Helen Keller

Principles are our summary of their public statements.

• Commit to a worthy purpose

  Focus

  True satisfaction comes from staying faithful to a meaningful goal rather than seeking immediate self-gratification.

  Supporting quotes

  • “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Accept risk as inevitable

  Risk

  Since absolute security is a superstition, one should choose bold action over the false safety of avoiding danger.

  Supporting quotes

  • “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Sensory Stewardship

  Learning

  One should consciously extract joy and constructive interest from every available resource and sense to reach maturity.

  Supporting quotes

  • “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Seek Expert Guidance for Breakthroughs

  Learning

  When facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge, consulting specialists and following their referrals can lead to the right mentor or solution.

  Source Wikipedia: Helen Keller  (opens in a new tab)

• Mastery through unconscious competence

  Learning

  True skill is reached when the mechanics of a task, like spelling or typing, become as unconscious and fluid as breathing.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Restore confidence through action

  Resilience

  When paralyzed by self-doubt or past failures, taking on a small, concrete project can help regain a mental foothold.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I wrote timidly, fearfully, but resolutely, urged on by my teacher, who knew that if I persevered, I should find my mental foothold again”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Adapt tools to your needs

  Productivity

  When standard methods fail, one must find or create specific tools, like a braille writer or wire diagrams, to visualize and solve complex problems.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Master vocabulary through intellectual application

  Learning

  Even without sensory experience of a concept like color, one can use vocabulary accurately by connecting words to factual knowledge.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I can read stories in my book. I can write and spell and count. good girl.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Retain lessons through storytelling

  Content

  She internalizes complex historical facts by retelling them as personal, emotional narratives about people's lives.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Find happiness in giving

  Creativity

  True satisfaction comes from the process of creating something for others and making them happy.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I cannot see the lovely things with my eyes, but my mind can see them all, and so I am joyful all the day long.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Adversity builds character

  Resilience

  One cannot develop bravery or patience in an environment that only provides joy and comfort.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Prioritize Character Over Happiness

  Integrity

  True happiness is a byproduct of being good and doing right, rather than a goal to be pursued directly.

  Supporting quotes

  • “I did not imagine, when I studied about the forests of Maine, that a strong and beautiful ship would go sailing all over the world, carrying wood from those rich forests”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Leverage personal stories for fundraising

  Marketing

  She uses her own experience of moving from darkness to light to persuade donors to support other blind children.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Maintain transparency with stakeholders

  Management

  Keep and publish records of contributors to build trust and maintain a professional standard in public projects.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Focus on Practical Utility

  Learning

  Measure progress by whether the work achieves its intended purpose, such as being understood by others, rather than seeking immediate perfection.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Acknowledge the Support System

  Leadership

  Recognize that individual success is often a shared victory with those who provide the infrastructure and inspiration for the work.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Vet enthusiasm with serious consultation

  Decisions

  Initial excitement for a new project should be balanced by consulting experienced friends to determine if the plan is actually feasible.

  3 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)

• Aggressively seek missing information

  Learning

  She never allows herself to be excluded from a conversation, constantly asking questions to fill gaps in her knowledge.

  Supporting quotes

  • “If, in the course of a conversation, the friend next to her has ceased for some moments to spell into her hand, the question comes inevitably, "What are you talking about?”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Standardize for Efficiency

  Strategy

  Adopting a single universal standard, like English Braille, reduces friction and saves trouble for both producers and users.

  Supporting quotes

  • “When a passage interests her, or she needs to remember it for some future use, she flutters it off swiftly on the fingers of her right hand.”

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

• Prioritize Action Over Documentation

  Productivity

  When a goal is urgent, focus on the immediate needs of the project rather than stopping to make a scientific study of the process.

  2 more supporting quotes are in the member records.

  Source The Story of My Life: With her letters (1887-1901) and a supplementary account of her education, including passages from the reports and letters of her teacher, Anne Mansfield Sull  (opens in a new tab)