Matthew Kelly Professions : Speaker Born : July 12, 1973 Browse All Authors Top 58 quotes by Matthew Kelly Freedom is not simply the circumstances that allow you to do whatever you want. Freedom is not only the opportunity to choose. Freedom is the strength of character to choose and to do what is right. With that in mind, our age is not an age of freedom, but an age of slavery. It is subtle, but it is real. The foundation of freedom is not power or choice. Freedom is upheld not by men and women in government, but by people who govern themselves. Matthew Kelly freedom real character Every journey to something is a journey away from something Matthew Kelly journey Character is built little by little, over days, weeks, months, and years, with thousands of small and seemingly insignificant acts of discipline. Matthew Kelly discipline character years Love is a choice, love is an act of will, you can choose to love. Matthew Kelly choices love-is The challenge life presents to each of us is to become truly ourselves--not the self we have imagined or fantasized about, not the self that our friends want us to be, not the self our ego would have us be, but the self God has ordained us to be from before we were in our mother's womb. Matthew Kelly ego self mother God does not want to control you, or stifle you, or manipulate you, or force you to do anything you don't want to do. Quite the opposite. God will let you do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it, with whomever you want to do it, and as often as you want to do it. When was the last time God stopped you from doing anything? Matthew Kelly opposites doe want Never believe a promise from a man or woman who has no discipline. They have broken a thousand promises to themselves, and they break their promise for you. Matthew Kelly discipline men believe Our lives change when our habits change. Matthew Kelly our-lives life-changing habit It takes more energy to maintain mediocrity than it takes to pursue excellence. Matthew Kelly mediocrity excellence energy Your weaknesses are the key to the unimaginable bigger future that God has envisioned for you. Your strengths are probably already bearing all the fruit they can. They will continue to bear those good fruits in your life, but at some point they will begin to plateau. Your richer, more abundant future is intimately linked to your weaknesses. Matthew Kelly fruit weakness keys When you voice your disagreement, begin by talking about what you have in common with the person you are arguing with. Too often we rush to judgment, race to argue, and overlook all the common ground we share. Matthew Kelly voice race talking In fact, the more each person can remove his or her ego from the discussion and focus on the subject matter, the more fruitful the conversation will be for all involved. Matthew Kelly ego focus matter Discipline is the path to happiness. Matthew Kelly discipline path Your character is your destiny. Building character is a task for the brave and dedicated. There are no shortcuts when it comes to building character. If you wish to cure minimalism in your own life, to develop a complete commitment to excellence and an absolute rejection of mediocrity, the question you need to start asking yourself is, "What is the most I can do?" Matthew Kelly destiny character commitment More people have access to education today than ever before. But I cannot help but feel that the modern educational experience is not preparing us adequately to attend the rich banquet of life. Certainly the young people of today have mastered the use of technology and are capable of solving complex scientific and mathematical problems, but who and what do these serve if they cannot think for themselves? If they have no understanding of the meaning and purpose of their own lives? If they do not know who they are as individuals? Matthew Kelly technology education thinking Work-life balance was a mistake from the start. Because we don't really want balance. We want satisfaction. Matthew Kelly balance want mistake It has been my experience that nothing changes a person's life more than the discovery of one solitary truth: There is a meaning and purpose to life. More specifically: There is a meaning and purpose to your life. Matthew Kelly catholic purpose discovery The message delivered with unrelenting enthusiasm by our culture is, 'You can be happy without discipline. Do whatever you feel like doing and you will be happy!' While the Church says, 'You cannot be happy without discipline In fact, discipline is the path to happiness!' Matthew Kelly discipline church culture God of hope, I look to you with an open heart and yearning spirit. During this Advent season, I will keep alert and awake, listening for your word and keeping to your precepts. My hope is in you. Matthew Kelly christmas listening heart Striving humbly but heroically to live by what is good, true, and noble in the midst of - and in spite of - the modern climate. Matthew Kelly modern climate noble Similar Authors Bristol Palin speaker Candace Gingrich-Jones speaker John Middendorf speaker All Authors