Be careful what you study...

So somebody sent me this photo:

Which was just so horrible I had to post it.

Then it reminded me of the saying I had up on the wall next to my machine in uni:

Knowledge is power.
Power corrupts.
Corruption is a crime.
Crime doesn't pay.
So quit studying or you'll go broke.

It always made me laugh and justified more than one study break.  Except now I'm thoroughly educated - and broke.  hmmmm somehow less amusing.

So that got me thinking about the other ones I had up in uni...  There was the "expect perfection, tolerate excellence" -- given that Jen got on me about that after my dressage test the other day "it wasn't *that* bad" while I'm saying the expectation is a lot higher.  *g*  Have to say that one's fairly ingrained by now.  For better or for worse :)

There was "what would the child you once were think of the adult you are now?"   Ummm let's see - plays with horses for a living and gets to bring her puppy dog to work.  Pretty much every horse-crazy girl's dream.  Check.

Then of course there's the one that passed university and went on to be stuck on my blog:  "Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated.  You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps."  Story. of. my. life.

And the only other one I really remember was "if not now, when?" -- which I still ask myself any time I catch myself saying "well someday..."

Not sure there's really any point to this except that it sort of interested me.  Is it a case of what was drilled into my subconscious after years of reading the same thing day after day came to be part of my life?  (For better or for worse!  Maybe I need to stick "win the lottery" on a sticky next to the computer!).   Or, more likely, is it as simple as they meant something to me at a time when I was evolving as a person (theoretically! >;-P) and it makes sense that they still would?   The only one that makes me question that is the first.  That one's a little spooky.  Because it was about as far from inspirational as it gets and it still came true!  Sheesh.

Been lots of studies done on the first - right up there with training your thoughts and using visualization to improve.  And the second is just common sense.  But when it happens without any conscious thought...  A little creepy.  I guess that's how you end up with effective marketing!  hahaha oh dear.