Self-trust is the essence of heroism.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
I was thinking of my patients, and how the worst moment for them was when they discovered they were masters of their own fate. It was not a matter of bad or good luck. When they could no longer blame fate, they were in despair.
—Anais Nin (1903–77) French-American Essayist
Luck is always waiting for something to turn up. Labor, with keen eyes and strong will, always turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman will bring news of a legacy. Labor turns out at six o’clock and with busy pen or ringing hammer, lays the foundation of a competence. Luck whines. Labor whistles. Luck relies on chance, labor on character.
—Richard Cobden
To confide, even though to be betrayed, is much better than to learn only to conceal.—In the one case your neighbor wrongs you;—but in the other you are perpetually doing injustice to yourself.
—William Gilmore Simms (1806–70) American Poet, Novelist, Historian
I have the most perfect confidence in your indiscretion
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Clergyman, Essayist, Wit
People who have given us their complete confidence believe that they have a right to ours. The inference is false, a gift confers no rights.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.
—Paul Tillich (1886–1965) American Lutheran Theologian, Philosopher
Confidence is not a guarantee of success, but a pattern of thinking that will improve your likelihood of success, a tenacious search for ways to make things work.
—John Eliot (b.1971) American Psychologist, Academic
A chief is a man who assumes responsibility. He says, “I was beaten”. He does not say, “My men were beaten”. Thus speaks a real man.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
Elevated levels of confidence are omnipresent among history’s greatest overachievers. Benjamin Franklin, one of the most famous men in the world even before he signed the Declaration of Independence once lamented about humility, “I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the reality of this virtue”.
—John Eliot (b.1971) American Psychologist, Academic
People are slow to claim confidence in undertakings of magnitude.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Be like the bird who, halting in his flight on a limb too slight, yet sings, knowing he has wings.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
I always thought I should be treated like a star.
—Madonna (b.1958) American Pop Singer, Actress
Confidence, like art, never comes from having all the answers; it comes from being open to all the questions.
—Indian Proverb
If a man wants his dreams to come true, he must wake up.
—Unknown
We are all such a waste of our potential, like three-way lamps using one-way bulbs.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Sex appeal is fifty percent what you’ve got and fifty percent what people think you’ve got.
—Sophia Loren (b.1934) Italian Actor
It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you’re not.
—Unknown
I have learned, in some degree at least, to disregard the old maxim which says, “Do not get others to do that which you can do yourself”. My motto, on the other hand, is, “Do not do that which others can do as well”.
—Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) African-American Educationist
Learn to depend upon yourself by doing things in accordance with your own way of thinking.
—Grenville Kleiser (1868–1935) Canadian Author
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today… Is it so bad then to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Take a risk a day—one small or bold stroke that will make you feel great once you’ve done it. Even if it doesn’t work out the way you wanted it to, at least you’ve tried. You didn’t sit back…powerless. Watch what starts to happen when you expand your comfort zone…with each risk you take, each time you move out of what feels comfortable, you become more powerful… As your power builds, so does your confidence, so that stretching your comfort zone becomes easier and easier, despite any fear you may experiencing. The magnitude of the risks you take also expands.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
One’s self-image is very important because if that’s in good shape, then you can do anything, or practically anything.
—John Gielgud (1904–2000) English Actor, Theatre Director
Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.
—Jack Nicklaus (b.1940) American Sportsperson
The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do.
—Unknown
Great tranquility of heart is his who cares for neither praise nor blame.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that, when nations are strong, they are not always just, and when they wish to be just, they are often no longer strong.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
—Les Brown
Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn’t. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
When young, we trust ourselves too much; and we trust others too little when old.—Rashness is the error of youth; timid caution of age.—Manhood is the isthmus between the two extremes—the ripe and fertile season of action when, only, we can hope to find the head to contrive, united with the hand to execute.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The spiritual force transcends all.—I feel this great creative and spiritual force within me that is greater than faith, greater than ambition, greater than confidence, greater than determination, greater than vision. It is all these combined. My brain becomes magnetized with this dominating force which I hold in my hand.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
Nothing’s so apt to undermine your confidence in a product as knowing that the commercial selling it has been approved by the company that makes it.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Up to a point a man’s life is shaped by environment, heredity, and the movements and changes in the world around him. Then there comes a time when it lies within his grasp to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes to be. Only the weak blame parents, their race, their times, lack of good fortune, or the quirks of fate. Everyone has it within his power to say, ‘This I am today; that I will be tomorrow.’ The wish, however, must be implemented by deeds.
—Louis L’Amour (1908–88) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
It generally happens that assurance keeps an even pace with ability.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
God knows best; he hasn’t arranged your anatomy so as to make it easy for you to pat yourself on the back.
—Unknown
The wise don’t expect to find life worth living; they make it that way.
—Unknown
Confidence is a resolute state of mind by which you believe nothing is impossible.
—John Eliot (b.1971) American Psychologist, Academic
The promises of this world are, for the most part, vain phantoms; and to confide in one’s self, and become something of worth and value is the best and safest course.
—Michelangelo (1475–1564) Italian Painter, Sculptor, Architect, Poet, Engineer
Oftentimes nothing profits more than self-esteem, grounded on what is just and right and well-managed.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self. So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people. That comes afterward, when you’ve worked on your own corner.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
Those who foresee the future and recognize it as tragic are often seized by a madness which forces them to commit the very acts which makes it certain that what they dread shall happen.
—Rebecca West (1892–1983) English Author, Journalist, Literary Critic
There is no man so low down that the cure for his condition does not lie strictly within himself.
—Thomas Masson (1866–1934) American Journalist, Humorist, Author
A secure individual … knows that the responsibility for anything concerning his life remains with himself—and he accepts that responsibility.
—Harry Browne (1933–2006) American Politician, Investor, Writer
Confident because of our caution
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
There can be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence without integrity.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
He has not learned the first lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State