They believe that nothing will happen because they have closed their doors.
—Maurice Maeterlinck (1862–1949) Belgian Poet, Playwright, Essayist
Far graver is it to corrupt the faith that is the life of the soul than to counterfeit the money that sustains temporal life.
—Thomas Aquinas (1225–74) Italian Catholic Priest, Philosopher, Theologian
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy…. Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture … Do not build obstacles in your imagination … Do not be awestruck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as you can.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
In our course we teach that “no thought lives in your head rent-free”. Each thought you have will either be an investment or a cost. It will either move you toward happiness and success or away from it. It will either empower you or disempower you. That’s why it is imperative you choose your thoughts and beliefs wisely.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Men willingly believe what they wish.
—Julius Caesar (c.100–44BCE) Roman Statesman, Military General
He has not learned the first lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The old believe everything; the middle-aged suspect everything; the young know everything.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Faith is an act of a finite being who is grasped by and turned to the infinite.
—Paul Tillich (1886–1965) American Lutheran Theologian, Philosopher
They were so strong in their beliefs that there came a time when it hardly mattered what exactly those beliefs were; they all fused into a single stubbornness.
—Louise Erdrich (b.1954) American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet
Believe
Believe in yourself, what you think, what you feel.
Believe in the truth, in the good, the ideal.
Believe that your dreams can someday become real…
Forever and always, believe.
Believe in yourself and what you can do.
Believe in the goals that you strive to pursue.
Believe in the friends who believe in you too…
Forever and always, believe.
—Jessica Lucas (b.1985) Canadian Actress, Singer
Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier—certainly no more difficult—than small ideas and small plans.
—David J. Schwartz (1927–87) American Self-help Author
The essence of the Liberal outlook lies not in what opinions are held, but in how they are held: instead of being held dogmatically, they are held tentatively, and with a consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
I’ve always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win.
—Arnold Palmer (b.1929) American Sportsperson
In belief lies the secret of all valuable exertion.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
I can believe anything provided it is incredible.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Faith is building on what you know is here, so you can reach what you know is there.
—Cullen Hightower (b.1923) American Humorist
First there is a time when we believe everything, then for a little while we believe with discrimination, then we believe nothing whatever, and then we believe everything again – and, moreover, give reasons why we believe.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
All personal breakthroughs being with a change in beliefs. So how do we change? The most effective way is to get your brain to associate massive pain to the old belief. You must feel deep in your gut that not only has this belief cost you pain in the past, but it’s costing you in the present and, ultimately, can only bring you pain in the future. Then you must associate tremendous pleasure to the idea of adopting a new, empowering belief.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
I only believe in fire. Life. Fire. Being myself on fire I set others on fire. Never death. Fire and life. Les Jeux.
—Anais Nin (1903–77) French-American Essayist
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Because you cannot see him, God is everywhere.
—Yasunari Kawabata (1899–1972) Japanese Novelist, Short Story Writer
Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. We should live for the future, and yet should find our life in the fidelities of the present; the last is only the method of the first.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.
—Richard DeVos (1926–2018) American Businessman, Philanthropist
What we wish, we readily believe, and what we ourselves think, we imagine others think also.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Reason is our soul’s left hand, faith her right;
By these we reach divinity, that’s you;
Their loves, who have the blessing of your light,
Grew from their reason ; mine from fair faith grew.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
Believe in what you can do and be not deterred by what others say.
—Jacob Gelt Dekker (b.1948) Dutch Businessman, Writer
It is the heart which experiences God, not the reason.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
A certain portion of the human race has certainly a taste for being diddled.
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845) English Poet, Humorist
I believe that every person is born with talent.
—Maya Angelou (1928–2014) American Poet