We are not to make the ideas of contentment and aspiration quarrel, for God made them fast friends.—A man may aspire, and yet be quite content until it is time to rise; and both flying and resting are but parts of one contentment. The very fruit of the gospel is aspiration. It is to the heart what spring is to the earth, making every root, and bud, and bough desire to be more.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
All men seek one goal: success or happiness. The only way to achieve true success is to express yourself completely in service to society. First, have a definite, clear, practical ideal-a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends-wisdom, money, materials and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
There is more to life than just existing and having a pleasant time.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Lord save us all from… a hope tree that has lost the faculty of putting out blossoms.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations.
—George Goodman (b.1930) American Economist, Author
Aspiration sees only one side of every question; possession many
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
As you emphasize your life, you must localize and define it … you cannot do everything.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
Life exists for the love of music or beautiful things.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration.
—Stephen Samuel Wise (1874–1949) Hungarian-Born American Rabbi
All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.
—Samuel Butler
The best of us still have our aspirations for the supreme goals of life, which is so often mocked by prosperous people who now control the world. We still believe that the world has a deeper meaning than what is apparent, and that therein the human s
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
As a result of the World War and of a peace whose imperfections and risks are no longer denied by anyone, are we not even further away from the great aspirations and hopes for peace and fraternity than we were one or two decades ago?
—Hjalmar Branting (1860–1925) Swedish Nobel Prime Minister
I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
—Jack London (1876–1916) American Novelist
We’re pursuing a strategy of freedom around the world, because I understand free nations will reject terror. Free nations will answer the hopes and aspirations of their people.
—George W. Bush (b.1946) American Head of State, Businessperson
Man tells his aspiration in his God; but in his demon he shows his depth of experience.
—Margaret Fuller (1810–50) American Feminist, Writer, Revolutionary
If poetry should address itself to the same needs and aspirations, the same hopes and fears, to which the Bible addresses itself, it might rival it in distribution.
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955) American Poet
One cannot manage too many affairs: like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other.
—Chinese Proverb
A straight path never leads anywhere except to the objective.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
The thing which sets off the American from all other men, and gives peculiar color not only to the pattern of his daily life but also adds to the play of his inner ideas, is what, for want of a more exact term, may be called social aspiration
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
I am not sending messages with my feet. All I ever wanted was not to come up empty. I did it for the dough and the old applause.
—Fred Astaire (1899–1987) American Actor, Dancer, Singer
When you look at a city, it’s like reading the hopes, aspirations and pride of everyone who built it.
—Hugh Newell Jacobsen (1929–2021) American Architect
I seek the utmost pleasure and the least pain.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
He who wants to do everything will never do anything.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Aim at heaven, and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth, and you will get neither.
—C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) Irish-British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is a sin.
—Benjamin Mays (1894–1984) American Minister, Educator, Activist, Scholar
In all pleasure hope is a considerable part.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
If you cry “Forward” you must be sure to make clear the direction in which to go. Don’t you see that if you fail to do that and simply call out the word to a monk and a revolutionary, they will go in precisely opposite directions?
—Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) Russian Short-Story Writer
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