Thursday Thirteen – What to Say to Thirteen Year Olds

If "nothing" is not an option what advice/encouragement would you give 7/8th graders?
I speak to the members of the National Junior Honor Society tonight & picked these things outta my quote book:

1. "…the will to excel is the thing that endures.  This quality is so much more important than the events that occur." Vince Lombarti
2. "I'd like to say that the quality of any man's life is a full measure of that man's personal committment to excellance and to victory, regardless of what field he may be in." Vince Lombardi
3. "If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem wonderful at all." Michelangelo
4. "People always talk about playing over your head when you are up against someone really good.  Maybe you don't play over your head at all.  Maybe it's just potential you never knew you had." Fran Tarkenton
5. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”Theodore Roosevelt
6. "Where will I be five years from now? I delight in not knowing.  That's one of the greatest things about life – it's a wonderful surprise."  Marlo Thomas
7. "Life is full of beginnings.  They occur every day and every hour to every person.  Most beginnings are small and appear insignificant, but in realit they are the most important things in life." (cannot find the credit for this – any help out there?)
8. Going to school doesn't make you a student anymore than going to the garage makes you a car. (I think I'll leve out the orig. wording of going to church doesn't make you a Christian)
9. We are morally responsible for every wrong we have the power to correct.
10. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them.
11. "Of all the peoplle you will know in a lifetime, you are the only one you will never leave or lose.  Tot eh question of your life, you are the only answer.  To the problems of your life, you are the only solution."
12. "Achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you.  Success is being praised by others, and that's nice too, but not as important or satisfying.  Always aim for achievement and forget about success." Helen Hayes
13. "Part of the art of living is knowing how to compare yourself with the right person.  Dissastisfaction is often the result of unsuitable comparison."  Dr. Henrick Sobotra

I love all of these, cannot use them all (obvs.), but enjoy writing them out.  Any predictions on which/how many I will actually use?