To know what you prefer, instead of humbly saying “Amen” to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to keep your soul alive.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
We’d all like to be taken for what we’d like to be.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.
—Samuel Smiles (1812–1904) British Author, Reformer
Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
Plant the seed of desire in your mind and it forms a nucleus with power to attract to itself everything needed for its fulfillment.
—Robert Collier (1885–1950) American Self-Help Author
Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Getting anything changes it from being desirable to just being taken for granted.
—Unknown
Desire is proof of the availability…
—Robert Collier (1885–1950) American Self-Help Author
A burning desire is the greatest motivator of every human action. The desire for success implants “success consciousness” which, in turn, creates a vigorous and ever-increasing “habit of success.”
—Paul J. Meyer
It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
I do want to get rich but I never want to do what there is to do to get rich.
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) American Writer
As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Desire for security keeps littleness little and threatens the great with smallness.”
—Unknown
First deserve then desire.
—Common Proverb
Appetite, with an opinion of attaining, is called hope; the same, without such opinion, despair.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
A desire arises in the mind. It is satisfied immediately another comes. In the interval which separates two desires a perfect calm reigns in the mind. It is at this moment freed from all thought, love or hate. Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.
—Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
Desire and force between them are responsible for all our actions; desire causes our voluntary acts, force our involuntary.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Events are influenced by our very great desires.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Bounded in his nature, infinite in his desires, man is a fallen god who has a recollection of heaven.
—Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869) French Poet, Politician, Historian
It is not Justice the servant of men, but accident, hazard, Fortune-the ally of patient Time-that holds an even and scrupulous balance.
—Mario Andretti (b.1940) Italian-American Racing Driver, Entrepreneur
Desire is a powerful force that can be used to make things happen.
—Marcia Wieder
Those who restrain their desires, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Nobody knows what you want except you. And nobody will be as sorry as you if you don’t get it. Wanting some other way to live is proof enough of deserving it. Having it is hard work, but not having it is sheer hell.
—Lillian Hellman (1905–84) American Dramatist, Memoirist
We should aim rather at leveling down our desires than leveling up our means.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
We make ourselves rich by making our wants few.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The more wild and incredible your desire, the more willing and prompt God is in fulfilling it, if you will have it so.”
—Coventry Patmore (1823–96) English Poet, Critic
It is not the greatness of a man’s means that makes him independent, so much as the smallness of his wants.
—William Cobbett (1763–1835) English Journalist, Social Reformer
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