Ignite your career

The American philosopher Henry D. Thoreau in the nineteenth century said that "the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." This means that most of us lack the courage to live the life we dream about. To have the courage to pursue our dreams despite knowing that we risk failure is perhaps the greatest form of courage. 

Quote from this good inspirational free book: http://bookboon.com/en/business-ebooks/career/ignite-your-career. 

They have other free books, too, so check it out. Not all of them are worth it, though. 

Motivation for students: set goals for studying

To pass exams you should know why you have to study. So, take a few moments to understand the reason behind all of that struggle and hell that you are currently going through. I have never done that, but I suggest you write your reasons on a paper and put it on the wall and remember them every time you feel like slacking off and procrastinating.

Here are some quotes that might put you in the right state of mind for goal-setting:

“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” 
- Bill Copeland

”Vision without action is daydream. Action without vision is nightmare.” 
- Japanese Proverb

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
- Wayne Gretzky

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” 
- Lao Tzu

“Don’t go through life, grow through life.” 
- Eric Butterworth

“People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” 
- Steve Jobs

”Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em.” 
- William Shakespeare

“Some men see things as they are and say why – I dream things that never were and say why not.”
- George Bernard Shaw

”Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great makes you feel that you, too, can become great.” 
- Mark Twain

“The man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others.” 
- Hasidic Proverb

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” 
- Abraham Lincoln

For motivation to actually begin to study go to this page.
Here is an intro for Motivation for students series of posts.

Motivation for students: to actually study

Tips:

1. Decide why you have to study. The shining goal (or dreadful consequences) is what will keep you working through the night. 

2. Define the scope of work. You've got to know how much information you are going to out in your head in the next few days/hours. Go through questions and materials you already have, get additional books or friends' lectures. Plan and set goals for every day! (or at least read some material for every question especially for oral exams!). 

3. Understand your weak points. If you remember something from your classes, revise it and move on to the questions of which you've never heard or know very little. 

4. Forget about your past failures. Whatever happened, happened. Like Batman, you've got to rise again regardless of your position. Stay positive!

5. Here are some quotes that will help you to set your mind on studying for exam or test or whatever obstacle there is on your road to graduation:

"Make use of time, let not advantage slip." 

- William Shakespeare

"Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today." 

- Benjamin Franklin

"Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there." 

- Will Rogers

"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right." 

- Henry Ford

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." 

- Benjamin Franklin

"If not us, who? If not now, when?" 

- John F. Kennedy

"The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." 

- Chinese Proverb

"If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way." 

- Napoleon Hill

"The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time." 

- Joe Girard

"Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was." 

- Richard L. Evans

"It has been my philosophy of life that difficulties vanish when faced boldly." 

- Isaac Asimov

"Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get." 

- Ray Kroc

"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence." 

- Vince Lombardi

"Men do less than they ought, unless they do all they can." 

- Thomas Carlyle

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." 

- Aristotle 

(because we all know that sometimes you have to read complete gibberish)

"The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work." 

- Richard Bach

"The real opportunity for success lies within the person and not in the job." 

- Zig Ziglar

"Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."
- Henry David Thoreau

Here is the intro for motivation for students series of posts. 

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

~ Steve Jobs (Stanford speech)