Curious about Zeal, Zest and Vigor: Do They Go Hand in Hand in Your Life?

I chose these three words for this week’s theme, because they were included in Robert Middleton’s weekly, marketing e-newsletter. He was writing about the importance of enthusiasm and listed several words that relate. It is interesting from the definitions and the quotations I found for each that they have similarities and dissimilarities.

Definition of Zeal: Passionate ardor in the pursuit of anything; eagerness in favor of a person or cause; ardent and active interest; engagedness; enthusiasm; fervor.

Definition of Zest (most definitions referred to taste): Hence, something that gives or enhances a pleasant taste, or the taste itself; an appetizer; also, keen enjoyment; relish; gusto.

Definition of Vigor: Active strength or force of body or mind; capacity for exertion, physically, intellectually, or morally; force; energy. Strength; efficacy; potency.

These are my kind of words, and I feel we need them right now in these uncertain times. My advice is to live our lives with zeal, zest and vigor. Think and learn with zeal, zest and vigor. Exercise with zeal, zest and vigor. Network with zeal, zest and vigor – on the Social networks and at in-person networking events. Embrace and exude zeal, zest and vigor. You will be amazed by the changes you will feel and experience in your self-image.

It’s time for some interesting quotations from the experts:

• “When you are laboring for others, let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself.” – Confucius, Chinese philosopher
• “If you have zest and enthusiasm you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind.” - Norman Vincent Peale, American clergyman
• “Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation... even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.” - Leonardo da Vinci, Italian artist
• “We do have a zeal for laughter in most situations, give or take a dentist.” - Joseph Heller, American novelist
• “Give me the comma of imperfect striving, thus to find zest in the immediate living. Ever the reaching but never the gaining, ever the climbing but never the attaining of the mountain top.” - Winston Grahamm, English novelist
• “If you put all your strength and faith and vigor into a job and try to do the best you can, the money will come.” - Lawrence Welk, American musician

And, just one more each using our theme words for you to take with you this coming week:

• “Experience shows that success is due less to ability than to zeal.” - Charles Buxton, English public servant
• “If things don't come easy, there is no premium on effort. There should be joy in the chase, zest in the pursuit.” - Branch Rickey, American athlete
• “The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains the fulfillment of its destiny.” - Colin Powell, American statesman

Have an enthusiastic week, filled with zeal, zest and vigor!