The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
Again, men in general desire the good, and not merely what their fathers had.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
It is not from nature, but from education and habits, that our wants are chiefly derived.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
Fear, desire, hope, still push us on toward the future.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
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
The beginning of pride and hatred lies in worldly desire, and the strength of your desire if from habit. When an evil tendency becomes confirmed by habit, rage is triggered when anyone restrains you.
—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–73) Persian Muslim Mystic
Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, and no trust.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
If your desires be endless, your cares and fears will be so, too.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
When your desires are strong enough you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
Our necessities are few, but our wants are endless.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
When desire dies, fear is born.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
The desire of the man is for the woman, but the desire of the woman is for the desire of the man.
—Unknown
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
Opportunity makes desire.
—Dutch Proverb
We do not succeed in changing things according to our desire, but gradually our desire changes.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
Be careful what you set your heart upon—for it will surely be yours.
—James Baldwin (1924–87) American Novelist, Social Critic
There is absolutely nothing that you desire that you cannot achieve.
—Abraham Hicks
Dreams do come true, if we only wish hard enough, You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Man is a creation of desire, not a creation of need.
—Gaston Bachelard (1884–1962) French Philosopher, Psychoanalyst, Poet
If you desire a thing, picture it clearly and hold the picture steadily in mid until it becomes a definite thought-form.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
There is a supply for every demand.
—Florence Scovel Shinn (1871–1940) American Illustrator, Spiritual Writer
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
It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire and many things to fear.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
The desire to know is natural to good men.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Inventor, Architect
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
Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Before we passionately desire anything which another enjoys, we should examine as to the happiness of its possessor.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Limit your desires and you will improve your health.
—Spanish Proverb
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