{"id":4801,"date":"2023-10-31T16:05:12","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T20:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/37-best-inspirational-motivational-short-stories-2023-update\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T16:05:12","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T20:05:12","slug":"37-best-inspirational-motivational-short-stories-2023-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/37-best-inspirational-motivational-short-stories-2023-update\/","title":{"rendered":"37 Best Inspirational &#038; Motivational Short Stories [2023 Update]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\n<p><em>There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Have<br \/>\nyou ever watched a movie or read a book that had a lasting impact on you?<\/p>\n<p>Stories are one of the most powerful ways to guide, teach, and inspire people. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.harvardbusiness.org\/what-makes-storytelling-so-effective-for-learning\/\" target=\"_blank\">Storytelling is effective <\/a>because it helps to establish connections among people, as well as between people and the ideas that unite humanity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Inspirational stories move past creating a sense of connection, and allow the listener to identify with the story wherever they are in their own life<\/strong>, which makes them more receptive to learning. <\/p>\n<p>Some of the best stories contain several different meanings or lessons so they\u2019re effective in communicating complex ideas in ways that are easy to understand. <\/p>\n<p>Finally, storytelling has characteristics that benefits the three <em>main <\/em>types of learning: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Visual learners<\/strong> benefit from the mental pictures that stories evoke. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Auditory learners<\/strong> are able to focus on the words and voice of the storyteller. <\/p>\n<p>And <strong>kinesthetic learners<\/strong> can retain the emotional connections that they feel were created in the story.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/learning-new-things\/\">No matter what type of learner you are<\/a>, you can benefit from an inspirational story that comes with a moral. <\/p>\n<p>In this article, <strong>I will share 23 short inspirational stories that can teach you valuable lessons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-23-best-inspirational-short-stories-with-a-motivating-moral\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"23_Best_Inspirational_Short_Stories_with_a_Motivating_Moral\"\/>23 Best Inspirational Short Stories with a Motivating Moral <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-three-feet-from-gold\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Three_Feet_From_Gold\"\/>1. Three Feet From Gold<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>Watch the Video of This Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Three Feet From Gold: A Motivational Story for Overcoming Challenges in Life\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/diDpj6PJZr0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During the gold rush, a man who had been mining in Colorado for several months quit his job, as he hadn\u2019t struck gold yet and the work was becoming tiresome. \u00a0He sold his equipment to another man who resumed mining where it had been left off. <\/p>\n<p><strong>The new miner was advised by his engineer that there was gold only three feet away from where the first miner stopped digging. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The engineer was right, which means the first<br \/>\nminer was a mere <strong>three feet<\/strong> away<br \/>\nfrom striking gold before he quit.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When things start to get hard, try to persevere through the adversity. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/never-give-up-quotes\/\">Many people give up on following their dreams<\/a> because the work becomes too difficult, tedious, or tiresome\u2013but often, <strong>you\u2019re closer to the finish line than you may think<\/strong>, and if you push just a little harder, you will succeed. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-rocks-pebbles-and-sand\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Rocks_Pebbles_and_Sand\"\/>2. Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>Watch the Video of This Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rock, Pebbles, and Sand Story: An Important Lesson on Time Management\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rNTR3Pxc_CY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A philosophy professor once stood up before<br \/>\nhis class with a large empty mayonnaise jar. He filled the jar to the top with<br \/>\nlarge rocks and asked his students if the jar was full.<\/p>\n<p>His students all agreed <strong>the jar was full<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>He then added small pebbles to the jar, and<br \/>\ngave the jar a bit of a shake so the pebbles could disperse themselves among<br \/>\nthe larger rocks. Then he asked again, \u201cIs the jar full now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The students agreed that <strong>the jar was still full.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The professor then poured sand into the jar to<br \/>\nfill up all the remaining empty space. <\/p>\n<p>The students then agreed again that <strong>the jar was full<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Metaphor:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In this story, <strong>the jar represents your life <\/strong>and the r<strong>ocks, pebbles, and sand are the things that fill up your life<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>The rocks represent the most important projects and things you have going on, such as spending time with your family and maintaining proper health. This means that if the pebbles and the sand were lost, the jar would still be full and <strong>your life would still have meaning<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>The pebbles represent the things in your life that matter, but that you could live without. <\/p>\n<p>The pebbles are certainly things that give your life meaning (such as your job, house, hobbies, and friendships), but they are not critical for you to have a meaningful life. <\/p>\n<p><strong>These things often come and go, and are not permanent or essential to your overall well-being.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Finally, the sand represents the remaining filler things in your life, and material possessions. This could be small things such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/stop-watching-tv\/\">watching television<\/a>, browsing through your favorite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/pros-and-cons-of-social-media\/\">social media site<\/a>, or running errands. <\/p>\n<p><strong>These things don&#8217;t mean much to your life as a whole, and are likely only done to waste time or get small tasks accomplished.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The metaphor here is that if you start with putting sand into the jar, you will not have room for rocks or pebbles. <\/p>\n<p>This holds true with the things you let into your life. If you spend all of your time on the small and insignificant things, you will run out of room for the things that are actually important.<\/p>\n<p>In order to have a more effective and efficient life, pay attention to the \u201crocks,\u201d because they are critical to your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/self-improvement\/\">long-term well-being<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-the-elephant-rope\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_The_Elephant_Rope\"\/>3. The Elephant Rope<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>Watch the Video of This Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Elephant and the Rope Story: A Motivational Story About Overcoming Your LIMITING BELIEFS\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9XXInWiQaIM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When walking through an elephant camp, a man<br \/>\nnoticed that the elephants were only secured with a small rope that was tied<br \/>\naround one ankle. He wondered why the elephants didn\u2019t break free from the<br \/>\nrope, as the elephants were certainly strong enough to do so.<\/p>\n<p>He asked a trainer why the elephants didn\u2019t try to break free, and the trainer responded by saying that they use the same size rope for baby elephants all the way up to adulthood. <\/p>\n<p>Because they\u2019re too small when they\u2019re babies to break free from the rope,<strong> they grow up being conditioned that the rope is stronger than they are<\/strong>. As adults, they think the rope can still hold them, so they don\u2019t try to fight it. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The elephants in this case are experiencing<a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/learned-helplessness\/\"> learned helplessness<\/a>. This phenomenon occurs when someone has been conditioned to anticipate discomfort in some way without having a way to avoid it or make it stop. <\/p>\n<p><strong>After enough conditioning, the person will stop any attempts to avoid the pain, even if they see an opportunity to escape.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you go through life thinking that you can\u2019t do something just because you have failed at doing it in the past, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset\/\">you\u2019re living with a fixed mindset<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>You have to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/limiting-beliefs\/\"><strong>let go of your limiting beliefs <\/strong><\/a><strong>in order to make the breakthroughs that are required for your ultimate success. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t let other people tell you that you can\u2019t do something, and don\u2019t hold onto an assumption that you can\u2019t grow and learn from past failures.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-a-wise-man-s-jokes\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_A_Wise_Mans_Jokes\"\/>4. A Wise Man\u2019s Jokes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A wise man once faced a group of people who<br \/>\nwere complaining about the same issues over and over again. One day, instead of<br \/>\nlistening to the complaints, he told them a joke and everyone cracked up<br \/>\nlaughing.<\/p>\n<p>Then, the man repeated the joke. A few people<br \/>\nsmiled. <\/p>\n<p>Finally, the man repeated the joke a third<br \/>\ntime\u2013<strong>but no one reacted<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>The man smiled and said, \u201cYou won\u2019t laugh at<br \/>\nthe same joke more than once. So what are you getting from continuing to<br \/>\ncomplain about the same problem?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re not going to get anywhere if you keep complaining about the same problem but do nothing to fix it. <\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t waste your time complaining, expecting other people to continue to react to your complaints. Instead, take action to make a change.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-it-s-never-too-late\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Its_Never_Too_Late\"\/>5. It\u2019s Never Too Late<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>Watch the Video of This Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Colonel Sanders Story: A Motivational Story Finding Success &amp; Overcoming Failure\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8i1pbW5YXfk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the 1940s, there was a man who, at the age<br \/>\nof 65, was living off of $99 social security checks in a small house, driving a<br \/>\nbeat-up car. <\/p>\n<p>He decided <strong>it was time to make a change<\/strong>, so he thought about what he had to<br \/>\noffer that other people may benefit from. His mind went to his fried chicken<br \/>\nrecipe, which his friends and family loved. <\/p>\n<p>He left his home state of Kentucky and<br \/>\ntraveled throughout the country, trying to sell his recipe to restaurants. He<br \/>\neven offered the recipe for free, asking for only a small chunk of the money<br \/>\nthat was earned. <\/p>\n<p>However, most of the restaurants declined his<br \/>\noffer. In fact, <strong>1,009 restaurants said <em>no<\/em>. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But<br \/>\neven after all of the rejections, he persisted.<\/strong> He<br \/>\nbelieved in himself and his chicken recipe.<\/p>\n<p>When he visited restaurant #1,010, he got a <em>YES<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>His name? <\/p>\n<p>Colonel Hartland Sanders. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are a few lessons that you can take away from this story. <\/p>\n<p>First, it\u2019s never too late in life <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/successful-life\/\">to find success<\/a>. In a society that often celebrates young, successful people, it\u2019s easy to start to think you\u2019re never going to be successful after a certain age.<strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>However, Colonel Sanders is an example that proves that argument wrong.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This story also demonstrates the power of persistence. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/confidence-habits\/\">You have to have confidence in yourself<\/a> and believe in your work for other people to believe it also. <\/p>\n<p>Disregard anyone who tells you \u201cno\u201d and simply move on.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-the-boulder-and-the-gold\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_The_Boulder_and_the_Gold\"\/>6. The Boulder and the Gold<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There once was a king who decided to do a<br \/>\nlittle experiment. He had a giant boulder put right in the middle of the<br \/>\nstreet. He then hid near the boulder to see who, if anyone, would try to move<br \/>\nit out of the way.<\/p>\n<p>First, some wealthy merchants walked by. They<br \/>\nwalked around the boulder, complaining that the king hasn\u2019t been maintaining<br \/>\nthe roads very well. <\/p>\n<p>Next, a peasant walked by, heading home with<br \/>\nhis arms full of food for his family. When he noticed the boulder, he put his<br \/>\ngroceries down and attempted to move it out of everyone\u2019s way. It took him a<br \/>\nwhile to move it, <strong>but he eventually<br \/>\nsucceeded. <\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"short motivational stories with moral | inspiring short stories with moral lessons | inspirational stories for kids\" class=\"wp-image-20460\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder.jpg\" alt=\"short motivational stories with moral | inspiring short stories with moral lessons | inspirational stories for kids\" class=\"wp-image-20460\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-boulder-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> If you\u2019re able to push through moments that are challenging, you may end up being much better off than you were before you started trying. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>After the peasant gathered up his groceries to carry on home, he noticed a bag lying in the middle of the road, just where the boulder once was. <\/p>\n<p>He opened the bag to find that it was stuffed <strong>full of gold coins<\/strong>, along with a letter from the king saying that the bag\u2019s gold was a reward for the peasant to keep. <\/p>\n<p>The king gave this gift because the peasant had taken the time and energy to move the boulder out of the road for the convenience of others who would be traveling the road in the future. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The peasant in this story was taught by the king that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/overcoming-obstacles\/\">every obstacle you face<\/a> offers an opportunity to improve. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re able to push through moments that are challenging, you may end up being much better off than you were before you started trying.<\/p>\n<p>This story also offers a lesson of personal responsibility. <\/p>\n<p>If you see a job ahead of you, don\u2019t leave it for the next person to do. Rather, step up and get the job done to help the people who come after you.<\/p>\n<p>(To learn more about this concept, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/personal-responsibility\/\">here are 8 key ingredients of personal responsibility<\/a><\/strong>.)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-dirty-money\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Dirty_Money\"\/>7. Dirty Money<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A well-respected speaker began a seminar by showing an audience of 150 people a crisp $20 bill. <\/p>\n<p>He asked, \u201cWho wants this $20 bill?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>All 150 people nodded.<\/p>\n<p>He said, \u201cI am going to give this money to someone, but first\u2026.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Then he proceeded to crumple the bill up.<\/p>\n<p>He asked the crowd again if anyone wanted it.<\/p>\n<p>All 150 hands went up in the air.<\/p>\n<p>The speaker then dropped the money on the<br \/>\nfloor and stomped all over it.<\/p>\n<p>He then raised it in the air to show the<br \/>\ncrowd. The money was filthy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDoes anyone want it now?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Every hand went up.<\/p>\n<p>The speaker proceeded to tell the crowd that no matter what he did to ruin the money, people still wanted it because<strong> its value remained the same<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>It was still worth $20.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Life often beats us up to the point where we feel inadequate. We deal with bad circumstances and make bad choices that we have to deal with later. However, no matter what you go through, <strong>your value will remain the same<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>You have something special to offer that no one can take away from you. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-the-ultimate-test\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_The_Ultimate_Test\"\/>8. The Ultimate Test<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One night, four college students stayed up<br \/>\nlate partying, even though they knew they had a test the next day. The next<br \/>\nmorning, they came up with a plan to get out of having to take their test. <\/p>\n<p>Each student rolled around in dirt and then<br \/>\nwent to the teacher\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<p>They told the teacher that they had gotten a<br \/>\nflat tire the night before, and they spent the <em>entire night<\/em> pushing their car back to campus. <\/p>\n<p>The teacher listened, and to the students\u2019<br \/>\ndelight, he offered a retest three days later. <\/p>\n<p>On the day of the test, the students went to their teacher\u2019s office. The teacher put all four of the students in separate rooms to take the test. The students were okay with that because they had been given a chance to study. <\/p>\n<p>The test had 2 questions:<\/p>\n<p>1) Your Name __________ (1 Points)<\/p>\n<p>2) Which tire was flat? __________ (99 Points)<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Front Right<\/li>\n<li>Front Left<\/li>\n<li>Back Right<\/li>\n<li>Back Left<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Aside from making wise decisions, <strong>you always need to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/making-excuses\/\"><strong>take responsibility for your actions<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>This means not blaming other people for your mistakes, not complaining about the reality of the present moment, and not giving in to other people\u2019s pressure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"the blind girl story | the elephant rope | inspirational short stories about life\" class=\"wp-image-20464\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test.jpg\" alt=\"the blind girl story | the elephant rope | inspirational short stories about life\" class=\"wp-image-20464\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-test-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">You always need to take responsibility for your actions aside from making wise decisions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-9-what-a-waste\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_What_a_Waste\"\/>9. What a Waste<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A mother camel and her baby were lying down, soaking up the sun. <\/p>\n<p>The baby camel asked his mom, \u201cWhy do we have these big bumps on our back?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mom stopped to think and then said, \u201cWe live in the desert where there is not much water available. Our humps store water to help us survive on long journeys.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The baby camel then stopped to think and said,<br \/>\n\u201cWell, why do we have long legs with rounded feet?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His mother replied, \u201cThey are meant to help us<br \/>\nwalk through sand.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The baby asked a third question, \u201cWhy are my<br \/>\neyelashes so long?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mother replied, \u201cYour long eyelashes offer<br \/>\nyou protection from sand when it blows in the wind.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the baby said,<strong> \u201cIf we have all of these natural abilities given to us to walk through<br \/>\nthe desert, what\u2019s the use for camels in the Zoo?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The skills and abilities that you possess<br \/>\nwon\u2019t be useful if you\u2019re not in the right environment. <\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ve probably heard of a professional who<br \/>\nditched his or her career to follow their dreams\u2013or the person who remains<br \/>\nunfulfilled in their job, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/reasons-leaving-job\/\">but doesn\u2019t try to make a change<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re stuck in a career that isn\u2019t the right fit, you have to do some self-reflection to realize where you strengths lie that are going to waste. (<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/find-your-strengths\/\">Here is a five-step process to identify your personal strengths<\/a><\/strong>.)<\/p>\n<p>Turn to people that you know the best as well as professionals in any given market so you can start thinking about what may be better for you. <\/p>\n<p>Think big and remain open to new ideas.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-10-breathing-with-no-air\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Breathing_With_No_Air\"\/>10. Breathing With No Air<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A boy once asked a wise old man what the secret to success is. <\/p>\n<p>After listening to the boy\u2019s question, the wise man told the boy to meet him at the river in the morning and he would be given the answer there. <\/p>\n<p>In the morning, the wise man and the boy began<br \/>\nwalking toward the river. They continued on into the river, past the point of<br \/>\nthe water covering their nose and mouth.\u00a0<br \/>\nAt this time, the wise man ducked the boy into the water.<\/p>\n<p>As he struggled to get out, the wise man<br \/>\ncontinued to push him further down. The boy felt a fish slip by his leg and<br \/>\nsquirmed to get up even harder. The man eventually pulled the boy\u2019s head up so<br \/>\nhe could get air. The boy gasped as he inhaled a deep breath of air. <\/p>\n<p>The wise man said, \u2018What were you fighting for when you were under water?\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The boy replied, \u201cAir!\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The man said, \u201cThere you have the secret to success. When you want to gain success as much as you wanted air when you were under water, you will obtain it. That\u2019s the only secret.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Success starts with the desire to achieve something. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/how-to-get-motivated\/\"><strong>If your motivation is weak<\/strong><\/a><strong>, your results will follow suit.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Think about what you desire the most in life and work towards getting it. Don\u2019t allow your environment or other people to influence the things that you truly want. <\/p>\n<p>Just because the fish swimming by is comfortable with being under water doesn\u2019t mean that you are.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-11-sweet-dreams\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_Sweet_Dreams\"\/>11. Sweet Dreams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A young boy and girl were enjoying a pleasant afternoon playing outside in their neighborhood together. <\/p>\n<p>The boy showed the girl his collection of beautiful, unique marbles. In turn, the girl showed the boy the handful of candy that she had just gotten for her birthday. <\/p>\n<p>The boy proposed that the two of them switch\u2013he would give her all of his marbles if she handed over all of her candy. <\/p>\n<p>The girl agreed, as she found the marbles to be beautiful as well. <\/p>\n<p>The boy handed over all of his marbles, but kept one\u2013the most exquisite one of them all\u2013in his pocket. <\/p>\n<p>The girl kept her promise and gave the boy all of her candy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"inspirational stories of success | short inspirational stories about life | inspirational stories for college students\" class=\"wp-image-20461\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams.jpg\" alt=\"inspirational stories of success | short inspirational stories about life | inspirational stories for college students\" class=\"wp-image-20461\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-dreams-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> You have to be a participating factor in your relationship if you want it to be built on trust.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>That night, the girl was happy with the<br \/>\nexchange and peacefully went to sleep.<\/p>\n<p>The boy, however, couldn\u2019t sleep, as he was up<br \/>\nwondering if the girl had secretly kept some of her candy, just like he did<br \/>\nwith the marble.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you don\u2019t give 100% in your relationships, you will always assume your partner isn\u2019t giving 100% either.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>If you want your relationships to be built on trust, you have to be a participating factor in that. <\/p>\n<p>Honesty grows your character. <\/p>\n<p>By being honest in relationships, you\u2019re holding your partner accountable to do the same. It allows both you and your partner to continuously think about your choices and how you can help (or hurt) your partner <em>and <\/em>your relationship.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-12-teamwork\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_Teamwork\"\/>12. Teamwork<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a man who lived with his three sons. His sons were hard workers, <strong>but they constantly fought with each other<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>Even though the man continuously tried to help his sons make peace with each other, he was never successful. In fact, their fighting got to a point where their neighbors would make fun of them.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the father became ill. He begged<br \/>\nhis sons to learn how to work together because of his impending death, but they<br \/>\ndidn\u2019t listen. The father then decided to teach his sons a practical lesson to<br \/>\nhelp his sons forget their differences and become a united team.<\/p>\n<p>The father called his sons and said, \u201cI\u2019ll<br \/>\ngive you each an equal collection of sticks to break in half. Whoever breaks<br \/>\nthe sticks the fastest will be rewarded.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After agreeing to the task, the father gave each of his sons 10 sticks and instructed them to break each stick in half. <\/p>\n<p><strong>This task took the sons mere minutes to complete, but once they were finished, they started to fight about who finished first. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The father said, \u201cDear sons, the task isn\u2019t<br \/>\nfinished. Now I\u2019ll give each of you 10 more sticks, however, you must break the<br \/>\nsticks in half as a bundle rather than snapping each one separately.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His sons agreed and attempted to do what he had asked. They each tried their best, but none could break the bundle in half. <\/p>\n<p><strong>They told their father that they had failed. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In response, their father said, \u201cSee, it was easy to break the sticks in half individually, but you couldn\u2019t break all 10 of them at the same time. <\/p>\n<p>Similarly,<strong> if the three of you stay united as a team, nobody will be able to harm you. However, if you fight all the time, anyone will be able to defeat you.<\/strong> Please come together as a united team.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>This lesson helped the man\u2019s sons understand<br \/>\nthe power of being a team and promised their father that, moving forward, they<br \/>\nwould work together as a team, no matter what the situation was.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Being an effective member of a team helps contribute to the overall moral and motivation of the team. <\/p>\n<p>Strong teams are naturally aligned to work harder, support each other, and be cooperative with working toward a mutual goal. <\/p>\n<p>Individuals each have diverse talents, strengths, and weaknesses to contribute to teamwork, so staying focused on the task at hand rather than allowing personal disputes to get in the way will help you achieve your desired results.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"what are inspirational stories | write a short inspirational story | what are some good morals for a story\" class=\"wp-image-20463\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork.jpg\" alt=\"what are inspirational stories | write a short inspirational story | what are some good morals for a story\" class=\"wp-image-20463\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/inspirational-stories-teamwork-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Strong teams are naturally aligned to work harder, support each other, and be cooperative with working toward a mutual goal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-13-frogs-for-dinner\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_Frogs_for_Dinner\"\/>13. Frogs for Dinner<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A lady was once heating up a pot of water on a gas stove with the intent of cooking pasta for her family for dinner. <\/p>\n<p>A frog fell into the pot while it was sitting on the stove. While it wasn\u2019t his intention to be stuck in a pot of water, he didn\u2019t try to escape. He was comfortable enough as he was. <\/p>\n<p>The lady soon turned on the flame to begin boiling the water. <\/p>\n<p>As the water\u2019s temperature began to rise, the frog was able to adjust his body temperature accordingly, so he remained in the pot without trying to do anything to change the situation. <\/p>\n<p>However, as the water approached its boiling<br \/>\npoint, the frog\u2019s body temperature could no longer keep up. <strong>He finally tried to jump out of the pot,<br \/>\nbut with water temperature continuing to increase, he didn\u2019t have it in him to<br \/>\nmake the leap. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It was too late for the frog to save himself. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Things don\u2019t always go as planned in life, and<br \/>\nthey certainly don\u2019t always go the way we want them to.<strong> But, no matter how bad a situation is, it\u2019s critical to be proactive<br \/>\nand face the problem head-on. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Unlike the frog, who waited until the last minute to try to do anything about the problem he was clearly facing,<strong> it\u2019s important to project the future outcomes of the obstacles that hinder you and mediate them before they get past the point of no return<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/stop-wasting-time\/\">You have to avoid wasting time<\/a> and take appropriate action before problems get out of hand or become too much to handle.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-14-will-you-marry-me\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14_Will_You_Marry_Me\"\/>14. Will You Marry Me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Centuries ago, in a small Italian town, there was a business owner who was in a great amount of debt. <\/p>\n<p>His banker, who was an old, unattractive man, strongly desired the business owner\u2019s younger beautiful daughter.<\/p>\n<p>The banker decided to offer the<br \/>\nbusinessman a deal to forgive the debt that he owed the bank completely. <strong>However, there was a bit of a catch.<\/strong><strong\/><\/p>\n<p>In order for the businessman to<br \/>\nbecome debt-free, he was to have his daughter marry the banker.<\/p>\n<p>The businessman didn\u2019t want to<br \/>\nconcede to this agreement, but he had no other choice, as his debt was so<br \/>\nextreme. <\/p>\n<p><strong>The banker said he would put two small stones into a bag\u2013one of which was white, and the other black<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The daughter would then need to reach into the bag and blindly choose a stone. <\/p>\n<p>If she chose the black stone, the businessman\u2019s debt would be cleared and the daughter would have to marry the banker. <\/p>\n<p><em>However<\/em>, if she chose the white stone, the debt would be cleared and the daughter would <em>not <\/em>have to marry him.<\/p>\n<p>While standing in the stone-filled path in the<br \/>\nbusinessman\u2019s yard, the banker reached down and chose two small stones, not<br \/>\nrealizing that the businessman\u2019s daughter was watching him. <strong>She noticed that he picked up two black<br \/>\nstones and put them in the bag. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When it came time for the daughter to pick a<br \/>\nstone out of the bag, she felt she had three choices:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Refuse to do it.<\/li>\n<li>Take out both stones and expose the banker\u2019s cheating.<\/li>\n<li>Pick a stone, knowing it would be black, and sacrifice herself to get her father out of debt. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>She picked a stone from the bag, and<br \/>\nimmediately \u2018accidentally\u2019 dropped it into the abundance of stones where they<br \/>\nwere all standing. <\/p>\n<p>She said to the banker, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m so<br \/>\nclumsy! Oh well. Just look in the bag to see what color stone is in there now<br \/>\nso you will know what color stone I picked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Of course, the remaining stone was black<\/strong>. Because the banker didn\u2019t want his deceit to be exposed, he played along, acting as if the stone that the businessman\u2019s daughter dropped had to have been white. <\/p>\n<p>He cleared the businessman\u2019s debt and the daughter remained free from having to spend the rest of her life with the banker.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While you may have to think outside of the box sometimes, it\u2019s always possible to conquer a difficult situation. <\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to always give in to the options you\u2019re presented with. <\/p>\n<p>Challenge the status quo. <\/p>\n<p>Think creatively. <\/p>\n<p>Engage in productive nonconformity when possible. <\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t be afraid to question the things that are expected to be true. In order to overcome challenges, you have to think in ways that you\u2019ve never thought before. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-15-wait-what\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15_Wait%E2%80%A6What\"\/>15. Wait\u2026What?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A carpenter who was nearing retirement told<br \/>\nhis boss that he was ready to end his career and spend his time with his wife<br \/>\nand family. He would miss his work, but he felt it was time to spend his time<br \/>\nwith the people who were important to him.<\/p>\n<p>His boss was saddened by this news, as this<br \/>\ncarpenter had been a good, reliable employee for many years. He asked the<br \/>\ncarpenter if he could do him a favor and build just one more house. <\/p>\n<p>The carpenter reluctantly conceded, even<br \/>\nthough his passion for building had faded. <\/p>\n<p>While he was building this last house, his<br \/>\nnormal work ethic faded and his efforts were mediocre, at best. He used<br \/>\ninexpensive and inferior materials and cut corners wherever he could. It was a<br \/>\npoor way to finish such a dedicated career that he once had.<\/p>\n<p>When the carpenter was finished, his boss came<br \/>\nto look at the house. He gave the key to the carpenter and said, \u201cThis house is<br \/>\nmy gift to you for all of the hard work you have done for me over the<br \/>\nyears.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p>The carpenter was astonished.<\/p>\n<p>What a generous gift this was to receive from<br \/>\nhis boss, but if he had known he was building a house for himself, he would<br \/>\nhave made his usual efforts to create a high-quality home.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The same idea applies to how you build your life. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Every day that you wake up offers an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward, yet we often do mediocre work, <\/strong><a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/How-Stop-Procrastinating-Mastering-Procrastination-ebook\/dp\/B0742KRKDG\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=dghbookad-20&amp;linkId=a854e879ad0fe2b1ca08446d7016641a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\"><strong>saving the more important things for \u201canother\u201d day<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Then one day, we find ourselves shocked that our lives aren\u2019t what we had hoped they would be. The \u201chouse\u201d we built to live in has a lot of flaws due to a lack of effort. <\/p>\n<p>However, you can\u2019t go back and rebuild it in a day or two. <\/p>\n<p>As people say, \u201cLife is a <strong>do-it-yourself<\/strong> project.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Your attitude and choices help build the life you will live tomorrow. So\u2026build carefully.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-16-toothpaste-recant\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"16_Toothpaste_Recant\"\/>16. Toothpaste Recant<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One night in July at an all-girls summer camp, the campers were gathered around in a circle for their nighttime devotions. <\/p>\n<p>The counselor asked if any of the girls wanted to share something that had happened that day that impacted them. <\/p>\n<p>One camper raised her hand and said a girl from another camp cabin had said something that hurt her feelings and she was really upset about it. <\/p>\n<p>The camp counselor went to the bathroom to grab a tube of toothpaste. <\/p>\n<p>She took the tube and squeezed it just a bit so some toothpaste came out. <strong>She then tried to put the toothpaste back in the tube, but it just created a mess.<\/strong> Then she squeezed the tube even more, pushing more toothpaste out and creating even more of a mess, but <strong>none of it would go back into the tube.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The counselor then told the campers, \u201cthis<br \/>\ntoothpaste represents the words you speak. <strong>Once<br \/>\nyou say something that you want to take back, it\u2019s impossible and it only<br \/>\ncreates a mess. <\/strong>Think before you speak, and make sure your words are going<br \/>\nto good use before you let them out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking is a fundamental social skill required for living a successful life. <\/p>\n<p>However, many are careless with their words, but they hold so much power. They can have a direct impact on the outcome of a situation, creating a helpful or hurtful reaction in our world. T<\/p>\n<p>he problem is, <strong>once words come out of your mouth, no amount of \u201cI\u2019m sorrys\u201d will make them go back in: <\/strong>blurting something out and then attempting to take it back is like shutting the gate after the horse has taken off.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p><strong>Thinking before you speak allows you the time to consider the potential impact of your words. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Be careful when choosing where and when you let your words out. You can easily hurt other people, and once you do, you can\u2019t take it back. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"are stories inspirational | best inspirational stories for students | best inspirational stories\" class=\"wp-image-22252\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant.jpg\" alt=\"are stories inspirational | best inspirational stories for students | best inspirational stories\" class=\"wp-image-22252\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/toothpaste-recant-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Think before you speak, and make sure your words are going to good use before you let them out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Words define who we are by revealing our attitudes and character, giving people an indication of our intellect or ignorance.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p>Stop for a minute before you speak and question yourself about <strong>why you\u2019re saying what you are. <\/strong>Are you trying to relay information? Relate to someone else? <\/p>\n<p>Make sure you\u2019re able to take responsibility for whatever you\u2019re about to say.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-17-just-be\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"17_Just_Be\"\/>17. Just Be<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One evening, after spending several days with<br \/>\nhis new wife, a man leaned over and whispered into her ear, \u201cI love you.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p>She smiled \u2013 and the man smiled back \u2013 and she<br \/>\nsaid, \u201cWhen I\u2019m eighty years old and I\u2019m thinking back on my entire life, I<br \/>\nknow I will remember this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A few minutes later, she drifted off to sleep. <\/p>\n<p>The man was left with the silence of the room and the soft sound of his wife\u2019s breathing. <\/p>\n<p>He stayed awake, thinking about everything they had done together, from their first date to their first vacation together and ultimately to their big wedding. <strong>These were just some of the life choices that the couple had made together that had led to this very moment of silence in the presence of each other. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>At one point, the man then realized that it<br \/>\ndidn\u2019t matter what they had done or where they had gone. Nor did it matter<br \/>\nwhere they were going.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The<br \/>\nonly thing that mattered was the serenity of that very moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Just being together. Breathing together. And<br \/>\nresting together. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The<br \/>\nMoral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We can\u2019t let the clock, calendar, or pressure from external sources take over our lives and allow us to forget the fact that <strong>every moment of our lives is a gift and a miracle \u2013 no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it is.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/how-to-practice-mindfulness\/\">Being mindful in the special moments<\/a> that you spend in the presence of the ones that you love are the moments that truly give your life meaning. (For more on this, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/mindfulness-exercises\/\">here are 71 mindfulness exercises you can use to live in the present moment<\/a><\/strong>.)<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-18-the-weight-of-the-world\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"18_The_Weight_of_the_World\"\/>18. The Weight of the World<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once, a psychology professor walked around his classroom full of students holding a glass of water with his arm straightened out to the side. <\/p>\n<p>He asked his students, \u201cHow heavy is this glass of water?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The students started to shout out<br \/>\nguesses\u2013ranging anywhere from 4 ounces to one pound. <\/p>\n<p>The professor replied, \u201cThe absolute weight of this glass isn\u2019t what matters while I\u2019m holding it. Rather, it\u2019s the amount of time that I hold onto it that makes an impact.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I hold it for, say, two minutes, it doesn\u2019t feel like much of a burden. If I hold it for an hour, its weight may become more apparent as my muscles begin to tire. <\/p>\n<p>If I hold it for an entire day\u2013<em>or week<\/em>\u2013my muscles will cramp and I\u2019ll likely feel numb or paralyzed with pain, <strong>making me feel miserable and unable to think about anything aside from the pain that I\u2019m in.<\/strong>\u201c<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn all of these cases, the actual weight of the glass will remain the same, but the longer I clench onto it, the heavier it feels to me and the more burdensome it is to hold.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The class understood and shook their heads in<br \/>\nagreement. <\/p>\n<p>The professor continued to say, \u201cThis glass of water represents the worries and stresses that you carry around with you every day.\u00a0 If you think about them for a few minutes and then put them aside, it\u2019s not a heavy burden to bear. <\/p>\n<p>If you think about them a little longer, you will start to feel the impacts of the stress.<strong> If you carry your worries with you all day, you will become incapacitated, prohibiting you from doing anything else until you let them go.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"inspirational storiesinspirational stories to motivate students | inspirational stories to overcome stress\" class=\"wp-image-22250\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world.jpg\" alt=\"inspirational storiesinspirational stories to motivate students | inspirational stories to overcome stress\" class=\"wp-image-22250\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/weight-world-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Don\u2019t carry your worries around with you everywhere you go, as they will do nothing but bring you down.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Put down your worries and stressors. Don\u2019t<br \/>\ngive them your entire attention while your life is passing you by.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/dealing-with-stress\/\">Let go of things that are out of your control.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t carry your worries around with you everywhere you go, as they will do nothing but bring you down. <\/p>\n<p>Put your \u201cglass down\u201d each night and move on from anything that is unnecessarily stressing you out. <\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t carry this extra weight into the next day.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-19-cherish-your-struggles\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"19_Cherish_Your_Struggles\"\/>19. Cherish Your Struggles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One day, a girl came upon a cocoon, and she could tell that a butterfly was trying to hatch. <\/p>\n<p>She waited and watched the butterfly struggle for hours to release itself from the tiny hole. All of a sudden, the butterfly stopped moving\u2013it seemed to be stuck. <\/p>\n<p>The girl then decided to help get the<br \/>\nbutterfly out. She went home to get a pair of scissors to cut open the cocoon.<br \/>\nThe butterfly was then easily able to escape,<strong> however, its body was swollen and its wings were underdeveloped.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The girl still thought she had done the butterfly a favor as she sat there waiting for its wings to grow in order to support its body. However, that wasn\u2019t happening. <\/p>\n<p>The butterfly was unable to fly, and for the rest of its life, it could only move by crawling around with little wings and a large body.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the girl\u2019s good intentions, she didn\u2019t understand that<strong> the restriction of the butterfly\u2019s cocoon and the struggle the butterfly had to go through in order to escape served an important purpose. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As butterflies emerge from tight cocoons, it forces fluid from their body into their wings to prepare them to be able to fly. <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The struggles that you face in life <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/never-give-up-quotes\/\"><strong>help you grow and get stronger<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is often a reason behind the requirement of doing hard work and being persistent. When enduring difficult times, you will develop the necessary strength that you\u2019ll need in the future. <\/p>\n<p>Without having any struggles, you won\u2019t<br \/>\ngrow\u2013which means it\u2019s very important to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/30-day-challenge-ideas\/\">take on personal challenges <\/a>for yourself<br \/>\nrather than relying on other people to always help you.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-20-seeking-happiness\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"20_Seeking_Happiness\"\/>20. Seeking Happiness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There were 200 people attending a seminar on mental and physical health. <\/p>\n<p>At one point, the speaker told the group they were going to do an activity. He gave each attendee one balloon and told them to write their name on it. Then, the balloons were collected and moved into a very small room.<\/p>\n<p>The participants were then asked to go into<br \/>\nthe other room and were given 2 minutes to find their balloon. <\/p>\n<p><strong>It was chaos\u2026<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>People were searching frantically for their balloon, pushing each other and running into one another while they grabbed a balloon, looked at it, and inevitably tossed it to the side. <\/p>\n<p><strong>At the<br \/>\nend of the 2 minutes, no one had found the balloon that had their name on it. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Then, the speaker asked the participants to go<br \/>\nback in the room and pick up one balloon at random, look at the name, and<br \/>\nreturn it to its owner. Within minutes, everyone had been reunited with their<br \/>\noriginal balloon.<\/p>\n<p>The speaker then told the group, \u201cThis is what it\u2019s like when people are frantically searching for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/daily-positive-thoughts\/\">their own happiness in life<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>People push others aside to get the things that they want that they believe will bring them happiness. <strong>However, our happiness actually lies in helping other people and working together as a community.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You will get your happiness if you help other<br \/>\npeople find theirs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildmind.org\/blogs\/quote-of-the-month\/dalai-lama-compassion-quote\">The Dalai Lama<\/a> says, \u201cIf you want to be happy,<br \/>\npractice compassion.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Helping others makes us happy because it gives us a sense of purpose. <\/p>\n<p>In fact, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.helpguide.org\/articles\/healthy-living\/volunteering-and-its-surprising-benefits.htm\">study from the London School of Economics<\/a> found that <strong>the more you help other people, the happier you will be. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The researchers compared the variance in happiness levels of people who don\u2019t help others on a regular basis to the happiness of weekly volunteers. They found that the participants had the same variance in happiness as those who make $75,000 \u2013 $100,000 annually vs $20,000.<\/p>\n<p>Helping others brings us happiness for three reasons:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Diversion<\/strong>: When you worry less about your own needs\u2013in this case, finding your own balloon\u2013the stress of that hunt decreases. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Taking your focus away from the fact that you can\u2019t find your own balloon lets you divert your attention away from your own problem.\u00a0<strong>The feeling of compassion replaces the feeling of need.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Perspective<\/strong>: Having concern for other people helps us remember that we are all facing similar problems in life\u2013no matter what the individual severity of the issue is. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Sometimes when we are focused on our own issues, they get put into perspective when we encounter the true suffering of others (for example, bereavement or a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/famous-people-disabilities\/?swcfpc=1\">severe disability<\/a>). <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to then realize the excess amount of attention we\u2019ve been giving our own problems.\u00a0<strong>Having compassion helps us put our problems into perspective.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Connection<\/strong>:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/random-acts-of-kindness-ideas\/?swcfpc=1\">Connecting with others by helping them\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0can bring happiness into your life. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Humans are social beings that need to have positive connections with other people in order to be happy. Connecting with other people enriches our lives and gives us a sense of fulfillment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"top 10 inspirational stories | top inspirational short stories | what are inspirational stories\" class=\"wp-image-22249\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness.jpg\" alt=\"top 10 inspirational stories | top inspirational short stories | what are inspirational stories\" class=\"wp-image-22249\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/seeking-happiness-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Our happiness actually lies in helping other people and working together as a community.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-21-there-was-once-a-boy\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"21_There_Was_Once_a_Boy%E2%80%A6\"\/>21. There Was Once a Boy\u2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>Watch the Video of This Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Rich Father Who Took His Son to a Poor Village -- An Inspirational Story About Life\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Gf0il21qcQ8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a boy who was growing up in a very wealthy family. <\/p>\n<p>One day, his father decided to take him on a trip to show him how others lived who were less fortunate. His father\u2019s goal was to help his son appreciate everything that he has been given in life. <\/p>\n<p>The boy and his father pulled up to a farm<br \/>\nwhere a very poor family lived. They spent several days on the farm, helping<br \/>\nthe family work for their food and take care of their land. <\/p>\n<p>When they left the farm, his dad asked his son<br \/>\nif he enjoyed their trip and if he had learned anything during the time they<br \/>\nspent with this other family.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The boy<br \/>\nquickly replied, \u201cIt was fantastic, that family is so lucky!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Confused, his father asked what he meant by<br \/>\nthat.<\/p>\n<p>The boy said, \u201cWell, we only have one dog, but that family has four\u2013and they have chickens! <\/p>\n<p>We have four people in our home, but they have 12! <strong>They have so many people to play with!<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>We have a pool in our yard, but they have <strong>a river running through their property that is endless. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We have lanterns outside so we can see at night, but <strong>they have the wide open sky and the beautiful stars to give them wonder and light.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>We have a patio, but they have<strong> the entire horizon<\/strong> to enjoy\u2013they have <strong>endless fields to run around in and play.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>We have to go to the grocery store, but they are <strong>able to grow their own food<\/strong>. Our high fence protects our property and our family, but they don\u2018t need such a limiting structure, because <strong>their friends protect them.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The father was speechless.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the boy added, \u201cThank you for showing me how poor people live, they\u2019re so lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>True wealth and happiness aren\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/impulse-buying\/\">measured by material belongings<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Being around the people you love, enjoying the beautiful, natural environment, and having freedom are much more valuable.<\/p>\n<p>A rich life can mean different things to different people. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/core-values\/\">What are your values<\/a> and priorities?<strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you have whatever is important to <em>you<\/em>, you can consider yourself to be wealthy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-22-a-pound-is-a-pound\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"22_A_Pound_is_a_Pound\"\/>22. A Pound is a Pound<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a farmer who, each week, sold a pound of butter to a baker. <\/p>\n<p>After several weeks of buying a pound of butter from the farmer, the baker decided to weigh the butter that he was receiving to ensure it was indeed a full pound. <\/p>\n<p>When the baker weighed it, <strong>he learned that the butter was under a pound<\/strong>, which enraged him. He felt he was being cheated and he decided to take the farmer to court. <\/p>\n<p>When in court, the judge asked the farmer how he was weighing the butter. <\/p>\n<p>The farmer said, \u201cYour Honor, I am poor. I do not own an exact measuring tool. However, I do have a scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The judge then asked if the farmer uses the<br \/>\nscale to measure the butter. <\/p>\n<p>The farmer said, \u201cYour Honor, I have been buying a one-pound loaf of bread from the baker since long before he began purchasing butter from me. <\/p>\n<p>Whenever the baker brings bread for me, I put it on the scale and then measure out the exact same weight in butter to give him in return. So, if the baker is not getting a pound of butter, <strong>he is also not giving a pound of bread like he promised.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>You get what you give.<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/integrity-quotes\/\"> If you try to cheat others <\/a>out of what you promise them, you will be cheated in return. The more honest you are, the easier it is to trust other people and not suspect they may be cheating you in some way. <\/p>\n<p><strong>When you\u2019re honest, not only will other people trust you, but you will also feel more confident in your trust with others.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Honesty is always the best route\u2013especially if you want others to be honest with you as well. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-23-jumping-frogs\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"23_Jumping_Frogs\"\/>23. Jumping Frogs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A group of frogs was hopping through the<br \/>\nforest when two of them accidentally hopped into a deep pit. The other frogs<br \/>\nstood around the pit, and, seeing how deep it was, they told the two frogs that<br \/>\nthey couldn\u2019t help them\u2013there was no hope. <\/p>\n<p>However, fighting for their lives, the<br \/>\ntwo frogs ignored the others and started to try jumping out of the pit. <\/p>\n<p><strong>The<br \/>\nfrogs at the top continued to tell the frogs in the pit to give up, as there<br \/>\nwas no way they would be able to jump out. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After trying over and over, one of the<br \/>\nfrogs listened to the others and gave up, accepting his fate and falling to his<br \/>\ndeath. But the other frog continued to jump with all of his might. The crowd of<br \/>\nfrogs yelled down the pit for the frog to just stop\u2013he wouldn\u2019t make it.<\/p>\n<p>But the frog jumped even harder and<br \/>\npersisted until he finally got out. Upon reaching the top, the other frogs<br \/>\nsaid, \u201cWe thought there was no way any frog could jump that high\u2013couldn\u2019t you<br \/>\nhear us?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The frog then signaled to the others that he was deaf, and he thought that the frogs standing around the pit were encouraging him the whole time.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Others\u2019 words can greatly impact your attitude and actions. Ignore the naysayers. Only engage with those <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/85-Encouraging-Quotes-About-Being-Yourself.jpg\">who encourage you<\/a> and believe in your ability to succeed. <\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, think about what you say to people before speaking so you can make sure what you\u2019re saying is supportive. Your support (or lack thereof) could make the difference between success and failure.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-24-the-ultimate-gift\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"24_The_Ultimate_Gift\"\/>24. The Ultimate Gift<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a little girl who desperately needed an emergency blood transfusion to save her life.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<p>Her only chance of surviving would be to get a transfusion from her younger brother, who had miraculously overcome the same disease she had, and therefore had antibodies in his blood that were needed to fight the illness.<\/p>\n<p>The doctor explained to the little boy that it would save his sister\u2019s life if he were to give her his blood. The boy hesitated for a moment before agreeing to give his blood if it would help his sister. At the age of 5, this was scary, but he would do anything to save his big sister\u2019s life.<\/p>\n<p>As the blood transfusion was happening, he lay next to his sister in the hospital and was overcome with happiness as he saw the color coming back to her cheeks. Then he looked up at the doctor and quietly asked, \u201cWhen will I start to die?\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"best inspirational stories to read | how to write inspirational stories | inspirational stories about life\" class=\"wp-image-22251\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-358x269.jpg 358w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy.jpg\" alt=\"best inspirational stories to read | how to write inspirational stories | inspirational stories about life\" class=\"wp-image-22251\" style=\"width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-65x49.jpg 65w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-220x165.jpg 220w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-133x100.jpg 133w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/once-a-boy-358x269.jpg 358w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">True wealth and happiness aren\u2019t measured by material belongings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The boy had assumed that he was giving his life in order to save hers. The little boy\u2019s parents were astonished over the misunderstanding that led the boy to think they were choosing his sister over him\u2013and even more astonished that he had agreed to do so.<\/p>\n<p>The doctor replied, explaining that he was not going to die, he was just going to allow his sister to live a long, healthy life alongside him.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is an example of extreme courage and self-sacrificing love from a young boy that we can all learn from. The love and care that he showed for his sister relays an inspiring message about selflessness. <\/p>\n<p>While we may not be faced with such a life or death decision, being selfless in general can help us connect with others, which is rewarding and fulfilling. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-25-angry-nails\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"25_Angry_Nails\"\/>25. Angry Nails<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a boy who became angry so frequently with his friends at school that he was constantly getting sent home. <\/p>\n<p>His temper was disruptive to the class and hurtful to other students.<\/p>\n<p>His father came up with a strategy to try to deter the boy from getting angry so easily. He gave his son a hammer and some nails and told him to hammer a nail into the family\u2019s fence every time the boy got angry in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The following day, the boy got angry 37 times, and had to hammer as many nails into the fence.<\/p>\n<p>Over the next few weeks, the boy got tired of hammering nails into the fence and he gradually started to control his temper. Slowly, the number of nails he was hammering into the fence started to decrease. <\/p>\n<p>The boy realized that it was easier to remain calm when he started to feel angry than to gather the tools, go outside, and start hammering.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the boy stopped losing his temper altogether. His dad noticed, and told the boy to remove a nail from the fence every day that he was able to keep his temper under control.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, as the weeks went by, all of the nails had been taken out of the fence. The father and son then stood in front of the broken fence, which was completely scattered with holes. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The father turned to his son and said, \u201cYou have done well, but look at the holes in the fence. They cannot be repaired. When you get angry at other people, it leaves a scar just like the holes you see in front of you. It doesn\u2019t matter if you say I\u2019m sorry one hundred times, the injury is still there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Control your anger toward other people. While you may not see the damage that it does, it can leave irreparable wounds that can eventually break them. <\/p>\n<p>Be kind to others and think before you let your emotions get the best of you.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-26-walking-on-water\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"26_Walking_on_Water\"\/>26. Walking on Water<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once there was a boy who lived with his family on a farm. <\/p>\n<p>They had a beautiful dog who would go down to the pond for hours every day in the spring and summer with the boy to practice retrieving various items. <\/p>\n<p>The boy wanted to prepare his dog for any scenario that may come up during duck season because he wanted his dog to be the best hunting dog in the whole county.<\/p>\n<p>The boy and his dog had vigorous training sessions every day until the dog was so obedient, he wouldn\u2019t do anything unless he was told to do so by the boy.<\/p>\n<p>As duck season rolled in with the fall and winter months, the boy and his dog were eager to be at their regular spot down at the pond near their house. <\/p>\n<p>Only a few minutes passed before the two heard the first group of ducks flying overhead. The boy slowly raised his gun and shot three times before killing a duck, which landed in the center of the pond.<\/p>\n<p>When the boy signaled his dog to retrieve the duck, the dog charged through the duck blind and bushes toward the pond. However, instead of swimming in the water like he had practiced so many times, the dog walked on the water\u2019s surface, retrieved the duck, and returned it to the boy. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The boy was astonished. His dog had an amazing ability to walk on water\u2013it was like magic. The boy knew no one would ever believe this amazing thing that he had just witnessed. He had to get someone else down there to see this incredible phenomenon.<\/p>\n<p>The boy went to a nearby farmer\u2019s house and asked if he would hunt with him the next morning. The neighbor agreed, and met up with the boy the following morning at his regular spot by the pond.<\/p>\n<p>The pair patiently waited for a group of ducks to fly overhead, and soon enough, they heard them coming. The boy told the neighbor to go ahead and take a shot, which the neighbor did, killing one duck. <\/p>\n<p>Just as the day before, the boy signaled to his dog to fetch the duck. Miraculously, the dog walked on the water again to retrieve the duck.<\/p>\n<p>The boy was bursting with pride and could hardly contain himself when he asked his neighbor, \u201cDid you see that? What do you think?!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The neighbor responded, \u201cI wasn\u2019t going to say anything, but your dog doesn\u2019t even know how to swim.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The boy sat in disbelief as his neighbor pointed out a potential flaw of the dog rather than recognizing the fact that what he had just done was a miracle.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>People will often downplay others\u2019 abilities or achievements because they\u2019re unable to accomplish the same thing. Don\u2019t let this bring you down. Just move on and keep working on improving yourself. Maintaining a positive mindset is a key part of being successful.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, be conscious of instances in which you may be tempted to not give credit where it is deserved. Pointing out other people\u2019s shortcomings does not make you a superior person.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-27-it-s-not-that-complicated\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"27_Its_Not_That_Complicated\"\/>27. It\u2019s Not That Complicated<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a very wise man living in ancient times. He was elderly and educated and held knowledge and books to the highest regard.<\/p>\n<p>One day while on a walk, he realized that his shoes were really starting to wear out. Because he spent a lot of time walking on a daily basis, he knew he had to find the best shoes to support and protect his feet. <\/p>\n<p>But, back then, this wasn\u2019t such an easy task, as he couldn\u2019t jump online to do some research and have shoes delivered to his door.<\/p>\n<p>The man didn\u2019t want to make things worse by purchasing the wrong shoes and having inadequate protection, which would lead to injuries and the inability to leave his home and walk to find new books to read.<\/p>\n<p>The man gathered all of the books he could that were written by only those that he admired the most to search for the answer to his question, \u201cWhat do I do if my shoes have fallen apart?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He read through several books for many hours before finding out that he had no choice but to go buy a new pair of shoes. He then spent a lot of time reading about how to know if a pair of shoes fits properly. <\/p>\n<p>Once he was satisfied with the answers he found, he was proud of himself for doing the research and he felt confident in his ability to buy a high-quality replacement for his old shoes. <\/p>\n<p>He figured if he hadn\u2019t done his research, he probably would have gone barefoot for the rest of his life, as he had no one to tell him how to fix his shoes.<\/p>\n<p>Following the books\u2019 instructions, the man took a stick and measured his foot with it. He then went to the market and finally came upon a pair of shoes that he liked. However, he realized he had left the stick back at home, which was far away from the shop.<\/p>\n<p>By the time the man returned to the market, the shop was closed. And, by that point, his shoes were completely split, so he had to return home barefoot.<\/p>\n<p>The next morning, he walked back to the market with bare feet, but the shoes that he had chosen the day before had been sold. The wise man explained what had happened to the shopkeeper, who reacted with a sense of surprise, asking, \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you buy the shoes yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The wise man replied, \u201cBecause I forgot the stick that I had used to measure my feet back home. And <em>anyone <\/em>who knows <em>anything <\/em>about shoes knows that you have to have the correct measurements of your feet before you can buy shoes. I didn\u2019t want to buy the wrong size, and I was following the normal instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even more confused, the shopkeeper asked, \u201cBut your foot was with you, why didn\u2019t you just try the shoes on?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The wise man was equally confused in return and responded, \u201cAll the books say shoes must be bought with the exact same measurements of the shoes you already own.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Laughing, the shop owner replied \u201cOh, no! You don\u2019t need the advice from books to buy shoes. You just need to have your feet, some money, and some common sense to not complicate things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes you need to take action without overthinking things. Knowledge often comes in handy, but in some circumstances, if you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/appeal-common-sense\/\">lack experience or common sense<\/a>, your knowledge will only get you so far. In fact, it could make things seem a lot more complicated than they actually are.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re facing an issue, don\u2019t forget to use your reasoning skills in addition to anything you\u2019ve learned in a formal learning environment.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-28-don-t-hold-back\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"28_Dont_Hold_Back\"\/>28. Don\u2019t Hold Back<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a company whose CEO was very strict and often disciplined the workers for their mistakes or perceived lack of progress. <\/p>\n<p>One day, as the employees came into work, they saw a sign on the door that read, \u201cYesterday, the person who has been holding you back from succeeding in this company passed away. Please gather for a funeral service in the assembly room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While the employees were saddened for the family of their CEO, they were also intrigued at the prospect of being able to now move up within the company and become more successful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Upon entering the assembly room, many employees were surprised to see the CEO was, in fact, present. They wondered among themselves, \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t him who was holding us back from being successful, who was it? Who has died?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One by one, the employees approached the coffin, and upon looking inside, each was quite surprised. They didn\u2019t understand what they saw.<\/p>\n<p>In the coffin, there was simply a mirror. So when each employee looked in to find out who had been \u201cholding them back from being successful\u201d everyone saw themselves. Next to the mirror, there was a sign that read:<\/p>\n<p>The only person who is able to limit your growth is <em>you<\/em>. <\/p>\n<p>You are the only person who can influence your success. Your life changes when you break through your limiting beliefs and realize that you\u2019re in control of your life. <\/p>\n<p>The most influential relationship you can have is the relationship you have with yourself. <\/p>\n<p>Now you know who has been holding you back from living up to your true potential. Are you going to keep allowing that person to hold you back?<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can\u2019t blame anyone else if you\u2019re not living up to your potential. You can\u2019t let other people get you down about mistakes you make or their negative perception of your efforts.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/personal-responsibility\/\"><u>You have to take personal responsibility for your work<\/u><\/a>\u2013both the good and the bad\u2013and be proactive about making any necessary adjustments.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-29-the-chef-s-daughter\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"29_The_Chefs_Daughter\"\/>29. The Chef\u2019s Daughter<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once there was a girl who was complaining to her dad that her life was so hard and that she didn\u2019t know how she would get through all of her struggles. She was tired, and she felt like as soon as one problem was solved, another would arise.<\/p>\n<p>Being a chef, the girl\u2019s father took her into his kitchen. He boiled three pots of water that were equal in size. He placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in another, and ground coffee beans in the final pot.<\/p>\n<p>He let the pots sit and boil for a while, not saying anything to his daughter.<\/p>\n<p>He turned the burners off after twenty minutes and removed the potatoes from the pot and put them in a bowl. He did the same with the boiled eggs. He then used a ladle to scoop out the boiled coffee and poured it in a mug. He asked his daughter, \u201cWhat do you see?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She responded, \u201cPotatoes, eggs, and coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her father told her to take a closer look and touch the potatoes. After doing so, she noticed they were soft. Her father then told her to break open an egg. She acknowledged the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he told her to take a sip of the coffee. It was rich and delicious.<\/p>\n<p>After asking her father what all of this meant, he explained that each of the three food items had just undergone the exact same hardship\u2013twenty minutes inside of boiling water.<\/p>\n<p>However, each item had a different reaction.<\/p>\n<p>The potato went into the water as a strong, hard item, but after being boiled, it turned soft and weak.<\/p>\n<p>The egg was fragile when it entered the water, with a thin outer shell protecting a liquid interior. However, after it was left to boil, the inside of the egg became firm and strong.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the ground coffee beans were different. Upon being exposed to boiling water, they changed the water to create something new altogether.<\/p>\n<p>He then asked his daughter, \u201cWhich are you? When you face adversity, do you respond by becoming soft and weak? Do you build strength? Or do you change the situation?\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Life is full of ups and downs, wins and losses, and big shifts in momentum, and adversity is a big part of this experience. <\/p>\n<p>And while many of us would rather not face adversity, it doesn\u2019t have to always be a negative thing. In fact, handling adversity can be a positive experience that can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/examples-personal-development-goals\/\"><u>lead to personal development<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You choose how you respond to adversity, whether you let it break you down or you stand up in the face of it and learn from it. In many instances, facing adversity gives you a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/learn-mistakes\/\"><u>chance to learn important lessons<\/u><\/a>\u00a0that can help you grow as a person.<\/p>\n<p>When facing adversity, it\u2019s important to recognize your freedom to choose how you respond. You can respond in a way that ultimately limits you, or you can choose to have a more productive response that could potentially open windows of opportunity that we didn\u2019t know existed.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-30-cleaning-turtles\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"30_Cleaning_Turtles\"\/>30. Cleaning Turtles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a man who walked his dog every Sunday morning around a lake near his house. Week after week, he saw the same elderly woman sitting at the edge of the water with a small metal cage next to her.<\/p>\n<p>The man\u2019s curiosity finally got the best of him and he approached the woman one day. He noticed that the cage was actually a small trap and she had three small turtles in it. In her lap, there was a fourth turtle that she was carefully wiping down with a sponge.<\/p>\n<p>The man greeted her and said, \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind my asking, what do you do with these turtles every week?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She smiled and explained to him that she was cleaning their shells because any algae or scum that builds up on a turtle\u2019s shell reduces its ability to absorb heat and slows down their swimming. It can also corrode their shell and weaken it over time.<\/p>\n<p>The man was impressed as the woman continued, \u201cI do this every Sunday morning to help the turtles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut don\u2019t most turtles live their entire lives with algae on their shells?\u201d the man asked.<\/p>\n<p>The woman agreed that was true.<\/p>\n<p>He replied, \u201cWell then, you\u2019re kind to do this, but are you really making a difference if most turtles don\u2019t have people around to clean their shells?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The woman laughed as she looked down at the small turtle on her lap. \u201cYoung man, if this little turtle could talk, he would say I\u2019m making all the difference in the world.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.\u201d \u2014 Dr. Seuss<\/p>\n<p>Just because you may not be able to change the world or help everyone, you can still make a huge difference in one person\u2019s life by offering them any help that you can. Don\u2019t choose to not do <em>anything <\/em>because you can\u2019t do <em>everything<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The actions of one person can make a world of difference to someone else. When you see someone in need, you may never know how much of a difference your help can make in their life.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-31-puppy-love\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"31_Puppy_Love\"\/>31. Puppy Love<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A pet shop owner got a new litter of puppies and was ready to sell them to their \u201cforever\u201d families. A young girl walked by the shop and noticed a sign saying, \u201cPuppies for Sale\u201d and of course was very eager to go inside.<\/p>\n<p>She asked the owner, \u201cHow much do the puppies cost?\u201d The owner replied, \u201cThey are all around $50.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The girl emptied her pocket change and told the store owner that she only had about $2, but she still wanted to look at them.<\/p>\n<p>The shop owner whistled for the dogs, who came running down the hall of his shop. Five tiny furballs, followed by one, limping behind the rest. The girl immediately singled out the lagging puppy and asked the store owner what was wrong with him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"uplifting tales | motivating narratives | heartwarming accounts\" class=\"wp-image-37600\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love-300x225.jpg 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love.jpg\" alt=\"uplifting tales | motivating narratives | heartwarming accounts\" class=\"wp-image-37600\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/puppy-love-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Don\u2019t make assumptions about other people\u2019s wants, needs, or abilities. Every one of us has our own weaknesses, whether it\u2019s physical or mental. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The owner explained that the puppy was born with a deformity\u2013 he was missing a hip socket. He would walk with a limp for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n<p>The girl got excited, saying, \u201cI want that puppy!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The owner replied, \u201cYou don\u2019t want to buy that puppy. If you really want him, you can have him for free.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The girl became upset. She looked at the owner and said, \u201cI don\u2019t want to have him for free. That puppy is worth just as much as the others. I\u2019ll give you the change I have now and a dollar a month until I have paid for the puppy entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The owner continued, \u201cThis dog is never going to be able to run and play like all of the other dogs, I think you\u2019re going to regret this decision.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To his surprise, the girl reached down and rolled up her pant leg to reveal a crippled leg that was supported by a large metal brace. She looked up at the owner and softly replied, \u2018Well, I\u2019m not much of a runner, and this puppy needs someone who understands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:23px\"><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t make assumptions about other people\u2019s wants, needs, or abilities. Every one of us has our own weaknesses, whether it\u2019s physical or mental. <\/p>\n<p>The trick is to not allow your weaknesses to slow you down, and instead, find others in the world who can support you. Find and surround yourself with people who challenge you to reach your potential.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"32_The_Gift_of_the_Magi\"\/><a\/>32. The Gift of the Magi<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Story<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>There was once a young couple who was struggling to make ends meet during the holiday season. But despite their financial troubles, they both wanted to buy a special gift for the other.<\/p>\n<p>After crying about their situation, the wife stood by the window and looked out with no interest. The next day was Christmas, and she had only $10 to buy her husband a gift. She had been saving as much as she could, but bills always cost more than expected.<\/p>\n<p>But there was one thing that the wife had that would be valuable enough to sell: her long, flowy hair. She contacted a wig maker and asked them how much money she could earn if she gave them her hair. They said $100.<\/p>\n<p>With that money, she quickly went from shop to shop looking for the perfect gift. And then she found it: a gold watch chain for his beloved gold watch that had been passed down for generations.<\/p>\n<p>With 82 cents in change, she ran home, excited about the gift she had gotten for her husband.<\/p>\n<p>While waiting for him to get home from work, the wife became nervous that he would no longer find her attractive with her new, short hair.<\/p>\n<p>When he walked in, he stopped inside the door. He was as quiet and his eyes looked strangely at his wife with an expression in them that she did not understand. <\/p>\n<p>She said to him, \u201cHoney, don\u2019t look at me like that. I sold my hair. I couldn\u2019t live through Christmas without giving you a gift. My hair will grow back. Let\u2019s be happy. You don\u2019t know what a beautiful gift I got for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He put his arms around her. And then from inside his coat, he took something out that was tied in paper and threw it on the table. \u201cListen,\u201d he said. \u201cNothing like a haircut could make me love you any less. But open this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There lay two beautiful combs that she had seen in a shop window and loved for a long time. Combs with jewels\u2013perfect for her beautiful hair. She knew they cost too much for them to afford. And now they were hers, but her hair was gone. She held them to her heart and said, \u201cMy hair grows so fast!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And then she jumped up and held her gift out to him in her open hands. The gold chain sparkled. \u201cIsn\u2019t it perfect? I hunted all over town to find it. You\u2019ll have to look at your watch a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how they look together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He sat down and smiled. \u201cHoney,\u201d he said, \u201cI sold the watch to get the money to buy the combs. And now I think we should have our dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Moral<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>Appreciate what others do for you. The magi were wise men who were the first to give Christmas gifts. In this story, each person sold the most valuable thing they owned in order to buy a gift for the other.<\/p>\n<p>This story shows the true meaning of gift-giving, which is about the thought and love behind the gift rather than its material value. The couple\u2019s gifts to each other are ultimately meaningless in terms of their practical use, but their representation of love and sacrifice proves to be invaluable for both of them.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"33_Everyone_Has_a_Story\"\/><a\/>33. Everyone Has a Story<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was once a 24 year old boy on a train with his father. Looking out from the train\u2019s window, he shouted\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad, look, the trees are going behind us!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His dad smiled. The young man caught a couple\u2019s attention sitting nearby, who looked at his childish behavior with pity. Suddenly, the boy exclaimed again\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad, look, the clouds are running with us!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Annoyed by the commotion, the couple looked at the old man and said, \u201cYou should take your son to see a good doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The old man smiled at the couple and said, \u201cI just did. We are going home from the hospital, my son was blind from birth, and he just got his eyes today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Everyone on the planet has a story. Don\u2019t judge people before you truly know them. The truth might surprise you.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"34_A_Dish_of_Ice_Cream\"\/>34. A Dish of Ice Cream<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the days when ice cream sundaes cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered an ice cream shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much is an ice cream sundae?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c50 cents,\u201d replied the waitress.<\/p>\n<p>The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket that had several coins in it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow much is a dish of plain ice cream?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c35 cents,\u201d she replied impatiently.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"remarkable journeys | encouraging experiences | inspiring biographies\" class=\"wp-image-37598\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream-300x225.jpg 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream.jpg\" alt=\"remarkable journeys | encouraging experiences | inspiring biographies\" class=\"wp-image-37598\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/dish-ice-cream-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Amid a world that incessantly promotes the need for accumulation, it&#8217;s crucial to remember the strength of an individual&#8217;s generosity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The little boy again counted the coins. \u201cI\u2019ll have a plain ice cream,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.<\/p>\n<p>When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then was surprised at what she saw.<\/p>\n<p>There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were 15 cents \u2013 her tip. The boy had enough money for a sundae, but he had ordered plain ice cream so he could leave her a tip.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a world that constantly tells us we need to have more, it\u2019s important to be reminded of the power of a person\u2019s generosity.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"35_A_Very_Special_Bank_Account\"\/>35. A Very Special Bank Account<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you had a bank account that deposited $86,400 every morning. However, the account carries over no balance from day to day, doesn\u2019t allow you to keep a cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you didn\u2019t use during the day. What would you do?<\/p>\n<p>Probably draw out every dollar every day!<\/p>\n<p>We all have this bank\u2013it is called Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off whatever time you have failed to use wisely. It carries over no balance from day to day. <\/p>\n<p>It allows no overdraft so you can\u2019t borrow against yourself or use more time than you have. Each day, the account starts fresh. If you fail to use the day\u2019s deposits, it\u2019s your loss and you can\u2019t appeal to get it back.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is no such thing as borrowing time. You can\u2019t take a loan out on your time or against someone else\u2019s. The time you have is the time you have. Just as it is with money, time management is yours to decide how you spend it. <\/p>\n<p>It is rarely the case of us not having the time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do them and where they fall in our priorities.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"36_Hunting_Monkeys\"\/><a\/>36. Hunting Monkeys<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A man once asked a child, \u201cDo you know how hunters used to trap monkeys?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInstead of chasing them up a tree or shooting arrows at them, they\u2019d lay a heavy glass jar with a narrow neck on the ground with the monkeys\u2019 favorite food inside.<\/p>\n<p>Then they would hide a short distance away, waiting for the unsuspecting monkey to approach.<\/p>\n<p>When it did, the monkey would reach inside and try to grab the snack. But the narrow neck of the jar would prevent the monkey from being able to get its hand out!<\/p>\n<p>It would pull and pull, but it was stuck! There was no way to get its hand out of the jar without letting go of the food.<\/p>\n<p>But instead of letting go, the monkey would keep trying, refusing to drop its dinner.<\/p>\n<p>It was at this moment that the hunters would approach the monkey to catch it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t be like that monkey,\u201d the man warned the child. \u201cIn life, to keep fighting another day and grow, you have to know when to quit, when to move on, and when to let go of whatever\u2019s holding you back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes you have to let go and give up what you have now in order to receive something better in the future. Don\u2019t let stubbornness get in your way to success.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"37_The_Fisherman_and_the_Businessman\"\/><a\/>37. The Fisherman and the Businessman<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Story:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once there was a businessman sitting on the beach in an Italian village.<\/p>\n<p>As he sat and relaxed from his day, he saw a fisherman rowing a small boat full of fish back into the harbor.<\/p>\n<p>Impressed, the businessman yelled out to the fisherman, \u201cHow long does it take you to catch so many fish?\u201d To which the fisherman replied \u201cOh, not so long.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Confused, the businessman asked, \u201cThen why don\u2019t you fish for longer to catch even more?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause this is enough to feed my family and even offer some to my neighbors,\u201d the fisherman replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo what do you do for the rest of your day?\u201d Asked the businessman.<\/p>\n<p>The fisherman said, \u201cWell, I\u2019ve usually caught my fish by late morning, so I go home, kiss my wife, and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap and read. In the evening, I go to the village to have a drink with my friends, play guitar, sing, and dance into the night!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"life-changing stories | positive anecdotes | true inspiration\" class=\"wp-image-37599\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:450px;height:338px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman-300x225.jpg 300w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman.jpg\" alt=\"life-changing stories | positive anecdotes | true inspiration\" class=\"wp-image-37599\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:450px;height:338px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/fisherman-bussinesman-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cThe Fisherman and the Businessman\u201d is a short story that contrasts the simple, content life of a fisherman with the hectic, materialistic life of a businessman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Being an entrepreneur, the businessman offered a suggestion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a PhD in business! I can help you become much more successful. From now on, you should spend longer at sea and catch as many fish as possible. When you\u2019ve saved enough money, buy a bigger boat to catch even more fish. <\/p>\n<p>From there, you\u2019ll soon be able to buy more boats, set up your own company, build a production plant that will package the fish and control distribution, and move to the city to control your other branches.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To this, the fisherman asks, \u201cAnd after that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The businessman laughs, \u201cAfter that, you\u2019ll be able to live like a king, you will be rich!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd after that?\u201d Asks the fisherman again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, then you can retire, move to a house by the ocean, wake up early in the morning to go fishing, then return home to play with your kids, kiss your wife, take a nap in the afternoon and join your friends in the village to drink, play guitar and dance into the night!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Puzzled, the fisherman replies, \u201cBut isn\u2019t that what I\u2019m doing already?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Moral:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Be happy with the things that you have. Will having more in life bring you more happiness? Stress is often a choice. There\u2019s joy and peace in simplicity.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts-on-inspirational-stories\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts_on_Inspirational_Stories\"\/>Final Thoughts on Inspirational<br \/>\nStories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"\/><\/h2>\n<p>Some of these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/stories-success\/\">inspirational stories of success<\/a> and hope left me astounded for a minute because of their strong impact, and I hope they had the same impact on you. They truly do make you think, and the images in your mind that they create are memorable.<\/p>\n<p>Share these stories with friends who you think could benefit from the morals that they offer. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m hoping that from now on, when you\u2019re tempted to cut corners, restrict your thinking to social conformity, remain comfortable with mediocrity, or anything else that may be holding you back in life, you will come back to these stories for a bit of a motivational boost. <\/p>\n<p>And if you&#8217;re looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out these other roundups:<\/p>\n<p><b>Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/sgm-content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:22% auto\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/connie-profile-pic.png\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/connie-profile-pic.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\"><strong><em>Connie Mathers <\/em><\/strong><em>is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor&#8217;s Degree in Marketing and a Master\u2019s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\" alt=\"funny inspirational stories with morals | inspirational stories about life with moral lesson tagalog | inspirational moral stories for adults\" class=\"wp-image-37603\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:368px;height:551px\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral.jpg 735w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral-683x1024.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"funny inspirational stories with morals | inspirational stories about life with moral lesson tagalog | inspirational moral stories for adults\" class=\"wp-image-37603\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:368px;height:551px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.developgoodhabits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/inspirational-short-stories-moral.jpg 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4802,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-habits"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4801"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4801\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}