Courage is not limited to the battlefield or the Indianapolis 500 or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are the inner tests, like remaining faithful when nobody’s looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you’re misunderstood.
—Unknown
No matter how carefully you plan your goals they will never be more than pipe dreams unless you pursue them with gusto.
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Whatever you are trying to avoid won’t go away until you confront it.
—Unknown
Quit thinking that you must halt before the barrier of inner negativity. You need not. You can crash through whatever we see a negative state, that is where we can destroy it.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Author, Philosopher
Envy is ignorance. Imitation is suicide.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and when it comes, hold you head high, look it squarely in the eye and say, “I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me.”
—Ask Ann Landers (1918–2002) American Advice Columnist (Ruth Crowley/Eppie Lederer)
A man must consider what a rich realm he abdicates when he becomes a conformist.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The highest courage is to dare to appear to be what one is.
—John Lancaster Spalding (1840–1916) American Catholic Clergyman, Essayist, Biographer
To say yes, you have to sweat and roll up your sleeves and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows. It’s easy to say no, even if it means dying.
—Jean Anouilh (1910–87) French Dramatist
It’s weak and despicable to go on wanting things and not trying to get them.
—Marion Milner (‘Joanna Field’) (1900–98) British Writer, Psychoanalyst
Necessity does the work of courage.
—Nicholas Murray Butler (1862–1947) American Philosopher, Diplomat, Educator
Courage which goes against military expediency is stupidity, or, if it is insisted upon by a commander, irresponsibility.
—Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) German Soldier
It is a brave act of valor to contemn death; but where life is more terrible than death it is then the truest valor to dare to live.
—Thomas Browne (1605–82) English Author, Physician
It is often wonderful how putting down on paper a clear statement of a case helps one to see, not perhaps the way out, but the way in.
—A. C. Benson (1862–1925) English Essayist, Poet, Academic
Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Have courage and a little willingness to venture and be defeated.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
We do not admire a man of timid peace.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Historian, Political Leader, Explorer
Half a man’s wisdom goes with his courage.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
A decent boldness ever meets with friends.
—Homer (751–651 BCE) Ancient Greek Poet
A man goes to knowledge as he goes to war: wide-awake, with fear, with respect, and with absolute assurance. Going to knowledge or going to war in any other manner is a mistake, and whoever makes it might never live to regret it.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
We would be cowards, if we had courage enough.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
There is something healthy and invigorating about direct action.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
The gods favor the bold.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Courage is the human virtue that counts most—courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence. That’s all any of us have.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Be larger than your task.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
Courage is the dividing line between weakness and strength of character.
—Steve Pavlina (b.1971) American Motivational Speaker
Fought a good fight, finished my course, kept the faith.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
He that handles a nettle tenderly is soonest stung.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Be bold. If you’re going to make an error, make a doozy, and don’t be afraid to hit the ball.
—Billie Jean King (b.1943) American Tennis Player
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