Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotations on Imitation

It is well to respect the leader. Learn from him. Observe him. Study him. But don’t worship him. Believe you can surpass. Believe you can go beyond. Those who harbor the second-best attitude are invariably second-best doers.
David J. Schwartz (1927–87) American Self-help Author

An original artist is unable to copy. So he has only to copy in order to be original.
Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director

There is a difference between imitating a good man and counterfeiting him.
Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat

Emulation is a noble and just passion, full of appreciation.
Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist

‘Tis no shame to follow the better precedent.
Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher

Envy is ignorance. Imitation is suicide.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher

To copy others is necessary, but to copy oneself is pathetic.
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Artist

To be as good as our fathers we must be better, imitation is not discipleship.
Wendell Phillips (1811–84) American Abolitionist, Lawyer, Orator

It is by imitation, far more than by precept, that we learn everything; and what we learn thus, we acquire not only more effectually, but more pleasantly.—This forms our manners, our opinions, our lives.
Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman

No man was ever great by imitation.
Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist

It is a poor wit who lives by borrowing the words, decisions, mien, inventions, and actions of others.
Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet

Man is only true to himself when he surpasses the limitations inherent in his nature.
Arthur Koestler (1905–83) British Writer, Journalist, Political Refugee

To equal a predecessor, one must have twice they worth.
Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer

There is only one kind of love, but there are a thousand imitations.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer

Whatever is well said by another, is mine.
Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian

Imitation is the sincerest form of television.
Fred Allen (1894–1956) American Humorist, Radio Personality

You may imitate, but never counterfeit.
Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist

The limitations of my endurance were expanded over and over. At times I felt that if I did not sit down I would collapse. Then something would happen to attract my attention…miraculously, the distraction always provided wings, carrying new strength, a second wind.
Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author

Simplicity of all things is the hardest to copy.
Richard Steele (1672–1729) Irish Writer, Politician

He who never walks except where he sees other men’s tracks will make no discoveries.
Unknown

We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher

Every kind of imitation speaks the person that imitates inferior to him whom he imitates, as the copy is to the original.
Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher

Men are so constituted that every one undertakes what he sees another successful in, whether he has aptitude for it or not.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet

Emulation admires and strives to imitate great actions; envy is only moved to malice.
Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist

Nature is commonplace. Imitation is more interesting.
Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer

Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.
Salvador Dali (1904–89) Spanish Painter

Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.
Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator

Imitation is a necessity of human nature.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author

He who imitates evil always goes beyond the example that is set; he who imitates what is good always falls short.
Francesco Guicciardini (1483–1540) Italian Historian, Political leader

Posterity weaves no garlands for imitators.
Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist

Imitation, if it is not forgery, is a fine thing. It stems from a generous impulse, and a realistic sense of what can and cannot be done.
James Fenton

Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those whom we cannot resemble.
Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist

Man is an imitative creature, and whoever is foremost leads the herd.
Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist

To do the opposite of something is also a form of imitation, namely an imitation of its opposite.
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist

The only good imitations are those that poke fun at bad originals.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer

I hardly know so true a mark of a little mind as the servile imitation of others.
George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746–1816) British Nobleman, Politician

I have found some of the best reasons I ever had for remaining at the bottom simply by looking at the men at the top.
Frank Moore Colby (1865–1925) American Encyclopedia Editor, Essayist

When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. Originality is deliberate and forced, and partakes of the nature of a protest
Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author

Man’s natural character is to imitate; that of the sensitive man is to resemble as closely as possible the person whom he loves. It is only by imitating the vices of others that I have earned my misfortunes.
Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) French Political leader, Revolutionary, Novelist, Poet, Critic

Each of us is in fact what he is almost exclusively by virtue of his imitativeness.
William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician

Men nearly always follow the tracks made by others and proceed in their affairs by imitation, even though they cannot entirely keep to the tracks of others or emulate the prowess of their models. So a prudent man should always follow in the footsteps of great men and imitate those who have been outstanding. If his own prowess fails to compare with theirs, at least it has an air of greatness about it. He should behave like those archers who, if they are skilful, when the target seems too distant, know the capabilities of their bow and aim a good deal higher than their objective, not in order to shoot so high but so that by aiming high they can reach the target.
Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher

Imitation belittles.
Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist

Insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another, you have only an extemporaneous half-possession. That which each can do best none but his Maker can teach him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher

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