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
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
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
If you spend life trying to be good at everything you will never be great at anything.
—Tom Rath (b.1975) American Consultant
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, Businessman
Set your target and keep trying until you reach it.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
Until you try, you don’t know what you can’t do.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
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 Activist, Advocate
“I can’t” isn’t a reason to give up, it’s a reason to try harder.
—Anonymous
Man can have but what he strives for.
—Arabic Proverb
Venture nothing, and life is less than it should be.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
A winner never stops trying.
—Tom Landry (1924–2000) American Football Coach, Player
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 of Opera Seria
Either do not attempt at all, or go through with it.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Life doesn’t require that we be the best—only that we try our best.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (1940–2021) American Author of “Life’s Little Instruction Book”
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
Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.
—Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
To know that one has never really tried—that is the only death.
—Marie Dressler (1868–1934) Canadian-American Stage, Screen Actress, Comedienne
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
Experiment is folly when experience shows the way.
—Roger Babson (1875–1967) American Economist
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.
—William Edward Hickson (1803–70) British Educational 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
What great things would you attempt if you knew you could not fail.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.
—Unknown
Without risk, faith is an impossibility.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
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) American Journalist, Educator, Author
Do. Or do not. There is no try.
—Yoda Character In ‘Star Wars’
How long should you try? Until.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
There is merit in the attempt, and a whole lot accomplished along the way.
—Unknown
Leave a Reply