To be is to do.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Believe it or not, it is not only possible to accomplish more by doing less, it is mandatory. Enter the world of elimination.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
An affirmation states that a goal is already happening. I’m not crazy about this because, often when we affirm something that is not yet real, the little voice in our head usually responds with “This isn’t true, this is BS…On the other hand, a declaration is not saying something is true, it’s saying we have an intention of doing or being something. This is a position the little voice can buy, because we’re not stating it’s true right now, but again, it’s an intention for us ion the future.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
The way to do is to be.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
After you’ve been doing inquiry for a while, if you have the thought “She doesn’t love me,” you just get the immediate turnaround with a smile: “Oh, I’m not loving myself in this moment”.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Men do less than they ought, unless they do all that they can.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The most important thing is for you to be your own best friend. Whatever you are doing—don’t put yourself down. Slowly begin to discover which, for you, is the path of the heart. Which path in life will make you grow? That is the path to take.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
The most effective way I know to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal mission statement or philosophy or creed. It focused on what you want to be (character) and to do (contributions and achievements) and on the values or principles upon which being and doing are based.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
Better do a little well, than a great deal badly.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
It takes less time to do a thing right, than it does to explain why you did it wrong.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Where you are is of no moment, but only what you are doing there. It is not the place that ennobles you, but you the place; and this only by doing that which is great and noble.
—Petrarch (1304–74) Italian Scholar, Poet, Humanist
To do is to be.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
To excel means to reach beyond the best you have ever given because doing so matters to you personally, for its own sake. It means to run your own race—as an individual, team, or organization. To excel is to know your greatest strengths and passions, and to emphasize them while honestly admitting and managing your weaknesses.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
Too many of those with unrealized aspirations have set them aside due to fear of failure. The bigger the dream, the greater the fear. Doing less than our best allays this fear. I could have done better if I’d tried, we assure ourselves. Among the least appreciated reasons for doing superficial, second-rate work of any kind is the comfort of knowing it’s not our best that’s on the line. By not trying too hard, we avoid learning what our true potential is, and having to fulfill it. Doing our best can be deeply threatening. It forces us to consider what we’re actually capable of accomplishing. Once we learn that lesson, we can’t unlearn it. Our true potential becomes both a shining light we can follow and an oppressive burden of expectation that might, or might not, be met.
—Unknown
A cheery relaxation is man’s natural state, just as nature itself is relaxed. A waterfall is concerned only with being itself, not with doing something it considers waterfall-like.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
I saw that we’re all doing the best we can. This is how a lifetime of humility begins.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
The world is divided into people who do things and people who get the credit. Try, if you can, to belong to the first class. There’s far less competition.
—Dwight Morrow (1873–1931) American Businessman, Diplomat
Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
It seems mutants have something in their lives called gravy. They know truth, but it is buried under thickening and spices of convenience, materialism, insecurity, and fear. They also have something called frosting. It seems to represent how they spend almost all the seconds of their existence in doing superficial, artificial, temporary, pleasant-tasting, nice appearing projects and spend very few actual seconds of their lives developing their eternal beingness.
—Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author
Have the daring to stop doing the things you really don’t want to do. Can you see them? Look closely. Can you observe the many things you do because you reluctantly feel you should or must? Watch closely. Examine every action and reaction. Do you act naturally or do you act because you feel compelled? If you feel compelled, stop. Compulsion is slavery. Example: Refuse to go along with the crowd.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
No man needs sympathy because he has to work. Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
Intellect helps us to see the best means and manner of doing the right thing, but intellect never shows us the right thing.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Cast out pride and vanity; have no thought of trying to rule over others or of outdoing them.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t, I’ll create something else. I don’t have any limitations on what I think I could do or be.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
Well done is better than well said.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplainable… The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true.
—John Steinbeck (1902–68) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Journalist
The more you struggle to live, the less you live. Give up the notion that you must be sure of what you are doing. Instead, surrender to what is real within you, for that alone is sure. As stars high above earth, you are above everything distressing. But you must awaken to it. Wake up!
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
Commitment doesn’t mean that it has to last forever, but while you are there, commit yourself 100%. By doing this, the quality of your life improves 100%.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
To be a top performer you have to be passionately committed to what you’re doing and insanely confident about your ability to pull it off.
—John Eliot (b.1971) American Psychologist, Academic
Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
The way you create any outcome in your life is to hold the vision of your deepest desires. At the same time, though, you must honestly and accurately assess your current situation and how it relates to your greater vision. By doing this, you engage tension between what is and what can be. This tension is the primary creative force behind the manifestation of any outcome. It’s as natural and powerful as the force of gravity.
—David Emerald
The key to having more time is doing less, and there are two paths to get there, both of which should be used together: (1) Define a short to-do list and (2) define a not-to-do list.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightaway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do for which we are accountable.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
Prevent the things you have been doing and you are half-way home”.
—F. Matthias Alexander (1869–1955) Australian Actor, Educationalist
One must learn by doing the thing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
I think every person should be able to enjoy life. Try to decide what you most enjoy doing, and then look around to see if there is a job for which you could prepare yourself that would enable you to continue having this sort of joy.
—Linus Pauling (1901–94) American Scientist, Peace Activist
What I call “doing the dishes” is the practice of loving the task in front of you. Your inner voice guides you all day long to do simple things such as brush your teeth, drive to work, call your friend, or do the dishes. Even though it’s just another story, it’s a very short story, and when you follow the direction of the voice, the story ends. We are really alive when we live as simply as that—open, waiting, trusting, and loving to do what appears in front of us now…What we need to do unfolds before us, always—doing the dishes, paying the bills, picking up the children’s socks, brushing our teeth. We never receive more than we can handle, and there is always just one thing to do. Whether you have ten dollars or ten million dollars, life never gets more difficult than that.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Make it a point to do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Fear of particular situations dissolved when I finally confronted them. The “doing it” comes before the fear goes away.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
But when you think you’re supposed to do something with it and imagine that you’re the doer, that’s pure delusion. Just follow your passion. Do what you love. Inquire, and have a happy life while you’re doing it.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
The greatest thing in the world is for a man to be able to do something well, and say nothing about it.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Do as you would be done by, is the surest method of pleasing.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
What one does easily, one does well.
—Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) Scottish-American Industrialist
In the blood of the martyrs to intolerance are the seeds of unbelief.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it…that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
Knowing and not doing are equal to not knowing at all.
—Unknown
One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.
—Marie Curie (1867–1934) Polish-born French Physicist, Chemist
In the real world, those of us who are most productive, successful, and satisfied focus not on fixing feelings or manipulating thoughts, but on what needs to be done—and then doing it—no matter what thoughts or feelings arise.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson