I’ve had thousands of problems in my life, most of which never actually happened.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experience behind him.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
The fear of life is the favorite disease of the 20th century.
—William Lyon Phelps (1865–1943) American Author, Critic, Scholar
We have a lot of anxieties, and one cancels out another very often.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
You cannot run away from a weakness. You must sometimes fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Gather experience… Look at what you should not look at. A feeling of anxiety is the sure and certain evidence that you should do this.
—Clive Barker
Fear is a fine spur.
—Irish Proverb
He that is afraid to shake the dice will never throw a six.
—Chinese Proverb
Happiness is yours in the here and now. The painful states of anxiety and loneliness are abolished permanently. Financial affairs are not financial problems. You are at ease with yourself. You are not at the mercy of unfulfilled cravings. Confusion is replaced with clarity. There is a relieving answer to every tormenting question. You possess a True Self. Something can be done about every unhappy condition. While living in the world you can be inwardly detached from its sorrows to live with personal peace and sanity.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
If some great catastrophe is not announced every morning, we feel a certain void. nothing in the paper today , we sigh.
—Paul Valery (1871–1945) French Critic, Poet
I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
—William Allen White (1868–1944) American Editor, Politician, Author
The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the other, whom he assumes to have perfect vision.
—Henry Kissinger (b.1923) American Diplomat, Academician
Anxiety is the great modern plague. But faith can cure it.
—Smiley Blanton
It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) English Baptist Preacher
Suspense is worst than disappointment.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
Cowardice, as distinguished from panic, is almost always simply a lack of ability to suspend the functioning of the imagination.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
It is not death we fear, but the thought of it.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is th beginning of wisdom.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Fear of death is worse than dying.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Fear is faith that it won’t work out.
—Unknown
The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Who’s not sat tense before his own heart’s curtain?
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
Cares that have entered once in the breast, will have whole possession of the rest.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
We are terrified by the idea of being terrified.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen.
—Pliny the Younger (c.61–c.112 CE) Roman Senator, Writer
How often the fear of one evil leads into a worse.
—Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux (1636–1711) French Poet, Satirist, Literary Critic
One had to take some action against fear when once it laid hold of one.
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
Fear of life in one form or another is the great thing to exorcise.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Fear is uncertainty.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
There is no hope unmingled with fear, and no fear unmingled with hope.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only them, they fear everyone.
—Francis de Sales (1567–1622) French Catholic Saint
We are the carriers of health and disease – either the divine health of courage and nobility or the demonic diseases of hate and anxiety
—Joshua L. Liebman (1907–48) American Jewish Rabbi, Author
Cast your cares on God; that anchor holds.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
How much have cost us the evils that never happened!
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Proust has pointed out that the predisposition to love creates its own objects; is this not also true of fear?
—Elizabeth Bowen (1899–1973) Irish Novelist, Short-story Writer
Anxiety is the poison of human life; the parent of many sins and of more miseries.—In a world where everything is doubtful, and where we may be disappointed, and be blessed in disappointment, why this restless stir and commotion of mind?—Can it alter the cause, or unravel the mystery of human events?
—Hugh Blair (1718–1800) Scottish Preacher, Scholar, Critic
When thinking won’t cure fear, action will.
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
The worst of all fears is the fear of living.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
He who fears death cannot enjoy life.
—Spanish Proverb
It is not death or pain that is to be dreaded, but the fear of pain or death.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Fear is the start of wisdom.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
We poison our lives with fear of burglary and shipwreck, and the house is never burgled, and the ship never goes down.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
Things done well and with care, exempt themselves from fear.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
But is a fence over which few leap.
—German Proverb
Now is the age of anxiety.
—W. H. Auden (1907–73) British-born American Poet, Dramatist
Every man, through fear, mugs his aspirations a dozen times a day.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright