11 Fierce Olivia Pope Quotes to Get You Through Monday
It is impossible not to feel the power, presence, influence, boldness, and dexterity that stems from Olivia Pope’s personality. She is not a perfect person at all, but she is (in my opinion) one of the strongest female characters I have watched on television. Olivia is quick on her feet, professional, tough, passionate, smart, positive, always dressed seamlessly/to impress, highly aware of her value, and is continually thinking one step ahead of others. Whether she’s dealing with a client, motivating her gladiators team, or being in love, her energy is inspiring and filled with lessons.
Here are some empowering and positive Miss Pope Quotes to inspire you and get you through a rough day: My personal favorites are:
1.“Mediocracy is not an option for me” — Olivia thrives in work well done and believes in excellence, whether she is advising Fitz through his presidency campaigns, solving a simple sexual assault case, or making love, she gives it her best and presents results better than anyone else. She also makes sure that this “we are the best at what we do” attitude proliferates through her team, and does not stop until she delivers the best. We can all sometimes feel challenged by tasks or get overwhelmed by multiple responsibilities, and lose track of quality. This quote comes in handy at times like those. It is important to push for this attitude, as it can go a long way in achieving quality and results in everything we do, even if it is something as simple and practical as building a relationship with a client, throwing an event of delivering a pitch.
2. “I’m never out of options, there is always another move” — This is probably the most recurring quote in the show. Trained to fight and handle the toughest of situations. They don’t give up on each other even when they want to. Olivia Pope always has a clever hand in playing her cards (or even if she doesn’t, she comes up with them). Just when everyone thinks she’s out of options, Olivia comes out of nowhere with a brilliant decision. We should all strive to be like that. Keep trying until you have literally no other options — and even then, you probably still have one last move up your sleeve. There are always options. Even when it seems as though all hope is gone, you can find cards left to play.
3. “I don’t perform miracles or the impossible. I make calculations about difficult situations, and I do not take on anything I know I won’t win” — As humans, it is sometimes in our default nature to react without thinking through things, or to take on challenges and make decisions without thinking through them tactically. Which leads to being disappointed and disappointing others. This quote from Miss Pope reminds us how important it is to be critical, analytical, calculated, and more vigorous when taking on difficult situations — keeping in mind that this is the only way you will be successful and come out triumphant.
4. “My Gut tells me everything I need to know” — This said, it is also very important to follow your instincts in these situations. More often than not, your gut is a reminder of a lesson learnt from your previous experiences, so if something doesn’t feel right, may be it isn’t. Olivia never ignores her gut feeling, and always investigates it further (and for those of us who know this side of her personality, we know how right or nearly-right she has always been). Have an uneasy feeling in your gut about signing a particular deal? Take some time off to think through it more.
5. “Work helps. So does exercise. Stuff that numbs you, keeps you from thinking too much” — Many times things don’t go as we expect them to, in fact this happens more frequently than we like — from that job interview we take to that super promising date we went on. And it is perfectly normal. When this happens, when things seem to be blowing up in your face, step back and re-assess things. Keep yourself busy and don’t get distracted easily, or go do something that allows you to put your brain on pause until your head is clear enough for decisions to be made. Go for a run, get lunch with a friend, and write in your journal — do anything at all that will keep you from feeling too many things at a time. Olivia takes a run, as this helps her think better and strategize her options while she’s at it.
6. “I am very good at what I do. I am better than anyone else. And that is not arrogance, that is a fact” — Confidence is everything! Believing in yourself can be your first step in succeeding at anything! As long as you believe in yourself and your abilities, you can make anyone else believe in you. The mere ability to be confident breeds success. Miss Pope projects confidence in everything she does, from how she walks to how she speaks to the vice president or the president. This confident energy tends to be so contagious that it is reflected on the other gladiators. Try it!
7. “Normal is overrated” — The last thing you’ll see on the show is Olivia Pope being normal. She’s strong, independent, and lets people know that her life is anything but conventional. Being cookie-cutter normal isn’t something she wants for herself — it’s not something you should want for yourself either. Strive to be different, creative, and your authentic self, and life will be a lot more exciting and just easier.
8. “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, but you have to try, because if you try, if you leap and you try, and it doesn’t work out, it’s not on you” — How many times have you heard of an opportunity, and not taken advantage of it because you didn’t think you were good enough? Me, many many times! But, in order to get what you want, you have to be willing to put yourself out there, to take those risks, to ask those questions, and to pursue those relationships. Olivia doesn’t put off a challenge or an opportunity, she takes chances whenever she can, and she makes sure her and her team do a pretty darn job at succeeding at it.
9. “I am not the girl the guy gets at the end of the movie. I am not a fantasy. If you want me, earn me” — Yes, Olivia knows her self-worth. She won’t settle for just anyone and she knows if someone wants her, they need to prove it. I respect that. Just because someone is there it does not mean they deserve you. You will know when they’ve earned your love, your time and your investment. Always know your value, whether it is in the home, on the street or at your place of work.
10. “We are never done, because whatever happens, there is always another move, whatever happens, we do not give up!” — No complaining, no beating around the bush. The problem surfaces and Olivia and her gladiators handles it. She proves to us that anything is possible and anything can be overcome. When something bad pops up, just handle it. As long as you believe you can do it, as long as you work hard at it, you can do it.
11. “Now you can dance with me, or you can get off my dance floor. I’m fine dancing alone” — The only person you need is yourself. It’s awesome having someone else dancing with you through life, but don’t forget that it’s okay to choose yourself sometimes. You’re important and you can stand alone just fine, and lead your life.
Feeling empowered yet?
By: Reshma Mawji
26/02/2018
Sources:
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/10-empowering-olivia-pope-quotes-that-everyone-needs-hear
Originally published at mumsvillage.com.
