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Inspirational Quotes Are Only As Good As The Action They Inspire

Craig Stanland
2 min readSep 6, 2023

I love quotes.

I begin each chapter of “Blank Canvas” with one.

Quotes helped me make it through federal prison; they gave me hope in a place devoid of hope.

Quotes are also a trap.

I read something that strikes a chord inside of me. I feel inspired, and I love it.

And far too often in the past, the story stops there.

I’d get my shot of dopamine and leave the words where I found them.

Quotes without understanding and action are merely air, and social media is filled with a lot of air.

My desire is to move beyond words and into meaning:

✔️ What’s my translation of the quote?

✔️ What do I believe it means?

✔️ How can I transform it?

✔️ How can I use it in my life?

✔️ What’s one small step I can take?

✔️ How can I take the words off the page and put them into reality?

If I settle for the short-term dopamine shot, I miss a world of opportunity.

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My memoir, “Blank Canvas, How I Reinvented My Life After Prison” is available on Amazon.

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Craig Stanland
Craig Stanland

Written by Craig Stanland

From corporate success to federal prison, I share my journey to rediscover joy, meaning, and purpose. Join me in reinventing your extraordinary second act!

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