May 14, 2009
Rise Above Lily Pads Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
It is attitude, not circumstance, that makes success possible in even the most unlikely conditions.
Rise Above
What do a surfer and a theoretical physicist have in common? Bethany Hamilton and Stephen Hawking both rose above difficult physical circumstances by possessing attitudes of positivity, focus and determination.
Bethany was barely a teenager, just thirteen years old, when she lost her left arm to a tiger shark. She was already a champion surfer, having started seriously surfing at age eight, winning competition after competition. She came from “surfing stock” as both her parents were avid surfers.
After the attack, she was rushed to a hospital for surgery and began the road to recovery. Determined to continue surfing, she went back into the water only three weeks after the incident. She learned how to swim with one arm, and how to balance herself on the board. Just two years later, she took 1st place in the NSSA National Championships. She even wrote a book called Soul Surfer.
Stephen Hawking is a theoretical physicist working on the basic laws that govern the universe. He holds twelve honorary degrees, has written several books and has been the recipient of many awards. And before he had ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) – an incurable, degenerative disease – he was even competing in college-level rowing at Oxford.
As Hawking’s disease progressed, his disabilities increased to the point where he could no longer walk, no longer feed himself, and due to a pneumonia and subsequent tracheotomy operation, no longer talk. This never stopped him from becoming a famous science guru known throughout the world. And through a speech synthesizer, his lectures have been heard far and wide. He is married with three children and a grandchild.
Anyone has to admit that circumstances were stacked against these two very successful people. But they rose above the challenge and have made a positive difference in countless lives. If they can, you can, too.
Read about inspiring stories of personal triumph in our Finish Strong Motivational Gift Book.
See the trailer to the documentary: Heart of a Soul Surfer: The Bethany Hamilton Story.
See Stephen Hawking interviewed by Charlie Rose.
See all of our Lifescapes Motivational Posters and our desk-sized Lifescapes prints.
We have an entire Attitude-themed section of motivational posters, awards, books and more…
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May 11, 2009
- Focus Sea Turtle Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Approach every challenge with a level head and unwavering determination…all your horizons will be bright.
The Sea Turtle’s Saga: An Inspiring Tale of Determination
When you find yourself facing seemingly insurmountable odds, consider the first days in the life of a sea turtle hatchling.
Buried beneath a foot and a half of sand, the sea turtle’s first test of survival is to break out of its shell…with a single temporary tooth. Free of its shell, the newborn must then dig its way through the wet, heavy sand to the surface. Given its size and strength, this exhausting task can take up to a week.
After finally breaking through the sand, the race for survival really begins! In hopes of avoiding any confrontations with natural predators, the young turtle waits to take advantage of the cover of darkness before scrambling toward the shoreline.
Once in the ocean, the newborn swims frantically for almost two days fighting powerful undersea currents over which they have no control before reaching the safety of the unanchored seaweed beds that serve as their homes.
If something smaller than the palm of your hand can do all that within the first week of its life, there’s no stopping you from reaching your goals in difficult circumstances…all it takes is determination and a clear focus.
Watch the Successories Turtle Saga movie.
Watch a baby sea turtle hatching!
We have an entire Effort-themed section of motivational posters, awards, books and more.
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May 7, 2009
Opportunity New Day Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Create a path where there is none. A world of possibilities lies ahead.
Trailblazers
Did you know that Impressionism was once considered rogue, outrageous, and completely antithetical to true painting? Yes, ol’ “Haystack Monet” was a rebel and an outcast among the serious painters of his time. What we consider pretty, traditional, perhaps even boring was once radical.
How could these seemingly innocuous paintings be radical, you ask? Prior to Impressionism, realism reigned. People wanted representations of people, objects and nature because photography as we now know it didn’t exist. Although the beginning of modern photography can be pinned down to around 1825, color photography was not a viable option until 1907.
Claude Monet (1840-1926) revolutionized art by organizing an independent group of artists outside of the official Salon who exhibited their rejected canvases in a shocking show. Opening on April 15, 1874, one of the critics derogatorily dubbed the show an “Exhibition of Impressionists” which stuck, even though it was meant to poke fun at the new style.
