Every now and again, you come across a line and think to yourself: “Wow – it’s not just I wish I had thought of that. I must implement it. That is going to make a positive difference on my life, my business.”

Just recently I have begun to compile a list of such phrases. I don’t necessarily know the author of each line. However, whether you are a business mentor or otherwise, I believe that they are worth sharing with you. And what better time than now, as we are all contemplating change and improvement with the onset of 2014.

1) “LISTEN and SILENT” are composed of the same letters. In an age of swift communications, when we are all trying to ensure we are heard, I found this to be very pertinent and penetrating. I saw this framed in the conference room of a large accountant’s office in Tel Aviv. Was there ever a more appropriate location?

2) “Time management is a misnomer. The real challenge is to manage ourselves”. Stated by Covey in his influential book ‘The 7 Habits of Successful People’, it was quoted by Dr Sharon Melnick in her work of ‘Success Under Stress”.

3) “Stress occurs when the demands of a situation exceed your perceived ability to control them.” Sharon Melnick.

The next three items, I found displayed prominently in the waiting room of a large dentists’ surgery in Jerusalem. As I looked and considered the words, they did then help me keep my mind off the threat of impending pain.

4) “Quality – countless unseen details are often the only difference between mediocre and magnificent.”

5) “Service – the high road to service is travelled with integrity, compassion and understanding….People don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care.”

6) “The courage of integrity – the highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity; choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity………”

Finally, if my readers will let me be immodest, I recently remarkedto a client that:

7) “If you don’t do anything to change, you remain where you are.”

Wishing everyone a successful, healthy and happy 2014. May you continue to seek improvement and to grow on towards your dreams and vision.