Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.
—Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
To fail is a natural consequence of trying, To succeed takes time and prolonged effort in the face of unfriendly odds. To think it will be any other way, no matter what you do, is to invite yourself to be hurt and to limit your enthusiasm for trying again.
—David Viscott (1938–96) American Psychiatrist, Author, Businessperson
Life doesn’t require that we be the best—only that we try our best.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.
—Unknown
During the first period of a man’s life the greatest danger is: not to take the risk. When once the risk has really been taken, then the greatest danger is to risk too much.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
As a result of trying to solve the big problems we face in life, many of us end up sacrificing individual relationships by doing things that we may consider as being small or insignificant at the time. This reminds us of the George and Gracie routine where George asks Gracie, How do you cook a pot roast? She replied, I put both a big pot roast and a small pot roast in the oven. When the small one is burnt, the big one is done just right!
—Unknown
God lends a helping hand to the man who tries hard.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
Until you try, you don’t know what you can’t do.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Many a man never fails because he never tries.
—Norman MacEwen (1881–1953) British Military Leader
To be alive at all involves some risk.
—Harold Macmillan (1894–1986) British Head of State
Come, my friends,
‘T is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
Expect the people you love to be better. It helps them to become better. But don’t get upset when they fail. It helps them keep trying.
—Anonymous
Trying to determine what is going on in the world by reading newspapers is like trying to tell the time by watching the second hand of a clock.
—Ben Hecht (1894–1964) American Screenwriter, Playwright
Commit yourself to a dream … Nobody who tries to do something great but fails is a total failure. Why? Because he can always rest assured that he succeeded in life’s most important battle—he defeated the fear of trying.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
Without risk, faith is an impossibility.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
As plants take hold, not for the sake of staying, but only that they may climb higher, so it is with men. By every part of our nature we clasp things above us, one after another, not for the sake of remaining where we take hold, but that we may go higher.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
When one is trying to do something beyond his known powers it is useless to seek the approval of friends. Friends are at their best in moments of defeat.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Every noble acquisition is attended with its risks; he who fears to encounter the one must not expect to obtain the other.
—Metastasio (1698–1782) Italian Poet, Librettist
Concentrate on the essentials. We will then be accomplishing the greatest possible results with the effort expended.
—Ted Engstrom (1916–2006) American Christian Religious Leader
Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) Irish Novelist, Playwright
Venture nothing, and life is less than it should be.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
Every time I catch myself saying, “Oh no, you shouldn’t try that,” I think, “Yes, I should.”
—Erica Jong (b.1942) American Novelist, Feminist
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Set your target and keep trying until you reach it.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
“I can’t” isn’t a reason to give up, it’s a reason to try harder.
—Anonymous
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
If you spend life trying to be good at everything you will never be great at anything.
—Tom Rath (b.1975) American Consultant
Whatever course you have chosen for yourself, it will not be a chore but an adventure if you bring to it a sense of the glory of striving, if your sights are set far above the merely secure and mediocre.
—David Sarnoff (1891–1972) American Broadcaster, Businessman
When people keep telling you that you can’t do a thing, you kind of like to try it.
—Margaret Chase Smith (1897–1995) American Politician
Despite the success cult, men are most deeply moved not by the reaching of the goal but by the grandness of the effort involved in getting there—or failing to get there.
—Max Lerner (1902–92) Russian-born American Journalist
The attempt and not the deed confounds us.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
When it becomes necessary to do a thing, the whole heart and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.
—J. R. R. Tolkien (1892–1973) British Scholar, Author
For want of a block, man will stumble at a straw.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to what they want to do.
—Kathleen Winsor (1919–2003) American Novelist
There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
How high could you go if you knew you wouldn’t fall?
—Anonymous
You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.
—Marian Wright Edelman (b.1939) American Civil Regrets Advocate, Humanitarian, Lawyer
How long should you try? Until.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Never go backward. Attempt, and do it with all your might. Determination is power.
—Charles Simmons (1924–2017) American Editor, Novelist
What great things would you attempt if you knew you could not fail.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
Experiment is folly when experience shows the way.
—Roger Babson (1875–1967) American Economist
Man can have but what he strives for.
—Arabic Proverb
Either do not attempt at all, or go through with it.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
‘Tis not what man does which exalts him, but what man would do.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
Anyone who doesn’t make mistakes isn’t trying hard enough.
—Wess Roberts