Light half-believers of our casual creeds, who never deeply felt, nor clearly will d, whose insight never has borne fruit in deeds, whose vague resolves never have been fulfilled.
—Matthew Arnold (1822–88) English Poet, Critic
The person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being is powerful in his power, wise by his wisdom, happy by his happiness.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
It is my belief, you cannot deal with the most serious things in the world unless you understand the most amusing
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Believe in something larger than yourself… Get involved in the big ideas of your time.
—Barbara Bush (1925–2018) American First Lady
All the great ages have been ages of belief.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Faith lights us through the dark to Deity; faith builds a bridge across the gulf of death, to break the shock that nature cannot shun, and lands thought smoothly on the further shore.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
A belief which does not spring from a conviction in the emotions is no belief at all.
—Evelyn Scott (1893–1963) American Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.
—George Carlin (1937–2008) American Stand-up Comedian
It’s easy to act as if you are a weathervane, always changing your beliefs and words, trying to please everyone around you. But we were born to be lighthouses, not weathervanes. Imagine a vertical axis running through the center of your heart, from your deepest roots to your highest aspirations. That’s your lighthouse. It anchors you in the world and frees you from having to change directions every time the weather shifts. Inside this lighthouse there is a lens and a light. The light represents who you are when nobody else is looking. That light was meant to keep shining, no matter how dark or stormy it gets outside…when you find that light inside you, you will know it. Don’t let anyone else dim it…and one more thing: remember to look for the light inside others. If at first you can’t see it, look deeper. It’s there.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
Many a time I have wanted to stop talking and find out what I really believed.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
The only disadvantage of an honest heart is credulity.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
I believe in Michelangelo, Velasquez, and Rembrandt; in the might of design, the mystery of color, the redemption of all things by Beauty everlasting, and the message of Art that has made these hands blessed. Amen. Amen.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
In the world’s audience hall, the simple blade of grass sits on the same carpet with the sunbeams, and the stars of midnight.
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
Beware of assumptions! Whatever you “assume” to be possible—or impossible will have a tendency to become real for you.
—Unknown
To be a champ, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will.
—Sugar Ray Robinson (1921–89) American Boxer
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
Believe one who has proved it. Believe an expert.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
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
The disease with which the human mind now labors is want of faith.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Disappointment, when it involves neither shame nor loss, is as good as success; for it supplies as many images to the mind, and as many topics to the tongue.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier.
—Anonymous
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Faith is love taking the form of aspiration.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
The human mind must believe in something, so why not let it believe what it does believe.
—Unknown
I believe in the sun even if it isn’t shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent.
—Anonymous
The primary cause of unhappiness in the world today is… lack of faith.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Rational free spirits are the light brigade who go on ahead and reconnoiter the ground which the heavy brigade of the orthodox will eventually occupy.
—Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742–99) German Philosopher, Physicist
I believe because it is impossible.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
Believe nothing, O monks, merely because you have been told it or because it is traditional, or because you yourselves have imagined it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beingsthat doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.
—Buddhist Teaching