“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

I love that quote and the first time I heard it I knew I’d never forget it.

The gist of it is that if you want to accomplish things, you gotta get started TODAY.

And you can apply it to everything in life: exercise, work, school, relationships, etc.

What quote changed the way you look at life?

AskReddit users opened up and shared their answers.

1. Worth a shot.

“My therapist once told me that living in the future is anxiety, living in the past is depression.

The only good way is to live in the present moment.

Good luck.”

2. Can’t save everyone.

“Don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm.

This helped a lot with my guilt and burgeoning martyr complex.”

3. Courage.

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” -Maryann Radmacher

I came across this a long time ago, at a point in life that I really needed this lesson. It’s okay if I feel sad and resigned, if my depression beat me for today and I wasn’t able to function. I didn’t fail, I’m not weak, I will try again tomorrow.”

4. I like this one.

“That mountain you’ve been carrying, you were only suppose to climb.”

Really helped me overcome a lot of traumatic experiences and difficult chapters in my life. I hope it helps someone else out there.”

5. Take it to heart.

“Dear Abby’s response to a writer thinking of going back to school but worried that she will be 40 by the time she got her degree .

“How old will you be in four years if you don’t get your degree? You are going to be 40 anyway with or without your degree.“

It reminded me that letting age stop me from my plans was just silly. Also, working at a community college and seeing so many people going back to school in their 30s, 40s, 50s and thriving, the quote really spoke to me.”

6. Be kind.

““The axe forgets; the tree remembers.” —Zimbabwean proverb.

People don’t forget how they were treated; that’s why it’s so important to be kind.”

7. Think about it.

“Just because you lost me as a friend doesn’t mean you gained me as an enemy.

I still want to see you eat just not at my table.”

8. For the parents.

“Your kid isn’t giving you a hard time, they’re having a hard time.

The only way out is through.”

9. Words to live by.

“Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.”

“It’s no use wasting time worrying what other people think about you. No one is thinking about you.”

“Remember to take care of yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup.””

10. Gotta get it done.

““I understand there’s a guy inside me who wants to lay in bed, s**ke weed all day, and watch cartoons and old movies. My whole life is a series of stratagems to avoid and outwit that guy.”

– Anthony Bourdain.”

11. She was a gem.

“”Be afraid, but do it anyway.”

Carrie Fisher.”

12. Real love.

“You cannot convince people to love you. This is an absolute rule. No one will ever give you love because you want him or her to give it. Real love moves freely in both directions. Don’t waste your time on anything else.”

– Cheryl Strayed.”

13. Carl Sagan.

“”Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every “superstar,” every “supreme leader,” every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there-on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.”

Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot.”

Now we want to hear from you.

Tell us about the quote that changed your life.

Do it in the comments, please!