“Life is very interesting… in the end, some of your greatest pains, become your greatest strengths.”

“Be nice to people on the way up, because you may meet them on the way down.”

“It’s never too late – never too late to start over, never too late to be happy.”

“Sometimes you can have the smallest role in the smallest production and still have a big impact.”

“Never worry about bad press: All that matters is if they spell your name right.”

“Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power.” – Clint Eastwood

“Whatever art form you’re working in, it’s crucial to see it clearly, to feel it clearly, and not to worry about the results, or how someone else will see it.”

"You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it. I’d be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I’d been given. I’d be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.”

“Overcome the notion that you must be regular. It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary.”

“A lot of people give up just before they’re about to make it. You know you never know when that next obstacle is going to be the last one.”

“He who has the gold makes the rules.”

“As a young man, I prayed for success. Now I just pray to be worthy of it.”

I believe you make your day. You make your life. So much of it is all perception, and this is the form that I built for myself. I have to accept it and work within those compounds, and it’s up to me.” – Brad Pitt

“The minute that you’re not learning I believe you’re dead.”

“There are no regrets in life. Just lessons.”

“Life’s tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid.” –

This nice and inspiring collection of quotes are from some of our most well loved celebrities on the big screen, who have risen to the peak of their field through hard work, sacrifice and dedication, earning a little wisdom along the way.

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

movies

Movies & Shows

music

Music

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

Inspirational Celebrity Quotes

Have you ever watched a movie or TV show and noticed that a line of dialogue or a <a href="https://masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-the-first-plot-point-of-your-story">plot point</a> seemed familiar? Maybe a character says, "let’s get the hell out of dodge," or the film's hero is a prophesied "chosen one." These are both examples of clichés. If you're a beginner <a href="https://masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-becoming-a-screenwriter">screenwriter</a> wondering how to avoid using clichés in your own writing, there’s no better guide than <a href="https://www.masterclass.com/classes/shonda-rhimes-teaches-writing-for-television">acclaimed television writer and producer Shonda Rhimes</a>.

Clichés Everywhere

A cliché is an expression that was once innovative but has lost its novelty due to overuse. Take the phrase “as red as a rose” for example—it is a universal descriptor for the colour red that is now commonplace and unoriginal. Other examples of clichés include demarcations of time, such as “in the nick of time” and “at the speed of light.” Clichés also include expressions about emotions, such as “head over heels” to describe love, or the phrase “every cloud has a silver lining” to express hope in difficult situations.

Defining A Cliché

Any line of dialogue that you've ever heard anybody say before is already a cliché, so don't write it down.When there are seemingly limitless ways to express a sentiment, why wouldn't you create an original sentence? If you're struggling to come up with fresh words, use a thesaurus—just be careful to not misuse an unfamiliar word.

6 Tips for Avoiding Clichés in Writing: If Your Dialogue Sounds Familiar, Write Something New

Your goal isn't to copy somebody that you admire, your goal is to be the thing that other people would admire themselves. Instead of borrowing from someone else's writing, make your own writing completely original. Make it your goal to write something so innovative that it becomes a new cliché.

Strive to Create a New Cliché

There's almost nothing new under the sun. But there are different interpretations and different ways of thinking of things that are new." It's impossible to be one hundred percent unique all the time, so try putting a new twist on a familiar concept. Use a familiar idea as inspiration, and approach it from a new point of view. A great way to <a href="https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-a-killer-plot-twist">create an effective plot twist</a> is to start with a clichéd premise, then subvert the audience’s expectations by going in a different direction.

Put A Spin On It

You want your dialogue to have a real quality that doesn't feel like 'TV talk.' Authentic dialogue should sound the way people actually talk. In real life, people don't talk in complete sentences, they use the wrong words, they talk over each other, and nobody says all the perfect things at the perfect times.

Write Realistic Dialogue

You can think of the dialogue you write as being the conversations that real people have—the kind you would overhear someone having if you were hiding in a closet in their house." One of the best ways to get a feel for how people actually talk is to pay attention to how people talk in the real world.

Eavesdrop on Real Conversations for Inspiration

Get somebody else to read your dialogue out loud for you, because then you can really hear how it sounds. ” You might not realize you used a cliché until you hear it spoken out loud. When you finish your first draft, either read your dialogue aloud yourself or ask someone else to read it aloud for you. If you notice any overused phrases, go back and rewrite them in a fresh way.

Listen to Your Dialogue Read Aloud

When working on your own screenplays, avoid these common clichés:“The wrong side of the bed.”“Think outside the box.”“Loose canon.”“Can of worms.”“What goes around comes around.”“Dead as a doornail.”“Plenty of fish in the sea.”“Ignorance is bliss.”“Like a kid in a candy store.”“You can’t judge a book by its cover.”“Take the tiger by the tail.”“Every rose has its thorn.”“Good things come to those who wait.”“In the nick of time.”"If only walls could talk.”“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”“The pot calling the kettle black.”“The grass is always greener on the other side.”

Common Clichés to Avoid in Your Writing

Write stuff people haven't heard or seen already.

writing

Reading & Writing

communication

Communication

Avoid Writing Clichés

The first-ever Coachella was held in October 1999 at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California. The hope was to attract 70,000 fans with a wide-ranging lineup of artists. The first Coachella lineup spanned multiple genres with standout performers like Beck, Rage Against The Machine, and Tool but was not profitable, selling only about 25,000 tickets. As a result, the festival was cancelled in 2000 but returned in 2001.

The first Coachella

When the festival returned in 2001, it featured a one-day lineup with audiences coming to see headliners like Janes Addiction, Weezer, The Roots, Paul Oakenfold, and Fatboy Slim. In 2012, the festival expanded to two weekends for the first time. Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg conjured a holographic version of the late Tupac Shakur. The added weekend earned Coachella a reported $47.3 million in gross revenue that year.

It now runs across two consecutive weekends, but it used to only be one day

Coachella wasn't always held in April. It was first held on October 9 and 10 in 1999 but reportedly topped 100 degrees each day. Since then, the festival moved to spring so that audiences can enjoy more tolerable weather. It typically falls in the middle two weeks of April.

The festival was originally held in October

Coachella sold out for the first time in 2004, drawing a crowd of 120,000. The 2004 festival was held across two days in May and featured acts such as Radiohead, Pixies, The Cure, and The Flaming Lips. Over the years the festival has incorporated interactive activations and installations for photo opportunities, including art exhibits, food trucks, a Ferris wheel, and brand-sponsored tents. In the last decade, Coachella has also provided a live stream of the first weekend of the festival to viewers on YouTube.

Coachella 2019 reportedly sold out in under an hour

Coachella has become a marketing opportunity for brands and celebrities. The first occurrence of the festival was barely publicized. But since the festival is covered so extensively, many major brands have used Coachella as a launchpad for social campaigns.

The festival is now a haven for brands and celebrities

Coachella turns 20 this year and the current festival is a far cry from its past iterations. Here's how much it has changed.

Coachella turns 20 this year. Here's how the festival has changed since the beginning.

The rituals of office work used to mean communication with colleagues was a given. Now, fewer than 30% of knowledge workers work from the office every day. Employees that switched to remote work became less connected. Groups also became static as workers focused on existing connections instead of making new ones. However, finding ways to restore these post-pandemic work communities may be key to ongoing wellbeing at work.

Remote working during the pandemic shrank employees' worlds

Before the pandemic, workers constantly interacted with colleagues and contacts. But since working from home, employees experienced a loss of connection. Research found that 73% of people miss socialising in person, and 46% miss work-related side conversations that happen in the office. These social ties people experience in the workplace feed into their sense of attachment and belonging at work.

The pandemic forced an abrupt change to remote work

Introverts don't miss their colleagues as much, and those with caring responsibilities find the benefits of remote work outweigh any negatives. <ul><li>The onus is also on companies to find better ways to translate in-person culture into the online space so that colleagues can continue to connect in meaningful ways.</li><li>Good remote company communications may mean creating a newsletter, podcast or virtual town halls to share information workers may have otherwise absorbed in the office.</li></ul>

Some find the loss of interactions less significant

Remote working during the pandemic shrank employees’ worlds. Now, some colleagues feel like they simply don’t exist in workers’ daily lives – and it's having an effect.

remotework

Remote Work

corporateculture

Corporate Culture

teamwork

Teamwork

The 'ghost colleagues' of the remote workplace

At the moment that you're in a position to make a decision that may be unpopular to the people you're working with you may think that it's wiser to not show any vulnerability, however, not showing vulnerability makes it easier for them to vilify you and your decision.
You need to make people see that you're working with them on a cognitive level AND on an emotional level. By admitting that that was a difficult decision to make, you become human again.

Let them see you sweat

Regardless of what your decision will be some people will still blame you -- even for the things that you can't control. In order to protect your sanity, you need to distance yourself from conflict, even just a little, every day.
This could mean writing in a journal and meditating but for others, it could be praying and eating too much. It's really up to you how you'll do it as long as you set boundaries with total transparency.

Protect your sanity

It's difficult to think under stress and we aren't designed to do it. It's best to be prepared for situations like this.
You need to develop muscle memory that you can use without having to think of it. To do so, try having to role-play conversations with someone you trust that they'll take you seriously when you do this exercise.

Train for conflict in advance

People make impossible decisions every day, even ones that someone -- somewhere -- will hate, regardless. There is not always an obvious answer but decisions still need to get made. With all the swirling anxiety and frustration in the air these days, it’s easy to become a target of convenience for a whole lot of rage. 

Let them see you sweat—and other counterintuitive tips for navigating the maze of conflict this fall.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

How to Lead When Everyone’s Mad at You

The 1995 modestly budgeted teen movie called Clueless influenced fashion for two decades and became a permanent cultural touchstone for multiple generations. The comedy about a shopaholic Beverly Hills teenager benefited from MTV's promotions and became the No. 1 movie for that summer. More importantly, Clueless touched a part of the culture that caused pre-teen and teen girls to rush to malls searching for plaid skirts and knee-high socks.

The teen movie Clueless influenced fashion

The influence of Clueless can be seen in pop-cultural creations of some high-profile influencers of today's women, making it a teen movie that continues to be passed from one generation to the next. After the first weekend, Clueless earned $56.6 million. Every person who worked on it, both on-camera and off, could place the film as a noteworthy credit on their resumes.

The influence of the film

At first, writer-director Amy Heckerling developed a TV show for Fox, and then Fox movies bought it from Fox TV. During the development, there was concern that it was too much about one female. Another screenplay was submitted, but it was rejected repeatedly. Finally, Scott Rudin liked the script and gave his stamp of approval.

First attempt at getting Clueless to the big screen

When the details were worked out of who will play which part, casting director Carrie Frazier got a call that it was going over to Paramount, and they wanted her to work on it for no money. She could not do that. When Clueless eventually did land in the hands of producer Scott Rudin and Paramount Pictures, Marcia Ross took over as casting director, which started a second attempt to cast Clueless. During the opening weekend in July 1995, the film played in 1,653 theatres across America and proved to be a hit.

On to Paramount and box-office success

How the 1995 movie became a cultural touchstone.

product

Product & Design

The Definitive Oral History of How Clueless Became an Iconic 90s Classic

In 1996, Spice Girls, consisting of Victoria Adams, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell, became world-famous with the one-shot video of wannabe, a song initially considered too weird and anarchic.
The girls gave their auditions in 1994, seeing an ad for a girl band in a newspaper. Around 400 prospects were there in the first audition, but the second round only had 10 girls after a month.

Spice Girls

The soon-to-be famous five started getting dance and voice training, and slowly realized that they might be taken for a ride. They decided to rescue themselves and their recordings, and build a new team with a new manager, eventually signing up with Virgin Records.

The Spice Girls: Wannabe

<ul><li>The Spice Girls became an instant hit, with their colourful, cartoonish looks and catchy lyrics.</li><li>Their first single, wannabe, debuted at No. 3, and soon went up to the No.1 spot. </li><li>The original demo has been released this year on its 25th Anniversary.</li></ul>

The Spice Girls: Everyone's Favourite

<ul><li>Their first concert was in Istanbul, Turkey in 1997, sponsored by Pepsi.</li><li>The lyrics of the song Two Become One was changed to be more inclusive, given the bands loyal LGBTQ following.</li><li>Their subsequent albums and singles were criticised by people who couldn’t relate to concepts like girl power. That didn’t deter the band, who enjoyed global number one hits.</li><li>The Spice Girls sold their name in more than a hundred products including chocolate, body sprays and cameras. </li><li>Spice-branded pyjamas, beach towels and dolls flooded the market at the height of their popularity.</li></ul>

The Spice Girls: Two Become One

<ul><li>The Spice Girls fan-following consisted of pre-teens, kids, girls , boys and even Prince William.</li><li>They had their own nick names: Scary, Sporty, Baby, Posh and Ginger, due to their characters being dramatically diverse.</li><li>Their Spiceworld Tour of 1998 was the highest earning tour ever by a female group.</li><li>They performed at the London Olympic Games in 2012, their last concert when all five girls sang together.</li><li>Ginger Spice quit in 1998 only to be back after many years, straining her relationship with the others.</li></ul>

The Spice Girls: Girl Power

Easy V doesn't come for free, but this guide to the Spice Girls' career will cost you nothing.

entertainment

Entertainment

The Spice Girls at 25: Here's the story from A to Z

The hustle culture uses speed to measure performance. How fast can you ship a new product? How many prospective clients can you call in an hour? While it may seem counterintuitive, slowing down may lead to clearer thinking and be a faster way to achieve your goals.

Faster is not always better

By slowing down, you can build three key pillars you can rely on. <ul><li>Intentionality: When we focus on speed, we may stay stuck in a path that may be inefficient. Slowing down allows us to execute our plans intentionally.</li><li>Quality: Doing things slower means we can pay attention to the quality of the output.</li><li>Sustainability: Consistent effort over time is more sustainable than running out of steam after a sprint.</li></ul>

Go slower to go further

Food: Studies suggest eating fast is linked to obesity. Eating slow is associated with lower hunger and lower calorie intake in healthy people.Communication: We become present and more empathic when we slow down.Fashion: Slow fashion is more ethical and sustainable. Shop less often and focus on timeless designs that are of better quality.Exercise: Low impact, moderate-intensity exercises such as yoga and walking effectively lower the risk of heart disease.Decision-making: Quick-thinking may lead to a bad decision. Slowing down allows us to be more deliberate.

Injecting slowness in all areas of your life

Slowing down can be a faster way to achieve your goals. Fighting our urge to live fast can lead to clearer thinking, deeper connections, and better mental health.

productivity

Productivity

health

Health

habits

Habits

timemanagement

Time Management

An ode to slowness: the benefits of slowing down

"If an action will take less than two minutes, it should be done at the moment it’s defined".

The two-minute rule is a defence against procrastination.
However, it is important to understand the reasoning behind the rule. The little tasks that pile up on our to-do lists start to snowball and eventually feel insurmountable. We spend more time thinking about not doing the task and feeling guilty about it than just doing it, such as filing a receipt, tidying your desk, or wiping a mirror.

The reasoning behind the two-minute rule

<ol>
<li>Completing quick tasks. Often, the little tasks like needing to book a doctor's appointment or sending an email can fill our minds and haunt us. The longer we put something off, the harder it seems to do.</li>
<li>Starting a big task. We often avoid ambitious or ambiguous projects because we don't know where to start. The two-minute rule comes in handy to pull us out of procrastination. A large project starts with identifying one small step that you can do in two minutes to get started.</li>
</ol>

Two ways to apply the two-minute rule

<ul>
<li>The two-minute rule is simple and straightforward to implement.</li>
<li>It prevents procrastination before it starts. Instead of adding a task to a list to do in the future, it can be done now.</li>
<li>It creates momentum. Doing a small task now propels you towards the next task.</li>
<li>It builds a habit of taking action immediately.</li>
<li>It's flexible. Two minutes is just a guideline. You can extend the cutoff to five or ten minutes.</li>
</ul>

Advantages of the two-minute rule

Communicate quickly. Never hold up communication with these two-minute responses:
<ul>
<li>Respond to an email or text message.</li>
<li>Respond to a work message.</li>
<li>Provide a requested approval or sign-off.</li>
</ul>
Get rid of digital clutter
<ul>
<li>Delete or hide apps cluttering your phone's home screen.</li>
<li>Unsubscribe from annoying emails.</li>
<li>Empty your computer trash folder.</li>
</ul>
Get rid of chores
<ul>
<li>Wash the dishes you just used.</li>
<li>Organize your home office desk.</li>
<li>Water the plants.</li>
<li>Sweep the kitchen floor.</li>
</ul>

Tasks you can complete in two minutes

The two-minute rule has one risk: context switching. We can fall into the trap of completing two-minute tasks when we should be prioritising deep focus.
<ul>
<li>Block off time for focused work. Demanding and complex work often needs a long period of intense focus without distractions. During this time, put the two-minute rule on pause.</li>
<li>Carve out time for two-minute tasks. The best time to use the two-minute rule is during periods of procrastinating on a bigger task.</li>
</ul>

Avoid context-switching

Build a bias for action with the two-minute rule and ensure your small tasks don’t become big headaches

problemsolving

Problem Solving

The Two-Minute Rule: Stop Procrastinating With This Simple Trick

It's the practice of planning out every moment of your day in advance and dedicating specific time “blocks” for certain tasks and responsibilities.
When you fill your calendar with the tasks and things you want to do, it’s harder for others to steal your time.

Time blocking

By scheduling every minute of your day you not only guard against distraction but also multiply your focus.
Also, focusing on one task at a time can make you up to 80% more productive than splitting your attention across multiple tasks.

Time blocking and focus

<ul>
<li>It takes a lot of time and effort. </li>
<li> Few of us (if any) have the same schedule every day. </li>
<li>We’re bad at estimating how long tasks will take to do. </li>
<li> Constant interruptions and “urgent” tasks can destroy your system. </li>
<li> Flexibility is key in most workplaces. </li>
<li>You can lose sight of the bigger picture if you focus just on each day.</li>
</ul>

Cons of the time blocking practice

<ol><li>Know your high-level priorities and goals.</li><li>Start creating blocks for your time outside of work (morning routines, time with family/friends etc.)</li><li>Schedule your most meaningful work for when your energy and attention naturally peak.</li><li>Add blocks for reactive tasks each day (emails, calls, meetings).</li><li>Write down your daily to-do list (for work, home, and family/social) and fill it in.</li></ol>

Time blocking your schedule 

<ul><li>Place buffers in between tasks.</li><li>Schedule your breaks too. </li><li>Use the right daily time management strategies to stay on track. </li><li>Overestimate how long things will take (at least to start). </li><li>Put in time for downtime, relaxation, and learning. </li><li>Make sure the people around you understand what you’re working on.</li><li>Revise as needed.</li></ul>

Tips from time blocking experts

You can probably count on your fingers the number of times you've completed 8 hours of work in an 8-hour workday. Whether it's endless meetings, constant emails, or coworkers popping in for a "quick chat," your productivity rarely makes it through the day.

Inspirational Celebrity Quotes

Avoid Writing Clichés

Coachella turns 20 this year. Here's how the festival has changed since the beginning.

The 'ghost colleagues' of the remote workplace

How to Lead When Everyone’s Mad at You

Francisco W.