Citation & attribution checker
Some of the motivation lines I live by are not mine. They came out of speeches I watched on YouTube when I needed them, and one is an old proverb. Paste any version before it goes out — a post, a letter, a caption, a deck slide, a press line — and this tells you whether every borrowed line is labeled the same way it is labeled everywhere else.
The registry
These labels are the standard. Publishing refuses any version that quotes one of these lines without its label, and the quote cards, shares and PNGs pull their credit from right here so nothing can drift.
“When the best leader's work is done, the people will say, “We did this ourselves.””
Proverb — traditionally attributed to Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching. Quoted here, not my own writing.
Source: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching (traditionally attributed)
The proverb note. It is the same note everywhere: proverb, Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, quoted not written.
Also caught as: “When the best leader's work is done, the people will say, 'We did this ourselves.'”, “the people will say we did this ourselves”
“If you fall, fall forward. Never settle for a smaller life than you are capable of living.”
Quoted from Denzel Washington’s commencement address, watched on YouTube. Not my own writing.
Source: Denzel Washington, commencement address (widely circulated on YouTube)
Name the speaker. This one is well documented, so an unnamed "somebody on YouTube" note is not enough.
Also caught as: “If you fall, fall forward. No reward worth having comes without risk.”, “Never settle for a smaller life than you are capable of living”, “Never settle for a smaller life than you're capable of living”, “if you fall fall forward”
“I am ready. I am ready. I am ready.”
Heard in a motivational speech on YouTube. Quoted here — not my own writing. Speaker unconfirmed — do not name one.
Source: Motivational speech on YouTube (speaker unconfirmed)
Repeated to myself out of a speech. I will not put a name on it until I can prove the name.
Also caught as: “I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready.”
“Breath in your lungs equals hope in your heart.”
Heard in a motivational speech on YouTube. Quoted here — not my own writing. Speaker unconfirmed — do not name one.
Source: Motivational speech on YouTube (speaker unconfirmed)
The line that got me out of bed. Borrowed, and labeled as borrowed.
Also caught as: “breath in your lungs is hope in your heart”, “breath in our lungs equals hope in our heart”
“Developing patience is the key to the game.”
Paraphrased from motivational speeches on YouTube, in my own words.
Source: Motivational speeches on YouTube
My wording, their idea. Paraphrase note, every version.
Also caught as: “patience is the key to the game”
“Don't just dip a toe, take a deeper dive.”
Paraphrased from motivational speeches on YouTube, in my own words.
Source: Motivational speeches on YouTube
My wording, their idea. Paraphrase note, every version.
Also caught as: “Don't just dip a toe; take a deeper dive”, “dip a toe take a deeper dive”
“Don't do it halfway. Go all the way.”
Paraphrased from motivational speeches on YouTube, in my own words.
Source: Motivational speeches on YouTube
My wording, their idea. Paraphrase note, every version.
Also caught as: “do not do it halfway go all the way”