Hope is a vigorous principle; it is furnished with light and heat to advise and execute; it sets the head and heart to work, and animates a man to do his utmost. And thus, by perpetually pushing and assurance, it puts a difficulty out of countenance, and makes a seeming impossibility give way.
—Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman
I’m proof against that word failure. I’ve seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Here is the simple but powerful rule… always give people more than they expect to get.
—Nelson Boswell
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Patience and tenacity of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
It helps, I think, to consider ourselves on a very long journey: the main thing is to keep to the faith, to endure, to help each other when we stumble or tire, to weep and press on.
—M. C. Richards (1916–99) American Poet, Potter, Writer
Nearly every man who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
Diamonds are only lumps of coal that stuck to their jobs.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
There is genius in persistence. It conquers all opposers. It gives confidence. It annihilates obstacles. Everybody believes in a determined man. People know that when he undertakes a thing, the battle is half won, for his rule is to accomplish whatever he sets out to do.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire life you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive. No matter who you are or what your position is you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve.
—George E. Allen (1896–1973) American Sportsperson
The darkest hour is just before the dawn.
—Common Proverb
Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before.
—Polybius (c.200–c.118 BCE) Greek Historian
Endurance is the crowning quality, and patience all the passion of great hearts.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
This I do know beyond any reasonable doubt. Regardless of what you are doing, if you pump long enough, hard enough and enthusiastically enough, sooner or later the effort will bring forth the reward.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
Your persistence is your measure of faith in yourself.
—Unknown
Perseverance, self-reliance, energetic effort, are doubly strengthened when your rise to battle again.
—Indian Proverb
Persistence prevails, like a stream that is temporarily blocked by boulders and then collects force enough to overflow onward.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
Hang in there. Hang in there because the greatest quarterbacks complete only six of 10 passes. The best basketball players make only 50% of their shots. The top oil companies, with all their geologists, drill 10 dry holes for every wet one. And even the most successful actors flunk 29 auditions for television commercials before they land one. So, HANG IN THERE.
—Anonymous
Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, Grow, Grow”.”
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Must is a hard nut to crack, but it has a sweet kernel.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) English Baptist Preacher
Never give up, never give in, and when the upper hand is ours, may we have the ability to handle the win with the dignity that we absorbed the loss.
—Doug Williams
If you are truly flexible and go until… there is really very little you can’t accomplish in your lifetime.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
Before success comes in any man’s life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do. More than five hundred of the most successful men this country has ever known told the author their greatest came just one step *beyond* the point at which defeat had overtaken them.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
A day is a miniature eternity.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
By gnawing through a dike, even a rat may drown a nation.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
A violent wind does not outlast the morning; a squall of rain does not outlast the day. Such is the course of Nature. And if Nature herself cannot sustain her efforts long, how much less can man!
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Good things come to those who wait, but they are left-overs from those who hustle.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Do not quit! Hundreds of times I have watched people throw in the towel at the one-yard line while someone else comes along and makes a fortune by just going that extra yard.
—E. Joseph Cossman
Energy and persistence conquer all things.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
I am not concerned that you have fallen—I am concerned that you arise.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Stars are good too. I wish I could get some to put in my hair. But I suppose I never can. You would be surprised to find how far off they are, for they do not look it. When they first showed last night I tried to knock some down with a pole, but it didn’t reach, which astonished me. Then I tried clods till I was all tired out, but I never got one. I did make some close shots, for I saw the black blot of the clod sail right into thee midst of the golden clusters forty or fifty times, just barely missing them, and if I could’ve held out a little longer, maybe I could’ve got one.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
The most interesting thing about a postage stamp is the persistence with which it sticks to its job.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
We can always redeem the man who aspires and strives.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I seek the truth…it is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance that does harm.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Come what may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all that life really means.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Never let up. The more you can win by, the more doubts you put in the other players’ minds the next time out.
—Sam Snead (1912–2002) American Professional Golfer
The saints are the sinners who keep on trying.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
One should act in consonance with the way of heaven and earth, which is enduring and eternal. The superior man perseveres long in his course, adapts to the times, but remains firm in his direction and correct in his goals.
—I Ching Ancient Chinese Divination Text
Boys, there ain’t no free lunches in this country. And don’t go spending your whole life commiserating that you got the raw deals. You’ve got to say, “I think that if I keep working at this and want it bad enough I can have it.” It’s called perseverance.
—Lee Iacocca (1924–2019) American Businessperson
When you put your hand to the plow, you can’t put it down until you get to the end of the row.
—Alice Paul (1885–1977) American Suffragist, Feminist
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
I’ve got a woman’s ability to stick to a job and get on with it when everyone else walks off and leaves it.
—Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British Head of State
Persist and persevere, and you will find most things that are attainable, possible.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
The person who wins may have been counted out several times, but didn’t hear the referee.
—Indian Proverb
In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins; not through strength, but through persistence.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
One day, with life and heart, is more than time enough to find a world.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic