It's difficult, if not impossible, for retail managers to motivate others without having a high level of motivation themselves. No matter how generally positive a manager is by nature, all leaders find themselves in a motivation slump from time to time. Sometimes fresh inspiration is just a thought away.
The accomplishments of these modern day super achievers can serve as a reminder of what's possible. The words of these superstars can provide a glimpse at the thought process and beliefs of a winner. Retail managers at all levels can use these quotations to inspire themselves, and motivate their team members to think bigger, try harder, and reach for a higher goal.
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Quotes about Motivation and Leadership from Donald Trump
He brought celebrity to real estate development and lavish audacity to a brand that bears his family name. Donald Trump has definite opinions about leadership, business, life, and everyone he meets. He also seems to relish the opportunity to express those opinions. In addition to his hotel, residential, and commercial property holdings around the world, the Trump brand name is on luggage, men's clothing, steaks, vodka, and a travel website.
For those who want to know what goes through the mind of an iconic multi-billionaire, these quotes will give insight into the perspective of the man who sits at the head of the world's most famous boardroom. "The Donald" has this to say about motivation and leadership:
- Money was never a big motivation for me, except as a way to keep score. The real excitement is playing the game.
- I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.
- Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make.
- I don't make deals for the money. I've got enough, much more than I'll ever need. I do it to do it.
- I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's were the fun is.
- I wasn't satisfied just to earn a good living. I was looking to make a statement.
- I'm a bit of a P.T. Barnum. I make stars out of everyone.
- In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.
- What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.
- Without passion you don't have energy, without energy you have nothing.
Pat Riley on Motivation
Some love him some hate him, but personal preferences aside, there's no denying that Pat Riley knows something about motivation. As an NBA basketball coach, he helped six teams win NBA championship titles, an accomplishment that shows that Riley knows how to keep a group of people constantly motivated.
Here's what Pat Riley believes to be true about leadership and motivating a team of champions:
- There's always the motivation of wanting to win. Everybody has that. But a champion needs, in his attitude, a motivation above and beyond winning.
- Being a part of success is more important than being personally indispensable.
- You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again.
- To have long term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way.
- If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.
Words of Motivation from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie's views on motivation, leadership and business are as applicable for managers today as they were when he was amassing his $300 billion fortune. Designated by Forbes magazine as the second richest person in modern history, Carnegie spent the first half of his career leading the Carnegie Steel Company to outrageous profitability, and the second half of his career creating philanthropic ventures that still live on and bear his name nearly a century after his death.
This is what one of the world's greatest "captains of industry" had to say about motivation and being a motivating leader:
- People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.
- Aim for the highest.
- Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket.
- Do your duty and a little more and the future will take care of itself.
- No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.
- The men who have succeeded are men who have chosen one line and stuck to it.
- There is little success where there is little laughter.
- There is no class so pitiably wretched as that which possesses money and nothing else.
- Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole, clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve!
- Whatever I engage in, I must push inordinately.
- You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb.
- You must capture and keep the heart of the original and supremely able man before his brain can do its best.