New style? Yes, breaking light into small pieces of color, and translating that to canvas in short, quick brush strokes was unheard of. To us, over a century later, this seems on the verge of unbelievable because it seems so tame in comparison to the art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
A trailblazer of our time is Andy Goldsworthy (born 1956) who makes temporary and permanent art from nature. Whether arranging stones, leaves, flowers or ice, he has a unique vision that some may see as absurd. Look at some of Goldsworthy’s art and decide for yourself. A documentary of his life work entitled Rivers and Tides was made to better understand his art.
You don’t need to be an artist to blaze your own trail. You just need an idea that you believe in and the confidence to begin. Happy trails!
Did you know Successories originated the business motivational poster trend? View our numerous motivational poster collections including Corporate Impressions, copied the world over by fans and anti-fans alike.
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May 5, 2009
Balance Zen Garden Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
The place where we find our deepest peace is the place where we discover our greatest strength.
Calm Down!
Do you ever work yourself into a stressful frenzy? Do you ever worry about a small problem that grows by the minute until you’re overwhelmed?
Very few people live out the day in a cloud of unfettered happiness in which nary a care floats their way. That’s why it is so important to find something that gives you peace, something that calms your inner core. For many that place is in nature. There is just something about breathing fresh air (thank trees, flowers and other plants for that), seeing the beauty and intricacy of the natural world (look at any leaf or insect closely to be wowed) and experiencing the outdoors that triggers a calming effect on us.
People have walked in gardens for centuries to exercise the mind, body and spirit. Gardens are a unique collaboration between nature and humankind. Some are purely functional with the growing of vegetables and herbs as paramount. Others are completely aesthetic focusing on inedible, perhaps even poisonous, flowers and plants to create a specific look or feeling. But all gardens tame, shape and change the earth and flora around them.
Walking in your own garden does not always have the same effect as walking in someone else’s. When the garden is your own, pure enjoyment can be curbed by To Do Lists that form in your head – pull thistles, transplant rose bushes, divide daffodils, prune lilacs – and soon you’ve worked yourself into another frenzy. If you can’t just put those thoughts aside, it might be better to find a public garden for calming reflection.
But you don’t even need to find a garden because just walking in nature is not only good for the soul, it improves memory and attention. Or so say the scientists at the University of Michigan who did a recent study on the calming effects of nature. Even viewing pictures of nature can have this effect.
So the next time you feel frazzled, take a walk. And if you can’t do that, gaze at a picture of nature. And if you can’t do that, look through the Anderson Gardens photo gallery.
In desperate need of nature? Successories has many motivational poster collections that focus on nature. View our Lifescapes Collection and our Essence of… Collection.
Need a smaller version? Our desktop-sized Lifescapes are just 6 x 12 inches and our desktop Essence of… collections are just 7 x 7 inches.
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April 30, 2009
Motivational Quote:
Extraordinary service is the result of anticipating the need and providing the solution before the customer requires it.
Great Customer Service – It’s Only Natural
Customer Service Lessons from Nature. Like the relationship between you and your customers, the relationship between hummingbirds and flowers is complex and uniquely interwoven. To re-discover the keys to great service and build an enduring, mutually beneficial relationship with each customer, we need only look to nature. The Green Mango Hummingbird, with its rare combination of creativity, energy and stamina, provides valuable lessons for every staff member who interacts with your customers.
Capitalize on your unique abilities. Able to hover in place for extended periods of time, the Green Mango takes advantage of its natural assets to access the pollen in flowers that would otherwise go un-”serviced.” In turn, the pollinated flowers ultimately multiply offering more nectar for the bird in the future.
What are your organization’s unique strengths and how can you maximize them for your customer’s benefit?
Approach every customer contact with energy. Though we generally see hummingbirds in flight, they spend the majority of their time perched. When the moment arrives, though, they are ready to get to work. With wings beating up to 50 times per second and lungs taking over 300 breaths per minute, these remarkable birds do all they can to pollinate the flowers while simultaneously collecting nectar for their nourishment.
Does each of your customers feel you’ve given your all to help them achieve their goals?
Be prepared. When it comes time to migrate, the hummingbird prepares for the journey by feeding until it has doubled its weight. With enough fuel on board, the tiny bird is able to fly to its destination (as long as 20 hours) without stopping…all just to serve its next “customers.”
