We accomplish things by directing our desires, not by ignoring them.
—Unknown
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
However rich or elevated we may be, a nameless something is always wanting to our imperfect fortune.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
It should be an indispensable rule in life to contract our desires to our present condition, and whatever may be our expectations to live within the compass of what we actually possess.—It will be time enough to enjoy an estate when it comes into our hands; but if we anticipate our good fortune we shall lose the pleasure of it when it arrives, and may possibly never possess what we have so foolishly counted on.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Knowledge is the eye of desire and can become the pilot of the soul.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
The more clear you are on what you want, the more power you will have.
—Unknown
It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire and many things to fear.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Unbridled gratification produces unbridled desire.
—Common Proverb
He that flatters you more than you desire either has deceived you or wishes to deceive.
—Italian Proverb
Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it.
—Wayne Dyer (b.1940) American Motivational Writer, Author, Motivational Speaker
Plant the seed of desire in your mind and it forms a nucleus with power to attract to itself everything needed for its fulfillment.
—Robert Collier (1885–1950) American Self-Help Author
Every man desires to live long, but no man wishes to be old.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Everything is perfect in the universe—even your desire to improve it.
—Wayne Dyer (b.1940) American Motivational Writer, Author, Motivational Speaker
And desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
First deserve then desire.
—Common Proverb
We desire nothing so much as what we ought not to have.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
All human activity is prompted by desire.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Concentrated thoughts produce desired results.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
People seek within a short span of life to satisfy a thousand desires, each of which is insatiable.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
I learned that if you want to make it bad enough, no matter how bad it is, you can make it.
—Gale Sayers (1943–2020) American Football Player
Opportunity makes desire.
—Dutch Proverb
You can have anything you want—if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, have anything you desire, accomplish anything you set out to accomplish—if you will hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.
—Robert Collier (1885–1950) American Self-Help Author
Our necessities are few, but our wants are endless.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The fundamental desire of life is the desire to exist.
—Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) Bengali Poet, Polymath
Tell me what you like and I’ll tell you what you are.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
Those things that are not practicable are not desirable. There is nothing in the world really beneficial that does not lie within the reach of an informed understanding and a well protected pursuit. There is nothing that God has judged good for us that he has not given us the means to accomplish, both in the natural and the moral world. If we cry, like children, for the moon, like children we must cry on.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Where necessity ends, curiosity begins; and no sooner are we supplied with everything that nature can demand, than we sit down to contrive artificial appetites.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Every time I look at you I get a fierce desire to be lonesome.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
Where there is no power… there is never any desire to do a thing; and where there is strong desire to do a thing… the power to do it is strong.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
When your desires are strong enough you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
If you are bored with life, if you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things—you don’t have enough goals.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
Our visions begin with our desires.
—Audre Lorde (1934–92) American Poet, Activist
Desire and force between them are responsible for all our actions; desire causes our voluntary acts, force our involuntary.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
A desire arises in the mind. It is satisfied immediately another comes. In the interval which separates two desires a perfect calm reigns in the mind. It is at this moment freed from all thought, love or hate. Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.
—Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
The first principle of success is desire—knowing what you want. Desire is the planting of your seed. Very few persons, comparatively, know how to Desire with sufficient intensity. They do not know what it is to feel and manifest that intense, eager, longing, craving, insistent, demanding, ravenous Desire which is akin to the persistent, insistent, ardent, overwhelming desire of the drowning man for a breath of air; of the shipwrecked or desert-lost man for a drink of water; of the famished man for bread and meat…
—Robert Collier (1885–1950) American Self-Help Author
A human being is a part of the whole, called by us “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Bounded in his nature, infinite in his desires, man is a fallen god who has a recollection of heaven.
—Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869) French Poet, Politician, Historian
Each man has his own desires; all do not possess the same inclinations.
—Persius (34–62 CE) Roman Satirist
Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.
—Bill Cosby (b.1937) American Actor, Comedian, Activist, Producer, Author
Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Paradise is surrounded by what we dislike; the fires of hell are surrounded by what we desire.
—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–73) Persian Muslim Mystic
You must lay aside your greed; have no unworthy motive in your desire to become rich and powerful. It is legitimate and right to desire riches, if you want them for the sake of your soul, but not if you desire them for the lists of the flesh.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
It is not Justice the servant of men, but accident, hazard, Fortune-the ally of patient Time-that holds an even and scrupulous balance.
—Mario Andretti (b.1940) Italian-born American Sportsperson