In a month or so I’ll have the privilege of entering the seventh decade of my life.
For someone who has always worked hard, played hard, done good (I hope) and had fun (I know), that’s quite an accomplishment – and it came with lot of great support from friends, family and colleagues and luck! I’ve been blessed with being a mother and grandparent, a university professor, a CEO of an international corporation in 22 countries, a tennis professional, a nationally recognized leader in afterschool program, policy and partnership development, an author of several books, and a consultant to hundreds of organizations.
Throughout all these years, I’ve benefitted enormously from the following words of wisdom and tried to embed them in my everyday life – and I hope you will, too! They still serve me very well during the 250 days a year I continue to work with afterschool programs throughout California and beyond.
Make happiness your priority.
When I was five, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said happy. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life. – John Lennon
Discover your purpose.
“When we’re inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all our thoughts break their bonds, our minds transcend their limitations, our consciousness expands in every direction… we find ourselves in a new, great and wonderful world and we discover ourselves to be a greater person by far than we ever imagined we could be.” – Patanjali
Aim high.
“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we hit it.” – Michelangelo
Focus on what really matters.
“People won’t remember what you said as much as how you made them feel!” – Maya Angelou
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. – Albert Einstein
Keep things in perspective.
“Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer…Go some distance away because the work becomes smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen.” – Leonardo da Vinci
Do what you love and love what you do.
“All work is empty save when there is love, for work is love made visible.” – Kahlil Gibran
Change the world!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
And, finally…
… you’ve got to go out and kick ass! – Maya Angelou
Breakfast? Yes. I’m finally serious about eating better so I can do what I do for another 20 years! Yogurt, blueberries, granola and coffee.
Author Profile: @andriaf