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The Notion That I Do My Work Here, Now, Like This, Even When I Do Not Feel Like It, And Especially When I Do Not Feel Like It, Is Very Important. Because Lots And Lots Of People Are Creative When They Feel Like It, But You Are Only Going To Become A Professional If You Do It When You Don't Feel Like It. And That Emotional Waiver Is Why This Is Your Work And Not Your Hobby.
-Seth Godin
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The Notion That I

Seth Godin
The Notion That I Do My Work Here, Now, Like This, Even When I Do Not Feel Like It, And Especially When I Do Not Feel Like It, Is Very Important. Because Lots And Lots Of People Are Creative When They Feel Like It, But You Are Only Going To Become A Professional If You Do It When You Don't Feel Like It. And That Emotional Waiver Is Why This Is Your Work And Not Your Hobby.
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Motivational
Emotional
People
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Team
Challenges
Marketing
Art Isn't Only A Painting. Art Is Anything That's Creative, Passionate, And Personal. And Great Art Resonates With The Viewer, Not Only With The Creator... Art Is A Personal Gift That Changes The Recipient. The Medium Doesn't Matter. The Intent Does. Art Is A Personal Act Of Courage, Something One Human Does That Creates Change In Another.
Art
Creative
Doe
I'll Confess That I Don't Watch The Olympics, But You'd Have To Be Living Under A Rock To Be Unaware Of The Corruption And The Expense. An Amorphous Organization With No Transparency, Unclear Lines Of Responsibility, Huge Amounts Of Politics And A Great Deal Of Unearned Power.
Responsibility
Rocks
Organization
The Biggest Takeaway For Anyone Seeking To Write Is This: Don't Go Looking For The Way Other Authors Do Their Work. You Won't Find Many Who Are Consistent Enough To Copy, And There Are Enough Variations In Approach That It's Obvious That It's Not Like Hitting Home Runs Or Swinging A Golf Club. There Isn't A Standard Approach, There's Only What Works For You (and What Doesn't).
Running
Home
Writing
All Motivation Is Self-motivation. Your Family, Your Boss, Or Your Co-workers Can Try To Get Your Engine Going, But Until You Decide What To Accomplish, Nothing Will Happen.
Motivational
Accomplish Nothing
Self
The Danger Of The Web Is That You Can Go From Idea To Public Announcement In Under Ten Minutes.
Ideas
Danger
Minutes
...treasure What It Means To Do A Day's Work. It's Our One And Only Chance To Do Something Productive Today, And It's Certainly Not Available To Someone Merely Because He Is The High Bidder. A Day's Work Is Your Chance To Do Art, To Create A Gift, To Do Something That Matters. As Your Work Gets Better And Your Art Becomes More Important, Competition For Your Gifts Will Increase And You'll Discover That You Can Be Choosier About Whom You Give Them To.
Motivational
Art
Business
You Can Game The Social Media In The Short Run, But Not For Long.
Running
Media
Games
The Rules Are Now Clear: No One Is Going To Inform You, But It's Easier Than Ever To Inform Yourself.
Mature
Easier
Clear
Marketing Is A Contest For People's Attention.
People
Marketing
Attention
Figure Out The People Part And The Technology Gets A Whole Lot Simpler.
Technology
People
Figures
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
I Find That It's Almost Essential To Fall In Love With An Idea To Invest The Time It Takes To Make It Good And Worth Sharing. And Then, The Hard Part: Deleting That Idea When It's Just Not What It Could Be. Too Often, Organizations Are Good At The First Part, But Struggle With The Second. And So We Defend Expired Business Models, Support The Status Quo And Have A Knee-jerk Inclination To Preserve What We've Got.
Falling In Love
Struggle
Organization
You Don't Make Art After You Become An Artist. You Become An Artist By Ceaselessly Making Art.
Life
Motivational
Art
Don't Wait To Be Picked. Pick Yourself.
Waiting
Proactive
Picks
Two Elements Of Successful Leadership: A Willingness To Be Wrong And An Eagerness To Admit It.
Successful
Two
Elements
One Key To Learning And Success Is The Willingness To Try Something New, And Feel Momentarily Incompetent.
Keys
Trying
Something New
School Is At Its Best When It Gives Students The Expectation That They Will Not Only Dream Big, But Dream Dreams That They Can Work On Every Day Until They Accomplish Them-not Because They Were Chosen By A Black-box Process, But Because They Worked Hard Enough To Reach Them.
Dream
School
Giving
In The Long Run, Doing Work That's Important Leads To More Happiness Than Doing Work That's Merely Profitable.
Running
Long
Important
The Combination Of Passion And Art Is What Makes Someone A Linchpin.
Art
Passion
Combination
Laptop Computers Dramatically Increased The Time People Spend Doing Work. (the Internet Dramatically Decreased It, So We're Even).
People
Laptops
Computer
You Win By Trying. And Failing. Test, Try, Fail, Measure, Evolve, Repeat, Persist.
Winning
Innovation
Trying
The Opportunity Is Not In Being Momentarily Popular With The Anonymous Masses. It's In Being Missed When You're Gone, In Doing Work That Matters To The Tribe You Choose.
Life
Work
Opportunity
Normal Is Fading Away. Governments And Industries And Schools Like Normal, Because It's Easier, It Scales And It's Profitable. But People Don't Like It - We Want To Be Who We Are, Not Who Some Marketer Tells Us To Be.
School
Government
People
It Will Take You Less Time And Effort To Do A Thing The Difficult Way Than It Will To Buy, Try And Discard All The Shortcuts.
Effort
Trying
Way
The People That Are Doing Work That Matters Aren't Doing Work Thats Popular. They're Just Doing Work That Changes Some People.
People
Matter
That The Horrible Zika Virus Or Hiv, We Can Look At What It Means To Be Patient Zero, What It Means To Need Not Much Contact To Spread, And All Of Those Things Follow Into The Way Ideas Spread.
Zero
Mean
Ideas
In A Race, Sooner Or Later There's A Moment That Separates The Winner From Those Who Don't Win. That Instant Is Your Chance, The Moment You've Been Waiting For.
Motivational
Sports
Winning
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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