Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) was a popular American salesman, author, and philosopher from the turn of the twentieth century.
This self-described “businessman with a literary attachment” had an unusual career. Hubbard was a brilliant marketer and salesperson for a soap company. At age 37, he sold his shares in the company to establish an arts and crafts community called Roycroft in East Aurora, New York. Roycroft attracted publishers, bookbinders, and artisans who, although not paid well, had a great deal of freedom to experiment with and refine their trade-skills.
Hubbard wrote six novels and hundreds of inspirational biographical essays called Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great. His A Message to Garcia (1899) was a bestselling inspirational essay on sales and marketing. His satirical newspaper The Philistine had a monthly circulation of over 100,000.
In 1915, Hubbard died on a voyage from New York to Liverpool aboard the RMS Lusitania when a German submarine torpedoed it off the coast of Ireland.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Elbert Hubbard
The weaknesses of the many make the leader possible.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Leadership
The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.
—Elbert Hubbard
We find what we expect to find, and we receive what we ask for.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Expectation
A person born with an instinct for poverty.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Poets, Poetry
Victory; a matter of staying power.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Victory
A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Memory
Similarly—although to a somewhat lesser degree—conceit, self-indulgence, and greed lead to physical illness, or lack of well-being.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Worry
Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Genius, Stupidity
There was one who thought himself above me, and he was above me until he had that thought.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Pride
He has achieved success who has worked well, laughed often, and loved much.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Success, Accomplishment, Achieve, Work, Success & Failure, Love
Fear is the thought of admitted inferiority.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Fear, Anxiety
A poor man who eats too much, as contradistinguished from a gourmand, who is a rich man who lives well.
—Elbert Hubbard
Responsibilities gravitate to the person who can shoulder them; power flows to the man who knows how.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Power
The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Teaching, Teachers
If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Health
Education is…A form of self-delusion.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Education
Luck is tenacity of purpose.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Luck
Men are rich only as they give. He who gives great service gets great rewards.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Service, Charity, Men
The thing we fear we bring to pass.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Confidence, Anxiety, Fear
The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Procrastination, Getting Going, Inaction, Secrets of Success
HISTORY: gossip well told.
—Elbert Hubbard
If you err it is not for me to punish you. We are punished by our sins not for them.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Sin
The path of least resistance is what makes rivers run crooked.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Change
The mintage of wisdom is to know that rest is rust, and that real life is in love, laughter, and work.
—Elbert Hubbard
Where much is expected from an individual, he may rise to the level of events and make the dream come true.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Leadership, Positive Attitudes, Events, Optimism
Freedom is a condition of mind, and the best way to secure it is to breed it.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Freedom
An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy to be called an idea at all.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Ideas
Money never made a fool of anybody; it only shows them up.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Money
When someone says it ain’t the money, but it’s the principal of the thing, it’s the money.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Money
Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom – for himself
—Elbert Hubbard
Logic is one thing and Common Sense another.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Logic
Righteous indignation: Your own wrath as opposed to the shocking bad temper of others.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Anger
The secret of success is this: there is no secret of success.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Success & Failure
A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to run.
—Elbert Hubbard
Forbid a man to think for himself or to act for himself and you may add the joy of piracy and the zest of smuggling to his life.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Enthusiasm
The man who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Understanding, Silence
A little more patience, a little more charity for all, a little more devotion, a little more love; with less bowing down to the past, and a silent ignoring of pretended authority; brave looking forward to the future with more faith in our fellows, and the race will be ripe for a great burst of light and life.
—Elbert Hubbard
Pray that success will not come any faster than you are able to endure it.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Endurance, Resolve, Success is not everything, Success, Prayer, Perseverance
Where parents do too much for their children, the children will not do much for themselves.
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Parents, Parenting
No one ever gets far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day
—Elbert Hubbard
Topics: Accomplishment
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