I recently discovered Zen Pencils, a site that takes inspirational quotes and turns them into cartoons. 

I am blown away by the creativity of the concept and by the dedication of the illustrator who posts new drawings twice a week.

The cartoons on the site are individual, stand-alone comics based on each quote. But, I found that the ones that resonated with me reflect my perspective on life. So I decided to combine the collective wisdom to tell a brief story. Let me know what you think.

What are some of your favorite quotes? Is your interpretation of the quotes different from mine?

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The poet Robert Frost jokes about how boring and brainless a job can be. 

Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin follow up by saying not to waste your life.

There are so many things to see, so many ways to challenge yourself. Why live life on the sidelines watching it all happen? Theodore Roosevelt wants you to get in on the action yourself.

Wherever you are, though, Kurt Vonnegut and the Dalai Lama remind you to appreciate the present.

In the meantime, follow your intuition as Steve Jobs did. Find out what you’re good at, says Einstein, so you can be both fulfilled and successful.

Sydney Smith knows that it’s okay to start small and do what you can. But Bruce Lee will jump in to add that you shouldn’t stop at the plateaus that you will inevitably face. Instead, push your limits, and remember Shaolin Monk’s wisdom that the more you prepare now, the stronger you’ll be when it matters. 

If you want it badly enough, you can dare people to stop you, and Ayn Rand knows that the naysayers won’t be able to hold you down.

At the end of the day, the American journalist Hunter S. Thompson sums it up well. Listen to advice, think about what you want to do, but really, when it comes down to it, just buy the ticket and take the ride. 

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