If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.
—Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657–1757) French Essayist, Polymath, Philosopher
No man should think himself a zero, and think he can do nothing about the state of the world.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
No problem can be solved until it is reduced to some simple form. The changing of a vague difficulty into a specific, concrete form is a very essential element in thinking.
—J. P. Morgan (1837–1913) American Financier, Philanthropist, Art Collector
A man is infinitely more complicated than his thoughts.
—Paul Valery (1871–1945) French Critic, Poet
There are different rules for reading, for thinking, and for talking. Writing blends all three of them.
—Mason Cooley (1927–2002) American Aphorist
One ought to look a good deal at oneself before thinking of condemning others.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
It is the power of thought that gives man power over nature.
—Hans Christian Andersen (1805–75) Danish Author, Poet, Short Story Writer
Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively, unless you can choose a challenge instead of a competence.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often resort to all sorts of devices in order not to think, because thinking is such hard work.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Nothing comes merely by thinking about it.
—John Wanamaker (1838–1922) American Merchant, Civil Servant
Men who borrow their opinions can never repay their debts.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633–95) British Statesman, Writer, Politician
I knew I was a winner back in the late sixties. I knew I was destined for great things. People will say that kind of thinking is totally immodest. I agree. Modesty is not a word that applies to me in any way—I hope it never will.
—Arnold Schwarzenegger (b.1947) Austrian-American Athlete, Actor, Politician
When you do The Work, you see who you are by seeing who you think other people are. Eventually you come to see that everything outside you is a reflection of your own thinking. You are the storyteller, the projector of all stories, and the world is the projected image of your thoughts.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
The best thinking has been done in solitude. The worst has been done in turmoil.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
A man would do well to carry a pencil in his pocket and write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable, and should be secured, because they seldom return.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The how” thinker gets problems solved effectively because he wastes no time with futile “ifs” but goes right to work on the creative “how”.”
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me—shapes and ideas so near to me—so natural to my way of being and thinking that it hasn’t occurred to me to put them down.
—Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) American Painter
Pride is pleasure arising from a man’s thinking too highly of himself.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
The human mind prefers to be spoon-fed with the thoughts of others, but deprived of such nourishment it will, reluctantly begin to think for itself and such thinking, remember is original thinking and may have valuable results.
—Agatha Christie (1890–1976) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
When I get ready to talk to people, I spend two thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one third thinking about what I want to say.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Think twice before you speak to a friend in need.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
We know what a person thinks not when he tells us what he thinks, but by his actions.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) Polish-born American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
Nothing terrible has ever happened except in our thinking. Reality is always good, even in situations that seem like nightmares. The story we tell is the only nightmare that we have lived.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Invest a few moments in thinking. It will pay good interest.
—Unknown
Most of our modern portrait painters are doomed to absolute oblivion. They never paint what they see. They paint what the public sees, and the public never sees anything.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
A sect or party is an elegant incognito devised to save man from the vexation of thinking.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian