Hugh Edmondson Prather III (1938–2010) was an American self-help writer, lay minister, and counselor, most famous for his first book, Notes to Myself, which was first published in 1970 by Real People Press, and later reprinted by Bantam Books. It has sold over 5 million copies, and has been translated into ten languages.
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I live now and only now, and I will do what I want to do this moment and not what I decided was best for me yesterday.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: The Present
Every moment that I am centered in the future, I suffer a temporary loss of this life.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: The Present
Perfectionism is slow death.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Perfection
I sometimes react to making a mistake as if I have betrayed myself. My fear of making a mistake seems to be based on the hidden assumption that I am potentially perfect and that if I can just be very careful I will not fall from heaven. But a ‘mistake’ is a declaration of the way I am, a jolt to the way I intend, a reminder I am not dealing with the facts. When I have listened to my mistakes I have grown.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Difficulties, Mistakes, Betrayal, Failures, Adversity
It’s not that “today is the first day of the rest of my life,” but that now is all there is of my life.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: The Present
I like a man with faults, especially when he knows it. To err is human – I’m uncomfortable around gods.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Perfection
Being myself includes taking risks with myself, taking risks on new behavior, trying new ways of ‘being myself’, so that I can see who it is I want to be.
—Hugh Prather
Boredom is useful to me when I notice it and think: Oh I’m bored; there must be something else I want to be doing … boredom acts as an initiator of originality by pushing me into new activities or new thoughts.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Boredom
It is enough that I am of value to somebody today.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Kindness, Service, Realistic Expectations, Giving, Realization, Expectations, Acceptance, Awareness
Unless I accept my faults, I will most certainly doubt my virtues.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Perfection, Realization, Awareness, Virtue, Acceptance
Almost any difficulty will move in the face of honesty. When I am honest I never feel stupid. And when I am honest I am automatically humble.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Honesty, Difficulty, Humility
Live as if everything you do will eventually be known.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Life and Living
Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes and I am left the same. The more things change the more I am the same. I am what I started with, and when it is all over I will be all that is left of me.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Living, Change, Self-Discovery
To avail yourself of His certain wisdom, ask of Him whatever questions you have. But do not entreat Him, for that will never be necessary.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Prayer
Happiness is a present attitude—not a future condition.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Joy
To live for results would be to sentence myself to continuous frustration. My only sure reward is in my actions and not from them.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Action
Love expands.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Love
Negative feedback is better that none. I would rather have a man hate me than overlook me. As long as he hates me I make a difference.
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Feedback
Why choose to be right instead of happy when there is no way to be right?
—Hugh Prather
Topics: Right, Happy
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