Zig Ziglar: 1926-2012

Zig Ziglar died Wednesday, 28th November, 2012 at age 86.He was a deep-throated motivational speaker whose clever way with words inspired millions to stop looking for shortcuts to success -- and instead earn it the old-fashioned way by rolling up their sleeves and getting to work.

To today's audiences, Ziglar's words might seem kitschy and a little bit corny, or involved wordplay. Among them: "Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street" and "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

But it was that same easy-to-remember, home-spun simplicity that caught on with people including rapper-actor L.L. Cool J and social media guru Jeff Bullas, and prompted many to tweet their sadness at Ziglar's death and pass along their favorite Ziglarisms.

In honoring this great speaker the world just lost, I am posting some of his greatest quotes and I'm hoping
they inspire you.

Zig Ziglar Quotes:

“Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.”

“Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs.” 

“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.”

“Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.” 

“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great” 

“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want right now”  

“If you go out looking for friends, you're going to find they are very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere.”

“You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.”  

“There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.” 

“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.” 

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” 

“You are what you are and you are where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You change what you are and you change where you are by changing what goes into your mind.”  

“Failure is an event not a person, Yesterday ended last night.” ” 

“Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be. If we do our best, we are a success.”  

“Everybody says they want to be free. Take the train off the tracks and it’s free-but it can’t go anywhere.” 

“If God would have wanted us to live in a permissive society He would have given us Ten Suggestions and not Ten Commandments.”