Inspirational Richard Bach Quotes

When I look for inspirational quotes to live by, Richard Bach is one of my first choices. Not because he is a literary genius, but because he was a man before his time. Bach embraced the concepts of the Law of Attraction long before it became popularized by the movie "The Secret." Bach published "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and "Illusions: The Adventures of the Reluctant Messiah" in the seventies when I was coming of age and desperately needed inspiration and motivation to move on with my life. His poignant truths ring as true today as they did then.

"To bring anything into your life, imagine that it's already there." Without an image of what we want in life, we have no direction and no goals. The Law of Attraction teaches that to manifest happiness or abundance in our lives, we must hold the image in our hearts and minds until it comes to pass.

"You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past." So often we are fooled into thinking that our life's path is chosen by circumstances and events beyond out control. Bach reminds us that our future is determined by our choices, and that how we view our past effects the direction in which we will go. I was confused for a long time about how I could choose a different past, until I realized that our past is merely a collection of memories that we choose to focus on. The people and the events of our lives are a reflection of our thinking about them. To change our past, we merely need to change our focus and see the circumstances and events of our lives in new light.

"There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go." Most of us go through life with the belief that our life somehow happens whether we participate or not. Bach reminds us that we participate in every event, every circumstance--even when we choose to take no action. The choices we've made and the actions we've taken have lead us to where we are today. If we are dissatisfied or unhappy, making new choices will lead us to where we want to go.

"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however." Many dream big dreams, but lack the understanding that to reach our dreams requires work. Bach reminds us that we hold the power to make our dreams come true, but working to reach them is up to us.

"You teach best what you most need to learn." I've always been intrigued by the notion that I teach what I need to learn. As we make choices and go about the business of living our lives, we embody the essence of learning. Only through our example to others can we truly learn what we need most to know.

Richard Bach's work is filled with thought-provoking concepts that inspire and uplift the soul. Spoken simply and clearly, his words ring true and stand the passage of time. If you are looking for inspiration or simply want to challenge your thinking, I urge you to read his work. In it, you will find answers to questions you never thought to ask.