I’ve been afraid every single day of my life, but I’ve gone ahead and done it anyway.
—Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) American Painter
The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.
—Bill Gates (b.1955) American Businessperson, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Author
It is one of the beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another, without helping himself.
—Gamaliel Bailey (1807–59) American Journalist
She feared no danger, for she knew no sin.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
The best part of repentance is a little sinning.
—Arabic Proverb
God will forgive me. It’s his job.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
I open each class with an explanation of the singular importance of being a “dealmaker”. The manifesto of the dealmaker is simple: Reality is negotiable.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
The wages that sin bargains for with the sinner, are life, pleasure, and profit; but the wages it pays him, are death, torment, and destruction. To understand the falsehood and deceit of sin, we must compare its promises and payments together.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
People of substance may sin without being exposed for their stolen pleasure; but servants and the poorer sort of women have seldom an opportunity of concealing a big belly, or at least the consequences of it.
—Bernard Mandeville (1670–1733) Anglo-Dutch Philosopher, Satirist
Whatever disunites man from God disunites man from man.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
After the first blush of sin comes its indifference.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Everything that used to be a sin, is now a disease.
—Bill Maher (b.1956) American Comedian, TV Personality, Social Critic, Author, Actor
God may forgive sins, he said, but awkwardness has no forgiveness in heaven or earth.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Perhaps the most distinguishing trait of visionary leaders is that they believe in a goal that benefits not only themselves, but others as well. It is such vision that attracts the psychic energy of other people, and makes them willing to work beyond the call of duty for the organization.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
One leak will sink a ship: and one sin will destroy a sinner.
—John Bunyan (1628–88) English Puritan Writer, Preacher
Sin is whatever obscures the soul.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
Just imagine you’re four years old, and someone makes the following proposal: If you’ll wait until after he runs an errand, you can have two marshmallows for a treat. If you can’t wait until then, you can have only one—but you can have it right now. It is a challenge sure to try the soul of any four-year-old, a microcosm of the eternal battle between impulse and restraint, id and ego, desire and self-control, gratification and delay… There is perhaps no psychological skill more fundamental than resisting impulse. It is the root of all emotional self-control, since all emotions, by their very nature, led to one or another impulse to act.
—Daniel Goleman (b.1946) American Psychologist, Author, Science Journalist
A leader will find it difficult to articulate a coherent vision unless it expresses his core values, his basic identity…one must first embark on the formidable journey of self-discovery in order to create a vision with authentic soul.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
Personal mastery is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively.
—Peter Senge (b.1947) American Management Consultant, Author, Scientist
The only people who should really sin are the people who can sin and grin.
—Ogden Nash (1902–71) American Writer of Sophisticated Light Verse
I am a man more sinned against than sinning.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Focus on all four of your net worth factors: increasing your income, increasing your savings, increasing your investment returns, and decreasing your cost of living by simplifying your lifestyle.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
The sin that now rises to your memory as your bosom sin, let this be first of all withstood and mastered.—Oppose it instantly by a detestation of it, by a firm will to conquer it, by reflection, by reason, by prayer.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Preachers denounce sin as if it was available to everyone.
—Frank Lane (1896–1981) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
Enjoyment, on the other hand, is not always pleasant, and it can be very stressful at times. A mountain climber, for example, may be close to freezing, utterly exhausted, and in danger of falling into a bottomless crevasse, yet he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Sipping a pina colada under a palm tree at the edge of the turquoise ocean is idyllic, but it just doesn’t compare to the exhilaration he feels on the windswept ridge.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
All sins have their origin in a sense of inferiority otherwise called ambition.
—Cesare Pavese (1908–50) Italian Novelist, Poet, Critic, Translator
Sin may open bright as the morning, but it will end dark as night.
—Thomas De Witt Talmage (1832–1902) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Religious Leader