I discovered it’s from Voltaire. It’s cherished wisdom handed down to me by my Dad. A great aphorism and a reality check when business gets weird.

Learned from my father. Be prepared for the worst, in other words. When it doesn't happen, 99.99% of the time you can be pleasantly surprised.

Taught to just about any officer in the UK/US Armed Forces.

I think that one of the biggest issues people face is their own inner voice that holds them back.

Find your passion and follow it and you'll be a very happy person. Sadly few people follow their passions.

My father's DIY advice has saved me on many occasions and is applicable beyond carpentry.

Read that out loud! Slogan Creative Orchestra had painted in big letters on the wall. I have no time for people who give up or say it can't be done before they tried.  

Courtesy of Amelia Earhart.

I picked this up from Simon Woodroff (founder of Yo Sushi!) Basically "Don't do average."

Paraphrasing Maya Angelou. American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. Hollywood’s first female black director.

Explanation on joining the board at Saatchi & Saatchi.

One I would share with my teams at various times along the way from my working experience.

Meant as encouragement originally to women whose voices are heard less frequently. All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to remain silent.

My father told me and I've never forgotten it. I've also passed it on to a few people who had awkward life decisions to make and it really helped them.

That's helped me literally (especially travelling through Africa) as well as figuratively in careers and personal life.

From Adventures in the Screen Trade - William Goldman.

From Mark Ormrod MBE. Former Royal Marine, Invictus Games athlete

Said to me by a CEO before meeting the lawyers. If you want to get the best return from time with someone think what you really need to ask.

It's by Mark Twain on the futility of worrying.

Courtesy of Frank Zappa. American composer, guitarist, and satirist.

Maybe not always great advice but essentially it's all life is better for taking risks

Courtesy Michael Jordon.

From Einstein on the essence of problem solving.

One of the many pieces of wisdom learned from legendary agency leader Nigel Sharrocks.

Courtesy of George Bernard Shaw

Not philisophical, but comes in handy when you have seen as many ad briefs as I have.

From Viktor Frankl. Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor.

The reward for great work is more work.

Borrowed this from Scott Adams (Dilbert cartoonist) many years ago.

Anon.

Taught to me by Chris Sutcliffe. I still use this today as a problem agitator, to run through some random stimulus to try and solve that problem. I did it today actually.

My dad's words of wisdom. He was all about playing fair but said we should never let ourselves be taken advantage of.

What Chris's dad always said to him. The one thing Linda says you can still always rely on with me.

The advice I got from my mother on leaving Uni into the big wild work of work.

Advice to me by Steve Richards then COO at brand consultancy Woolf Olins.

One from my grandfather.

From my mum.

Treat people the way you want to be treated.

When someone asks you to do something you can ask why?

Courtesy of Frank Cockman my first Board Account Director in advertising.

You can't learn when you are talking.

There is no evidence that this was said by Michelangelo or Ruskin. However, it is still a pretty good thought in how you change and shape companies.

Fom my first boss at ad agency Young and Rubicom.

As a blogger I've experienced the wisdom in this. Many of my original pieces would probably have caused me no end of problems (as well as contradicting my rule - never move jobs for money).

If something is so big and obvious you can't ignore it.

One I have increasingly tried to remember the older I get.

Early in my career my father gave me this advice. 35 years later I had dinner with one of my old mentees who recalled how she tried to live by it.

Written by Rob Siltanen who wrote the Think Different ad campaign for Apple.

Courtesy of Einstein.

From Dr. Seuss. There is a greek word, telos, which means purpose. As in the purpose of a knife is to cut. Your purpose is to be you. Now then, how are you going to change the world or make it a better place?

Courtesy of Wayne Gretsky Ice Hockey Legend.

Courtesy of Thomas Edison.

Media is a ruthless game with not too many principles. Be good, be honest and trust people well and whilst it might cost in the short-term, it pays off in the long-term.

Courtesy of Sam Malone (barman in Cheers TV show).

Take the job if it advances your career, if it will make you happier by allowing you to fulfill your potential. If it comes with more money, great. But never move only for the money.

From my dad on salesmanship. His philosophy was that you had to go out there and make opportunity.

Don’t aim off what you really want for fear of failure. It’s as easy to to go for it as it is to guarantee missing the mark. Courtesy of Nick Horswell.

The Fifth habit of Stephen Covey's “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.

Courtesy of Henry Ford.

Atributed to fellow dyslexic Henry Ford. Sometimes bend is replaced with break or rewrite. Essentially it divides us into 3 types, the latter being the creative, innovators.

My dad said most people (especially bureaucrats) say "no". So just do it and face the music afterwards. 9 times out of 10 no one says anything and if you pull a success off you get the praise.

Next time you come up with an angle or positioning, try it in a conversation first. If you feel uncomfortable saying it face to face, don't say it via an ad. Try telling someone 'you should try that Aperol Spritz because together you'll joy' ?

Everyone says it but it’s no less true for that.

Even a crappy situation has some positive upside! As true in life in general as professionally.

Advice from my dad. It served me pretty well...but you should probably ask some of my bosses.

This is one all us dyslexics love.

Totally stolen and mildly bastardised from the great ad creative Dave Trott.

Dalai Lama XIV.

The advice I got from my mother on leaving Uni into the big wild work of work. Thanks Mum!!

Remember who is making the decision.

Courtesy of Steve Covey's seven success lessons.

From Katie Vanneck Smith, former Global President, Dow Jones - as I entered my first job in marketing. This has helped me hugely in soliciting and listening to a wide range of feedback and knowing when to take it on or not.

Great advice across all areas. We live in a world that seeks to make the simple complicated, but the person who can simplify the complicated is the greater.

Courtesy of brand legend Robin Wight and one of my favourites.

From Carl Jung (psychoanalyst) as it requires consideration. Until you make conscious and integrate the hived-off elements of your own psyche you will keep meeting them in your day to day life