Are you prepared to serve your customers over the long haul?
If you’re looking to optimize your customer relationships during these challenging times, take a moment to view them through nature’s lens. The perspective you gain could make the difference.
View all of our Service Hummingbird products.
We have an entire Service-Themed section of products from motivational posters and awards to business essentials and books.
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April 28, 2009
Attitude Drop Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Ripple the Pond
What if Rosa Parks thought, “Oh, I’m just one little person, what could I do to change anything?” She would never have held her ground on that famous bus ride that set into motion desegregation on buses and added power to the Civil Rights Movement.
What if Mother Teresa thought, “What can a young woman like myself really do to help the poor? What difference could I possibly make?” She would never have begun “The Missionaries of Charity” whose primary task is to love and care for the poorest of the poor.
What if Dr. Richard Pimentel didn’t fight for the rights of his friend with cerebral palsy (who was arrested at a pancake house for being too ugly)? The Americans with Disabilities Act might never have been passed.
These people made their “drop in the pond” really count by simply following their inner conscience. They had no idea that one little thing would lead to another and another until the world changed for the better.
Each person has an effect on another person. It can’t be helped. Your small kindness could have huge repercussions, rippling out into the unknown. In the book The Richest Man in Town, one man’s small kindness radiates out to effect thousands of people, perhaps hundreds of thousands.
I’m not suggesting radical change here. I’m suggesting that you follow your gut when it’s telling you to do something you know is right. Take litter for instance. If everyone in America were to pick up one piece of litter today, there would be at least 303,824,640 less bits of trash lying around. That’s quite a lot when you think about it.
So start rippling your pond in the way that’s right for you. Your actions might just go down in history.
Like the drop image? We carry many Attitude Drop Themed items.
We also have a whole Attitude-Themed Product Section of gift and award ideas.
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April 21, 2009
Attitude Waterfall Framed Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
The currents that determine our dreams and shape our lives flow from the attitudes we nurture every day.
Water Your Attitude of Gratitude and Watch It Grow
What would happen if you didn’t water a fern? First it would struggle to remain green, then it would yellow, brown, wither and die.
Ferns need a lot of moisture to survive, and humans need water, too. Not just in the form of H2O, but in the form of small kindnesses bestowed upon them. This is the place where Earth Day and Administrative Professionals Day meet.
Spread the seed. Telling others about the accomplishments of an employee or coworker spreads the seeds of appreciation creating a nurturing environment that encourages personal and professional growth. If every seed was planted in the same hole, it would have to fight with all the others for sun, soil and water – but scattered, each seed can live in harmony.
Water the seedling. Pour on the praise. Letting someone know they are doing a good job with an in-person thank you is priceless. It’s like a refreshing rain after a dry spell and serves to sustain growth for an extended period of time.
Repot when necessary. Sometimes promotions are in order, and when someone makes it to the next level in their job, make sure to create some sort of celebration. Employees like to know they are on a path that leads to a bigger, better place. Plants can get root-bound when left in the same size pot for too long – they need additional space for further growth.
Thanking those around you and cultivating an attitude of appreciation helps reduce stress and fosters a positive atmosphere in the workplace and beyond. Remembering to brighten someone else’s day will in turn brighten yours.
Need some help cultivating your attitude of gratitude? Our May You Be Blessed gift book offers concrete ways to appreciate others as does our Simple Truths of Appreciation gift book.
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April 20, 2009
Vision Boardwalk Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
A leader’s job is to look into the future, and to see the organization not as it is…but as it can become.
Lead with Vision
Right now a lot of changes are being made in the way businesses are run due to the tough economy. The companies that will survive and thrive are those with leaders who possess a vision of the future of their businesses – those who can already see where their organization will go.
Those leaders flying by the seats of their pants might have a bit of trouble. Just trying to keep up with trends, or following public opinion is tricky unless you know how to do it well. By the time you modify your business to follow, a new course is being set, perhaps in the exact opposite direction.
True leaders have a vision and create a following. That’s why they are called leaders, not followers. Visionaries step out on a limb, prepared to fall if need be. If they fall, they’re willing to get up and try again if they really believe in their vision.
The founders of Amazon.com, You Tube, Digg, Facebook and Twitter looked in new directions and attracted loyal fans, a LOT of loyal fans who, by the way, are also consumers.
Bring your business to the next level by imagining what it could be, then taking steps to make that vision into a reality. It may not reach Amazonian proportions, but it just might grow.
Interested in up-and-coming entrepreneurs? Check out Business Week’s Best Entrepreneurs Under 25.
View our entire line of leadership-themed products.
If you like our Vision Beach image, we also carry a Vision Desktop Print, Vision Desk Clock, Vision Greeting Cards and a Vision Award Plaque.
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April 16, 2009
Excellence Golf Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
Excellence is never an accident; it is the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities.
Everything I Don’t Know About Golf I Learned in Kindergarten
What did I learn about golf in kindergarten? Nothing. They don’t teach golf in kindergarten (unless there’s some sort of Tiger Woods Academy for Nearly Preschool Children out there).
However, I did take golf as a physical education requirement in college, along with swimming, fencing and badminton. Because I have no athletic cells in my body, and could drown in a gene pool, I thought these four sports would be the easiest. Were they easy? No. Not for me, at least.
I still can’t swim, my fencing skills now revolve around chicken wire, if I hit a birdie it would most likely be related to an automobile accident and I barely know a nine iron from a steam iron (neither of which I’ve touched since college).
One of the reasons I never attained excellence in golf was because I did not have high intentions. I thought, if retired people can play this game, certainly I can. I mean, I’m only twenty years old! That’s got to be some advantage. It was not.
I did have intelligent direction from my golf teacher, and once I was involved in learning how to swing and play, I really tried to be a good golfer. After all, for our final exam we had to play at a public golf course. The fear of killing someone accidentally with my club or ball was enough to kick my effort into the highly sincere level.
I tried to see obstacles as opportunities. When I hit my ball into the trees I’d think, what a lovely day to walk in the woods. When traipsing through a sand trap I’d pretend I was on vacation at the beach. When wading through a shallow pond I’d think, that was smart to wear flip flops instead of those weird golf shoes my teacher suggested.
The only part of the excellence equation I was missing was skillful execution. If you really want to be good at something, you need to practice and practice until you become skilled. If you really love that thing, you will figure out how to attain excellence in that arena.
So go out and be the best golfer, swimmer, motivator, manager or speaker you can be. For me, I’ll stick to writing.
Like golf? Check out our golf products.
Hooked on excellence? We’ve got an entire line of excellence-themed items.
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April 9, 2009
Make It Happen Sailing Motivational Poster
Motivational Quote:
“Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it – but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
Take Off Your Pajamas!
There have been a lot of odd fashion trends, and I’m all for innovation, but you’ve got to admit, some of them are just downright ridiculous.
Pacifier necklaces! The first time I saw an adult man on a train sucking his pacifier necklace gave me a mixed feeling of pity and revulsion.
Donning shower caps on the street seemed like it could never be a trend, but thanks to the Jheri curl, people wandered around looking like meat packers on a break.
Wearing pants so low your underwear is part of the ensemble just doesn’t work – it’s like taking sensuality and throwing it in a dumpster behind a convenience store.
Pajama bottoms as pants. Sure, there are a lot of cute patterns, they’re comfortable and it seems like the trend has potential, but people – this is also a “trend” with the depressed and elderly. Do you really want to go down that road now when you know you’ll probably end up there eventually anyway?
We, as a society, are getting so casual and lazy, soon we’ll have to be rolled out of bed and wrapped in shapeless sacks by robots before being pushed into a room filled with TVs and intravenous feeders.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, who, by the way, died in 1894, was saying basically the same thing: We can’t just drift in life, we need to actually chart a course and go somewhere. If alive today, he might just say, “Take off your pajamas, get dressed and DO something.”
You make your own future by taking steps toward your goals. They don’t have to be big, fancy goals (although those are good), but without working towards something, you’re going to float around in the great, vast ocean with nothing but your wits to get by.
Try to come up with at least one goal. It can be as simple as I’m going to walk outside for 15 minutes a day and try to notice my surroundings or as complex as I’m going to learn to sail a boat. Your goal can even go as far as I’m going to purchase a yacht within five years.
The goal needs only to be important to you. It just needs to be important enough for you to take off your pajamas…
Peruse our Make It Happen themed items.
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