The New Frontier I speak of is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intent to ask of them.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart
—Dorothy Day (1897–1980) American Journalist, Christian Activist
It is really true what philosophy tells us, that life must be understood backwards. But with this, one forgets the second proposition, that it must be lived forwards.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.
—Colin Powell (1937–2021) American Military Leader
We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.
—May Sarton (1912–95) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Novelist
It’s a troublesome world. All the people who’re in it are troubled with troubles almost every minute. You ought to be thankful, a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you’re lucky you’re not.
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous
—Indian Proverb
Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
—Marie Curie (1867–1934) Polish-born French Physicist, Chemist
Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect.
—Margaret Mitchell (1900–49) American Novelist, Journalist
Great things are done when men and mountains meet; this is not done by jostling in the street.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.
—George S. Patton (1885–1945) American Military Leader
Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.
—Bernice Johnson Reagon (1942–73) American Singer, Composer, Scholar, Social Activist
This has been a time of dramatic transformation, and you have risen to every new challenge
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
Everyone needs something to aim for. You can call it a challenge, or you can call it a goal. It is what makes us human. It was challenges that took us from being cavemen to reaching for the stars
—Richard Branson (b.1950) British Entrepreneur
Problems are the price of progress. Don’t bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Rich and successful people are solution-oriented; they spend their time and energy strategizing and planning the answers to challenges that come up, and creating systems to make certain that problem doesn’t occur again.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
When you have a challenge and the response is equal to the challenge, that’s called “success”. But once you have a new challenge, the old, once-successful response no longer works. That’s why it is called a “failure
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind.
—Darwin P. Kingsley (1857–1932) American Insurance Executive
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
—Common Proverb
Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find his right road.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
A powerful idea communicates some of its strength to him who challenges it.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
The heights charm us, but the steps do not; with the mountain in our view we love to walk the plains.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
What to do if you find yourself stuck in a crack in the ground underneath a giant boulder you can’t move, with no hope of rescue. Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn’t been good to you so far, which given your current circumstances seems more likely, consider how lucky you are that it won’t be troubling you much longer.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer