Four steps to achievement: plan purposefully, prepare prayerfully, proceed positively, pursue persistently.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
All men are prepared to accomplish the incredible if their ideals are threatened.
—Hermann Hesse (1877–1962) German-born Swiss Novelist, Poet
Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.
—James Bryant Conant (1893–1978) American Chemist, Educator
If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
A man with a half volition goes backwards and forwards, and makes no way on the smoothest road; a man with a whole volition advances on the roughest, and will reach his purpose, if there be even a little worthiness in it. The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder – a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life and having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
All great achievements require time.
—David J. Schwartz (1927–87) American Self-help Author
Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
—John Wooden (1910–2010) American Basketball Coach, Educator
No one has ever achieved anything from the smallest to the greatest unless the dream was dreamed first.
—Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957) American Children’s Novelist
Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.
—John Wooden (1910–2010) American Basketball Coach, Educator
Our business in life is not to get ahead of others but to get ahead of ourselves – to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterdays by our today, to do our work with more force than ever before.
—Stewart B. Johnson
The human spirit needs to accomplish, to achieve, to triumph to be happy.
—Ben Stein (b.1944) American Writer, Actor, Commentator
The awareness of the ambiguity of one’s highest achievements (as well as one’s deepest failures) is a definite symptom of maturity.
—Paul Tillich (1886–1965) German-born Protestant Theologian
Achievement brings its own anticlimax.
—Maya Angelou (1928–2014) American Poet
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
—Robert F. Kennedy (1925–68) American Politician, Lawyer
It’s amazing what ordinary people can do if they set out without preconceived notions.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
What old people say you cannot do, you try and find that you can. Old deeds for old people, and new deeds for new.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Since it is not granted to us to live long, let us transmit to posterity some memorial that we have at least lived.
—Pliny the Younger (c.61–c.112 CE) Roman Senator, Writer
Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it; every arrow that flies feels the attraction of earth.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and to our fellow men.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success.
—Helen Hayes (1900–93) American Actress, Philanthropist
We, the unwilling,
led by the unknowing,
are doing the impossible
for the ungrateful.
We have done so much,
for so long,
with so little,
we are now qualified
to do anything
with nothing.
—Anonymous
All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
Thought, not money, is the real business capital, and if you know absolutely that what you are doing is right, then you are bound to accomplishment it in due season.
—Harvey Samuel Firestone (1868–1938) American Industrialist
There are some things one can only achieve by a deliberate leap in the opposite direction.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
The mathematics of high achievement—
Begin with a dream.
DIVIDE the problems and conquer them one by one.
MULTIPLY the exciting possibilities in your mind.
SUBTRACT all the negative thoughts to get started.
ADD enthusiasm and determination.
And the RESULT will be the attainment of your goal.
—Anonymous
Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
—Michael Jordan (b.1963) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
There are no great things, only small things with great love. Happy are those.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
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