make this decision consciously. Make it carefully. Make it powerfully.