Quotes to make you think

Here is a collection of my thoughts, which will put life into perspective and give you something to think about. Some are funny, others more serious, but with each comes a deep seeded message to become a better leader. All quotes are from the BBC unless otherwise stated.

If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave knowing the same, then what happens in between doesn't really matter. 16/05/12

A successful person finds the right place for himself. A successful leader finds the right place for others. 06/04/12

I've been terrified for most of my life, but I've never let it keep me from doing I wanted to do. 07/03/12

One day your life will flash before your eyes; make sure it’s worth watching. 01/03/12

The more we connect with a goal, the more the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us to its achievement. 24/02/12

All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them. 21/02/12

Good leadership usually starts with a willing heart, a positive attitude and a desire to make a difference. 21/02/12

The successful person has the habit of doing the things the less successful don't like to do. 24/01/12

Being positive in a negative situation is not naive. It's leadership. 19/01/12

Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have. 12/01/12

Integrity is the best value a man can have and the characteristic most valued by women. 04/01/12

Remarkable leaders have the habit of doing things that average leaders don't like to do. 02/01/12

If you can't do what you want in 2012, do what you can. 02/01/12

Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together. 08/12/11

When people love what they do, they work harder and achieve more. 08/12/11

Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. 02/12/11

Leadership does not mean getting people to do their job. It means getting people to do their best. 02/12/11

Effective leadership is not a popularity contest; it's about decisions founded on integrity. 15/11/11

Leadership is best achieved looking forward, but understood looking backward. 02/11/11

Leaders lead by example. Alan Joyce of Qantas should have said no to a pay rise this week. 29/10/11

Taking responsibility is a great leadership characteristic. 26/10/11

Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led. 22/10/11

Leadership is about unlocking people's potential to become better. 20/10/11

The process of leadership is to turn your values into a compelling cause for others. 25/09/11

Leadership is less about ability and more about responsibility. 25/09/11

All dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them. 13/07/11

The worst pen survives the best memory. 02/07/11

The future isn't about doing just one thing well, it's about doing many things well. 30/06/11

Reality is a product of our dreams, decisions and actions. 29/06/11

You can choose to be bitter or you can chose to be better. 23/06/11

Opportunities are often missed because we are talking when we should be listening. 21/06/11

The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is determination. 14/06/11

Luck is the time when preparation and opportunity meet. 06/06/11

People with goals succeed because they know where they're going. 04/06/11

Before you can understand and lead others, you need to understand and lead yourself. 03/06/11

We must eat, we must sleep; if you want to be a success, make it a must. 03/06/11

Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach. 02/06/11

Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life. 01/06/11

The only real training for leadership is leadership itself. 01/06/11

William Montgomery is a regular contributor to television and radio on all aspects of leadership excellence. To find how he can help you and your business, please call his office on +44 333 666 1010.