The consequences of an act affect the probability of its occurring again.
—B. F. Skinner (1904–90) American Psychologist, Social Philosopher, Inventor, Author
A human being fashions his consequences as surely as he fashions his goods or his dwelling his goods or his dwelling. Nothing that he says, thinks or does is without consequences.
—Norman Cousins (1912–1990) American Political Journalist
Everything we do has a result. But that which is right and prudent does not always lead to good, nor the contrary to what is bad.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
For every life and every act consequence of good and evil can be shown and as in time results of many deeds are blended so good and evil in the end become confounded.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
Charisma becomes the undoing of leaders. It makes them inflexible, convinced of their own infallibility, unable to change.
—Peter Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-born Management Consultant
You can do anything in this world if you are prepares to take the consequences.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
There is not any present moment that is unconnected with some future one. The life of every man is a continued chain of incidents, each link of which hangs upon the former. The transition from cause to effect, from event to event, is often carried on by secret steps, which our foresight cannot divine, and our sagacity is unable to trace. Evil may at some future period bring forth good; and good may bring forth evil, both equally unexpected.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
But men never violate the laws of God without suffering the consequences, sooner or later.
—Lydia Maria Child (1802–80) American Abolitionist, Writer
Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important … they do not mean to do harm … they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law … That would lead to anarchy. An individual who breaks a law that his conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Remember one thing about democracy. We can have anything we want and at the same time, we always end up with exactly what we deserve.
—Edward Albee (1928–2016) American Playwright
Because right is right, to follow right were wisdom, in the scorn of consequence.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
There is no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
Perhaps his might be one of the natures where a wise estimate of consequences is fused in the fires of that passionate belief which determines the consequences it believes in.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Logical consequences are the scarecrows of fools and the beacons of wise men.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
Consequences are unpitying.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments—there are consequences.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
We must remember that hatred is like acid. It does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than to the object on which it is poured.
—Ask Ann Landers (1918–2002) American Advice Columnist
Every moment of our lives we are either growing or dying—and it’s largely a choice, not fate. Throughout its life cycle, every one of the body’s trillions of cells is driven to grow and improve its ability to use more of its innate yet untapped capacity. Research biologist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, who was twice awarded the Nobel Prize, called this syntropy, which he defined as the “innate drive in living matter to perfect itself”. It turns conventional thinking upside down…As living cells—or as people—there is no staying the same. If we aim for some middle ground or status quo, it’s an illusion—beneath the surface what’s actually happening is we’re dying, not growing. And the goal of a lifetime is continued growth, not adulthood. As Rene Dubos put it, “Genius is childhood recaptured”. For this to happen, studies show that we must recapture—or prevent the loss of—such child-like traits as the ability to learn, to love, to laugh about small things, to leap, to wonder, and to explore. It’s time to rescue ourselves from our grown-up ways before it’s too late.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
Whatever our creed, we feel that no good deed can by any possibility go unrewarded, no evil deed unpunished.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
As a twig is bent the tree inclines.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Their mothers had finally caught up to them and been proven right. There were consequences after all but they were the consequences to things you didn’t even know you’d done.
—Margaret Atwood (b.1939) Canadian Writer, Poet, Critic
No doing without some ruing.
—Sigrid Undset (1882–1949) Norwegian Novelist
When you feel deeply that a certain act is the right act, do it and have perfect faith that the consequences will be good.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
In history an additional result is commonly produced by human actions beyond that which they aim at and obtain—that which they immediately recognize and desire. They gratify their own interest; but something further is thereby accomplished, latent in the actions in question, though not present to their consciousness, and not included in their design.
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) German Philosopher
There are no rewards or punishments—only consequences.
—William Motter Inge (1913–73) American Playwright, Novelist
Don’t be misled: no one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Everyone will experience the consequences of his own acts. If his act are right, he’ll get good consequences; if they’re not, he’ll suffer for it.
—Harry Browne (1933–2006) American Politician, Investor, Writer
Every choice carries a consequence. For better or worse, each choice is the unavoidable consequence of its predecessor. There are not exceptions. If you can accept that a bad choice carries the seed of its own punishment, why not accept the fact that a good choice yields desirable fruit?
—Gary Ryan Blair