In everything truth surpasses the imitation and copy.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Some thoughts always find us young, and keep us so. Such a thought is the love of the universal and eternal beauty.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten.
—Cesare Pavese (1908–50) Italian Novelist, Poet, Critic, Translator
His was a great sin who first invented consciousness. Let us lose it for a few hours.
—Unknown
What a peculiar privilege has this little agitation of the brain which we call ‘thought’.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
A conclusion is the place where you got tired thinking.
—Martin H. Fischer
Nothing is comparable to the pleasure of an active and prevailing thought—a thought prevailing over the difficulty and obscurity of the object, and refreshing the soul with new discoveries and images of things; and thereby extending the bounds of apprehension, and as it were enlarging the territories of reason.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
To have thought far too little, we shall find in the review of life, among our capital faults.
—John Foster Dulles (1888–1959) American Republican Public Official, Lawyer
Great thoughts reduced to practice become great acts.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
There are soft moments even to desperadoes. God does not, all at once, abandon even them.
—Richard Cecil
No man can think clearly when his fists are clenched.
—George Jean Nathan (1882–1958) American Drama Critic, Editor
Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
—James Allen (1864–1912) British Philosophical Writer
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
It is impossible for men engaged in low and groveling pursuits to have noble and generous sentiments. A man’s thought must always follow his employment.
—Demosthenes (384–322 BCE) Greek Statesman, Orator
How novel and original must be each new mans view of the universe – for though the world is so old – and so many books have been written – each object appears wholly undescribed to our experience – each field of thought wholly unexplored – the whole world is an America – a New World.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Thoughts are but dreams till their effects be tried.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The human consciousness is really homogeneous. There is no complete forgetting, even in death.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
Our necessities are few, but our wants are endless.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
‘He insulted me, he cheated me, he beat me, he robbed me’—those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.
—Buddhist Teaching
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
Rarely do we find men who willingly to engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Thoughts lead to feelings. Feelings lead to actions. Actions leads to results.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
If you think twice before you speak once, you will speak better for it.
—Anonymous
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
He that never thinks can never be wise.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
A man is literally what he thinks.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
It is difficult, if not impossible, for most people to think otherwise than in the fashion of their own period.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Guard your roving thoughts with a jealous care, for speech is but the dialer of thoughts, and every fool can plainly read in your words what is the hour of your thoughts.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet