Success is full of promise till men get it; and then it is a last-year’s nest from which the birds have flown.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Success by the laws of competition signifies a victory over others by obtaining the direction and profits of their work. This is the real source of all great riches.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
If people did not prefer reaping to sowing, there would not be a hungry person in the land.
—Indian Proverb
The road to success is wherever people need another road.
—Robert Brault
We fall forward to succeed.
—Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Morale is the greatest single factor in successful wars.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
—Robert F. Kennedy (1925–68) American Politician, Civil Rights Activist
Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it.
—John Steinbeck (1902–68) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Journalist
Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified. He that labors in any great or laudable undertaking has his fatigues first supported by hope and afterward rewarded by joy.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The struggle alone pleases us, not the victory.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year—and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
As you climb the ladder of success, be sure it’s leaning against the right building.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
In my experience, there’s only one thing that will always steer you toward success: That’s to have a vision and to stick with it… Once I have a vision for a new venture, I’m going to ride that vision until the wheels come off.
—Russell Simmons (b.1957) American Music Promoter
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
You don’t become enormously successful without encountering and overcoming a number of extremely challenging problems.
—Mark Victor Hansen (b.1948) American Public Speaker, Motivational Speaker, Writer
Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, “What’s in it for me?”
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Success is a learnable skill. You can learn to succeed at anything. If you want to be a great golfer, you can learn how to do it. If you want to be a great piano player, you can learn how to do it. If you want to be truly happy, you can learn how to do it. If you want to be rich, you can learn how to do it. It doesn’t matter where you are right now. It doesn’t matter where you’re starting from. What matters is that you are willing to learn.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined! As you simplify your life, the laws of the Universe will be simpler, solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Dreadful will be the day when the world becomes contented, when one great universal satisfaction spreads itself over the world. Sad will be the day for every man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger which he knows that he was meant and made to do because he is a child of God.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
Ask yourself the secret of your success. Listen to your answer, and practice it.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
So celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.
—Mia Hamm (b.1972) American Soccer Player
Big shots are little shots who kept shooting.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist
It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.
—Jackie Joyner-Kersee (b.1962) American Athlete
‘Tis not in mortals to command success, But we’ll do more, for we’ll deserve it.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
Success is in the details.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author