In the long run men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fall immediately, they had better aim at something high.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Our firmest convictions are apt to be the most suspect, they mark our limitations and our bounds. Life is a petty thing unless it is moved by the indomitable urge to extend its boundaries.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Don’t say you don’t have enough time.
You have exactly the same number of hours per day
that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,
Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci,
Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
Goals help you channel your energy into action.
—Les Brown
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Courage has genius, power, and magic in it. Only engage, and then the mind grows heated. Begin it and the work is completed.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
There is no sorrow I have thought more about than that—to love what is great, and try to reach it, and yet to fail.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Nothing interferes with my concentration. You could put on an orgy in my office and I wouldn’t look up. Well, maybe once.
—Isaac Asimov (1920–92) Russian-born American Writer, Scientist
Most people would succeed in small things, if they were not troubled with great ambitions.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Some people drift along like a cork on a river, feeling that they cannot do anything except drift, moment to moment. This is an attitude of mind. Everyone can be constructive even in tiny ways.
—Edward de Bono (1933–2021) Maltese-British Psychologist, Writer
Life has a value only when it has something valuable as its object.
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) German Philosopher
Concentrate on finding your goal, then concentrate on reaching it.
—Michael Friedsam (1858–1931) American Philanthropist
The goal of all civilization, all religious thought, and all that sort of thing is simply to have a good time. But man gets so solemn over the process that he forgets the end.
—Don Marquis (1878–1937) American Humorist, Journalist, Author
Write it down. Written goals have a way of transforming wishes into wants; cant’s into cans; dreams into plans; and plans into reality. Don’t just think it—ink it!
—Indian Proverb
If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
A straight path never leads anywhere except to the objective.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
As you reach your goals, set new ones. That is how you grow and become a more powerful person.
—Les Brown
Before I was ever in my teens, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. My goal was to be the greatest athlete that ever lived.
—Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1914–56) American Athlete, Golfer
The soul that has no established aim loses itself.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
As you emphasize your life, you must localize and define it … you cannot do everything.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
Success with money, family, relationships, health, and careers is the ability to reach your personal objectives in the shortest time, with the least effort and with the fewest mistakes. The goals you set for yourself and the strategies you choose become your blueprint or plan. Strategies are like recipes: choose the right ingredients, mix them in the correct proportions, and you will always produce the same predictable results: in this case financial success. The success strategies for managing money and building wealth are called Money Strategies. By learning to use money strategies as a part of your day-to-day life, financial frustration and failure will become a thing of the past.
—Charles J. Givens (1941–98) American Self-Help Writer
If you don’t know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere.
—Henry Kissinger (b.1923) American Diplomat, Academician
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
Nothing is more terrible than activity without insight.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
When you catch what you’re after, it’s gone.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
He who wants to do everything will never do anything.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss, but that our aim is too low and we reach it.
—Michelangelo (1475–1564) Italian Painter, Sculptor, Architect, Poet, Engineer
The one thing worth living for is to keep one’s soul pure.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Who walks the fastest, but walks astray, is only furthest from his way.
—Matthew Prior (1664–1721) English Poet, Diplomat
Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.
—Arnold Glasow (1905–98) American Businessman
When we have passed beyond individualising, then we shall be real Persons. Ego was the helper; Ego is the bar.
—Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Indian Mystic, Philosopher, Poet
The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all the world needs dreamers who do.
—Sarah Ban Breathnach (b.1947) American Self-help Author
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.
—Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919) American Poet, Journalist
Without a goal to work toward, we will not get there.
—Natasha Josefowitz
None of our men are “experts.” We have most unfortunately found it necessary to get rid of a man as soon as he thinks himself an expert because no one ever considers himself expert if he really knows his job. A man who knows a job sees so much more to be done than he has done, that he is always pressing forward and never gives up an instant of thought to how good and how efficient he is. Thinking always ahead, thinking always of trying to do more, brings a state of mind in which nothing is impossible. The moment one gets into the “expert” state of mind a great number of things become impossible.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
I am searching for that which every man seeks—peace and rest.
—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) Italian Poet, Philosopher
If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably not wind up there.
—Movie: Forrest Gump
Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
—Ralph Vaull Starr
If you don’t care where you’re going any road will get you there
—Indian Proverb
Whether zeal or moderation be the point we aim at, let us keep the fire out of the one, and the frost out of the other.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
If it came true, it wasn’t much of a dream.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Goals that are not written down are just wishes.
—Unknown
Life is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming.
—Matthew Arnold (1822–88) English Poet, Critic
If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality