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Entertainment Has Seduced Us Into Believing That We Have A Chance To Live The Life They Live In The Movies. Even The People In The Movies Don't Live That Life. It Doesn't Take 135 Minutes To Make A Life, It Takes Almost A Century. Everything Doesn't Depend On What Happens In The Next Ninety Seconds. Ever.
-Seth Godin
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Entertainment Has Seduced Us

Seth Godin
Entertainment Has Seduced Us Into Believing That We Have A Chance To Live The Life They Live In The Movies. Even The People In The Movies Don't Live That Life. It Doesn't Take 135 Minutes To Make A Life, It Takes Almost A Century. Everything Doesn't Depend On What Happens In The Next Ninety Seconds. Ever.
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Believe
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Thirsty
Wells
Many People Are Starting To Realize That They Work A Lot And That Working On Stuff They Believe In (and Making Things Happen) Is Much More Satisfying Then Just Getting A Paycheck And Waiting To Get Fired (or Die).
Motivational
Money
Work
You're Competing Against People In A State Of Flow, People Who Are Truly Committed, People Who Care Deeply About The Outcome.
People
Entrepreneur
Who Cares
No One Ever Gets Talker's Block. No One Wakes Up In The Morning, Discovers He Has Nothing To Say, And Sits Quietly, For Days Or Weeks, Until The Muse Hits, Until The Moment Is Right, Until All The Craziness In His Life Has Died Down.
Morning
Block
Wake Up
It Takes Confidence And Guts To Intentionally Create Tension.
Tension
Guts
One Reason I Encourage People To Blog Is That The Act Of Doing It Stretches Your Available Vocabulary And Hones A New Voice.
Voice
Vocabulary
People
Art Is The Act Of Navigating Without A Map.
Art
Maps
Art Is
Your Generosity Is More Important Than Your Perfection.
Humor
Generosity
Perfection
If You're Not Upsetting Anyone, You're Not Changing The Status Quo.
Upset
Status Quo
Ifs
We Know What You Want To Accomplish... The Real Question Is, 'what Are You Willing To Push Through The Dip For?' What Are You Willing To Stand Up For, Bleed For, Commit To And Generally Be Unreasonable About? Because That's What's Going To Actually Get Done.
Real
Done
Want
Attention Is A Bit Like Real Estate, In That They're Not Making Any More Of It. Unlike Real Estate, Though, It Keeps Going Up In Value.
Real
Attention
Estates
All The Good Things In My Career Are A Direct Descendant Of What I Did And Learned At #‎ Camp
Careers
Good Things
Camps
Mass Attention Is Almost Unattainable And It's Not Clear That You Want It.
Attention
Unattainable
Want
Successful People Are The Ones Who Are Breaking The Rules.
Motivation
Business
Successful
I Think Art Is The Ability To Change People With Your Work, To See Things As They Are And Then Create Stories, Images, And Interactions That Change The Marketplace.
Art
Thinking
People
People Who Can Spread Ideas Regardless Of What Those Ideas Are, Win.
Winning
Ideas
People
I Think It's Fascinating To Note That Some Of The Most Successful Organizations Of Our Time Got There By Focusing Obsessively On Service, Viewing Compensation As An Afterthought Or A Side Effect. As Marketing Gets More And More Expensive, It Turns Out That Caring For People Is A Useful Shortcut To Trust, Which Leads To All The Other Things That A Growing Organization Seeks.
Successful
Caring
Thinking
You Can Game The Social Media In The Short Run, But Not For Long.
Running
Media
Games
I Think That Any Time Reality Doesn't Match Your Expectations, It Means That Marketing Was Involved.
Mean
Reality
Thinking
No One Is As Smart As All Of Us.
Smart
Before You Tell Yourself You Have No Right To Invent This Or Improve That, Remind Yourself That The Person Before You Had No Right Either, But Did It Anyway.
Persons
Living And Breathing An Authentic Story Is The Best Way To Survive In A Conversation-rich World.
Teamwork
Breathing
Stories
Speak Up. Not Just Tomorrow, But Every Day.
Tomorrow
Speak
The First Rule Of Doing Work That Matters: Go To Work On A Regular Basis.
Matter
Firsts
Bases
Make Enough Mole Hills, And Eventually You Will Build A Mountain.
Mountain
Moles
Hills
Debt Creates Stress, Stress Creates Behaviors That Don't Lead To Happiness.
Stress
Health
Inspire
So Sure, Start With A Slogan. But Don't Bother Wasting Any Time On It If You're Merely Going For Catchy. Aim For True Instead.
Catchy
Aim
Bother
In Nearly Every Case, Trying To Lead Everyone Results In Leading No One In Particular.
Motivational
Leadership
Trying
If We Can Fall In Love With Serving People, Creating Value, Solving Problems, Building Valuable Connections And Doing Work That Matters, It Makes It Far More Likely We're Going To Do Important Work
Falling In Love
Creating Value
People
Nobody Says, 'yeah, I'd Like To Set Myself Up For Some Serious Criticism!' And Yet, The Only Way To Be Remarkable Is To Do Just That.
Criticism
Way
Serious
If You Measure It, It Will Improve.
Ifs
If You Are Wiling To Do Something That Might Not Work, You Are Closer To Being An Artist.
Creativity
Artist
Might
A Business Owner Is The Boss, But It's A Job, A Place That Is Stable And Profitable. An Entrepreneur Is An Artist Of Sorts, Throwing His/herself Into Impossible Situations And Seeking Out Problems That Require Heart And Guts To Solve. Both Are Fine, But Choose.
Jobs
Heart
Artist
If You Want To Be A Leader, Go Lead
Leader
Want
Ifs
Sign Your Work...if You're Not Proud Of It, Don't Ship It. If You Are, Sign Your Work And Own The Results. We'll Know Who To Thank. If You Work For A Place Where Work Goes Unsigned (internally, In Particular) It's Worth Asking Why.
Asking Why
Proud
Ships
How Often Do Our Heroes Stand Still? It's Hard To Imagine Spock And Kirk Landing On A Planet And Just Relaxing For A Month Or Two. Just Hanging Out Has Nothing To Do With Boldly Going Where No One Has Gone Before. What Makes Us Different From Every Other Creature Is That We Go Places, Places We've Not Gone Before. We Do It Willingly, And Often. What Makes Our Work And Our Life Interesting Is Discovery, Surprise, And The Risk Of Exploration.
Hero
Discovery
Two
Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.


2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.


2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.


2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.


3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.


3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.


3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.



4. Proper Usage of Quotes


4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.


4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.


4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).


5. Common Mistakes to Avoid


5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.


5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.


5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.



6. Quotes in Different Contexts


6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.


6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.


6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.



7. Punctuation and Formatting


Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:


Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.


Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.


Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.



8. Ethical Considerations


Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes


Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.



Conclusion


Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.


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