One who never asks either knows everything or nothing.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The Work is merely four questions; it’s not even a thing. It has no motive, no strings. It’s nothing without your answers. These four questions will join any program you’ve got ad enhance it. Any religion you have—they’ll enhance it. If you have no religion, they will bring you joy. And they’ll burn up anything that isn’t true for you. They’ll burn through to the reality that has always been waiting.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.
—Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) English Polymath, Philosopher, Sociologist, Political Theorist
It is the nature, and the advantage, of strong people that they can bring out the crucial questions and form a clear opinion about them. The weak always have to decide between alternatives that are not their own.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian
The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.
—Joan Borysenko
A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
You don’t want a million answers as much as you want a few forever questions. The questions are diamonds you hold in the light. Study a lifetime and you see different colours from the same jewel. The same questions, asked again, bring you just the answers you need just the minute you need them.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
All knowledge, the totality of all questions and all answers is contained in the dog.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
We should not only master questions, but also act upon them, and act definitely.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Questions show the mind’s range, and answers its subtlety.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
I asked the zebra,
Are you black with white strips?.
Or white with black strips?.
And the zebra asked me,
Are you good with bad habits?.
Or are you bad with good habits?.
Are you noisy with quiet times?.
Or are you quiet with noisy times?.
Are you happy with sad days?.
Or are you sad with happy days?.
Are you neat with some sloppy ways?.
Or are you sloppy with some neat ways?.
And on and on and on and on
And on and on he went.
I’ll never ask a zebra
About stripes
Again.
—Shel Silverstein (1930–99) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Short story Author, Playwright, Author, Songwriter
When we have arrived at the question, the answer is already near.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
If one asks the whence derives the authority of fundamental ends, since they cannot be stated and justified merely by reason, one can only answer: they exist in a healthy society as powerful traditions, which act upon the conduct and aspirations and judgments of the individuals; they are there, that is, as something living, without its being necessary to find justification for their existence.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? .
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
A major stimulant to creative thinking is focused questions. There is something about a well-worded question that often penetrates to the heart of the matter and triggers new ideas and insights.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
That is the essence of a witch-hunt, that any questioning of the evidence or the procedures in itself constitutes proof of complicity.
—Bergen Evans
Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.
—Lloyd Alexander (1924–2007) American Writer of Fantasy Novels
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he is one who asks the right questions.
—Claude Levi-Strauss (1908–2009) French Social Anthropologist, Philosopher
Perhaps the very best question that you can memorize and repeat, over and over, is, “what is the most valuable use of my time right now?
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
Someday, in the moment of death, your whole life will pass before you. In a few fractions of a second—because time no longer applies—you will see many incidents from your life in order to learn. You will review your life with two questions in your consciousness: Could I have shown a little more courage in these moments? Could I have shown a little more love? You will see where you let fear stop you from expressing who you are, how you feel, or what you need. You will see whether you were able to expand into these moments, just a little, to show love, or whether you contracted.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
He must be very ignorant for he answers every question he is asked.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.
—Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) Spanish Painter, Sculptor, Artist
Any man who knows all the answers most likely misunderstood the questions
—Unknown
To be on a quest is nothing more or less than to become an asker of questions.
—Sam Keen
There are innumerable questions to which the inquisitive mind can, in this state, receive no answer; Why do you and I exist? Why was this world created? And since it was to be created, why was it not created sooner?
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
There are no foolish questions and no one becomes a fool until they have stopped asking questions.
—Unknown
Asking the right questions takes as much skill as giving the right answers.
—Robert Half
If we are ever in doubt about what to do, it is a good rule to ask ourselves what we shall wish on the morrow that we had done.
—John Lubbock (1834–1913) English Politician, Biologist
To be or not to be that is the question. Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the stings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take up arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing them, end them. Hamlet
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.
—James Thurber
By nature’s kindly disposition most questions which it is beyond a man’s power to answer do not occur to him at all.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it.
—Unknown
No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions.
—Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865–1923) German-born American Mathematician, Engineer
Language was invented to ask questions. Answers may be given by grunts and gestures, but questions must be spoken. Humanness came of age when man asked the first question. Social stagnation results not from a lack of answers but from the absence of the impulse to ask questions.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.
—Eugene Ionesco (1909–94) Romanian-born French Dramatist
The questions which one asks oneself begin, at least, to illuminate the world, and become one’s key to the experience of others.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
Don’t wait until you die to learn the warrior’s way. Do it now, each night, just before you drift off to sleep. As you review your day, consider these two questions of courage and love. Learn from each day, so that each day you can show a little more courage and a little more love. Then, as incidents occur, you may rise to the occasion and look back at the end of your life and feel good about the way you lived.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
Read less and think more. Read about great things and think about great questions and issues.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
In examinations the foolish ask questions that the wise cannot answer.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
The word question is derived from the Latin quarrier (to seek) which is the same root as the word for quest. A creative life is a continued quest, and good questions can be very useful guides. Most useful are open-ended questions; they allow for fresh unanticipated answers to reveal themselves.
—Unknown
You can’t ask for what you want unless you know what it is. A lot of people don’t know what they want or they want much less than they deserve. First you have figure out what you want. Second, you have to decide that you deserve it. Third, you have to believe you can get it. And, fourth, you have to have the guts to ask for it.
—Barbara De Angelis (b.1951) American Lecturer, Author, TV Personality, Motivational Speaker
Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question.
—e. e. cummings (1894–1962) American Poet, Writer, Painter
I am prejudiced in favor of him who, without impudence, can ask boldly.—He has faith in humanity, and faith in himself.—No one who is not accustomed to give grandly can ask nobly and with boldness.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions which have been hidden by the answers.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic