- Attributed to Eleanor Hibbert, British author

While the above quote is overly broad, I think it’s useful in the context of work and accomplishments.  I mean, if you are addicted to clubbing baby seals, well, maybe you should give that some thought and perhaps a dash of regret should be part of that cognitive cocktail.

Is regret bad?  Good?  Useful sometimes?  Overrated? What do you think?

- Matthew Porter

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“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”

- E.B. White

Quoted in profile by Israel Shenker, “E. B. White: Notes and Comment by Author”, The New York Times – July 11, 1969

- Matthew Porter

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- Attributed to Bill McKenna

Professional motorcycle racer

Cycle Magazine, February 1982

- Matthew Porter

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Henry David Thoreau: Poet, Thinker, Dapper Dan

Depending on how you look at it, today’s Great Quote could either be inspiring or kind of sober, a’ la J. M. Barrie. Maybe it’s both. In any case, hope it helps get your week started well…

“The youth gets together his materials to build a bridge to the moon, or, perchance, a palace or temple on the earth, and, at length, the middle-aged man concludes to build a woodshed with them.”

- Henry David Thoreau
July 14, 1852 — Journals (1838-1859)

- Matthew Porter

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Of all the months named after a present singular first person auxiliary verb, May is definitely my favorite. And in lieu of a clever segueway, here now is a quick recap of all the fun we had this last month here at HeyPorter.com…

Great Quote Monday — John F. Kennedy

I think that sometimes the best quote is a challenging question, as evidenced here by John F. Kennedy.

Matthew Maxim #11: Hate Failure, But Never Fear It

Okay, it stinks as a bumper sticker, but read this article and see if you don’t agree that it’s relevant and applicable to everyday life.

Great Quote Monday — Helen Keller

Having read this quote– and now visited her childhood home– I almost feel bad for telling all those bad Helen Keller jokes way back when.

Found Comedy — Mega Brand Smackdown

Weeks later and I still can’t figure out how this sign got approved and printed. It’s enough to make the Hamburglar blush.

Great Quote Monday — Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Poetry for Great Quote Monday? Yep. And just imagine where we could go from here. Today Browning, tomorrow Shel Silverstein…

Great Quote Monday — Harold S. Dodge via W. Edwards Deming

I know: the word ‘quality’ is flogged so much that it has no edges left at all. Still, I think you’ll find this quote and the accompanying article worth a look.

Great Quote Monday — Jesus

And if you like this quote, try reading his bestseller.




- Matthew Porter

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“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

- Jesus Christ
John 15:13 (NIV)

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W. Edwards Deming: The management guru women wanted and men wanted to be...

Today’s quote– about quality– comes from Harold S. Dodge as delivered by management guru W. Edwards Deming (also a statistician, college professor, author, lecturer, and consultant).

‘Quality’ isn’t the sexiest of concepts, as concepts go. Still, the idea of quality is inextricable from the idea of excellence. And, of course, the phrase ‘striving for excellence’ is just a fancy pants way of saying ‘we aim to stare our competition directly in the eye, except that the competition will be lying on the ground and we’ll be standing over them.’

Hey, when you put it that way, I think I could get behind this ‘quality’ thing.

Dodge’s / Deming’s quote reminds me of the work of Phil Crosby and his ‘quality is free’ and ‘do it right the first time’ concepts. Mr. Crosby was an author, management theorist, and quality management guru whom I had the pleasure of meeting several times. Which is to say, he attended the same church I did when I was growing up and I later dated his daughter for a time. Which is to say, now I’m not saying anything useful whatsoever, just doing some ham-handed name-dropping. [Shakes head] Not efficient at all…

“As Harold S. Dodge said many years ago, ‘You cannot inspect quality into a product.’ The quality is there or it isn’t by the time it’s inspected.”

- W. Edwards Deming
Out Of The Crisis (1982)

- Matthew Porter

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When our host took us to Keller’s childhood home in Tuscumbia, I remember being happily surprised with how unremarkable it was. The place was small, quiet. Probably not too different from when the woman herself lived there — okay, it was originally a plantation, so there are some significant (and positive) differences. What I’m trying to say is that had Helen Keller grown up where I did, in Central Florida, things would have turned out a little differently. Instead of a modest home, it would have been ‘Helen Keller: The Theme Park!’ complete with rides, costumed characters, and sprawling gift shops featuring souvenir coffee mugs and tacky tourist t-shirts that read ‘Helen Keller didn’t see her house, but I did!’

In all, I was impressed with three things: One, the generosity of our volunteer tour guide. Two, how great people often have humble beginnings. And three, the folks who have every reason in the world to say they got a raw deal, but don’t, steadfastly refusing to be victims.

Ms. Keller was one such person and today’s quote from her reflects that unconquerable spirit:

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

- Helen Keller
from The Open Door (1957)

- Matthew Porter

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- John F. Kennedy
Speech to Massachusetts State Legislature
January 9, 1961


- Matthew Porter

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James F. Byrnes

“Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death.”

- Attributed to James F. Byrnes

- Matthew Porter

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