Fear is the start of wisdom.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
When did reason ever direct our desires or our fears?
—Juvenal (c.60–c.136 CE) Roman Poet
An inferiority complex is a conviction by a jury of your fears.
—Indian Proverb
He that is afraid to shake the dice will never throw a six.
—Chinese Proverb
Horror is always aware of its cause; terror never is. That is precisely what makes terror terrifying.
—Christopher Isherwood (1904–86) Anglo-American Novelist, Playwright
Refuse to let the thought of death bother you: nothing is grim when we have escaped that fear.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Do what you fear most and you control fear.
—George Bancroft (1800–91) American Historian, Politician
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
—Buddhist Teaching
Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.
—Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852–1933) American Author, Educator, Clergyman
How often the fear of one evil leads into a worse.
—Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux (1636–1711) French Poet, Satirist, Literary Critic
FEAR is an acronym in the English language for “False Evidence Appearing Real”
—Neale Donald Walsch (b.1943) American Spiritual Writer
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
Stripped of all their masquerades, the fears of men are quite identical: the fear of loneliness, rejection, inferiority, unmanageable anger, illness and death.
—Joshua L. Liebman (1907–48) American Jewish Rabbi, Author
Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth—
more than ruin—more even than death….
Thought is subversive and revolutionary,
destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege,
established institutions, and comfortable habit.
Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid.
Thought is great and swift and free,
the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Rich people are wiling to act in spite of fear. Poor people let fear stop them.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
In morals, what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion, what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil.
—Anna Brownell Jameson (1794–1860) Irish-born Literary, Art Critic
We have ancient habits to deal with, vast structures of power, indescribably complicated problems to solve. But unless we abdicate our humanity altogether and succumb to fear and impotence in the presence of the weapons we have ourselves created, it is as possible and as urgent to put an end to war and violence between nations as it is to put an end to poverty and racial injustice.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
He who strikes terror in others is himself continually in fear.
—Claudian (c.370–c.404 CE) Roman Poet
Hit the delete button every time fear appears.
—Wayne Dyer (b.1940) American Motivational Writer, Author, Motivational Speaker
An appeal to fear never finds an echo in German hearts.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
There is great beauty in going through life without anxiety or fear. Half our fears are baseless, and the other half discreditable.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
There are no guarantees. From the viewpoint of fear, none are strong enough. From the viewpoint of love, none are necessary.
—Indian Proverb
Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
As you start to see the possibilities in the impossible, you will begin to see that the world works “perfectly”. You can find reason and purpose in everything—if you open your mind to it.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
We must constantly build dykes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
When fear is excessive it can make many a man despair.
—Thomas Aquinas (1225–74) Italian Catholic Priest, Philosopher, Theologian
We have to start teaching ourselves not to be afraid.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
Is there any sex-distinction in the Atman (Self)? Out with the differentiation between man and woman—all is Atman! Give up the identification with the body, and stand up!
—Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) Indian Hindu Monk, Mystic
One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
I know it is hard to accept, but an upset in your life is beneficial, in that it tells you that you are off course in some way and you need to find your way back to your particular path of clarity once again.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns to compromise with death—that is heroism.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.
—Unknown
All we are asked to bear we can bear. That is a law of the spiritual life. The only hindrance to the working of this law, as of all benign laws, is fear.
—Elizabeth Goudge (1900–84) English Novelist
Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
The thing I fear most is fear.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
You can have nothing to fear.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
God! Is there anything uglier than a frightened man.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
So commit! Commit yourself to pushing through the fear and becoming more than you are at the present moment. The you that could be is absolutely colossal.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in, and new lessons to learn—which is what life is all about.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
The secret in handling fear is to move yourself from a position of pain to a position of power. The fact that you have the fear becomes irrelevant.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
I can say, I am terribly frightened and fear is terrible and awful and it makes me uncomfortable, so I won’t do that because it makes me uncomfortable. Or I could say get used to being uncomfortable. It is uncomfortable doing something that’s risky. But so what? Do you want to stagnate and just be comfortable?
—Barbra Streisand (b.1942) American Musician, Actor, Songwriter
A man who says he has never been scared is either lying or else he’s never been any place or done anything.
—Louis L’Amour (1908–88) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
The point to remember is that when you blame any outside force for any of your experience of life, you are literally giving away all your power and thus creating pain, paralysis and depression.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire.
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) English Literary Critic
To live your life in the fear of losing it is to lose the point of life.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Fear always springs from ignorance.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The passion to get ahead is sometimes born of the fear lest we be left behind.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something…almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.
—Steve Jobs (1955–2011) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
There are three marks of a superior man; being virtuous, he is free from anxiety; being wise, he is free from perplexity; being brave, he is free from fear.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher