Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Historian, Political Leader, Explorer
Sometimes something worth doing is worth overdoing.
—David Letterman (b.1947) American Television Talk Show Host
Still this planet’s soil for noble deeds grants scope abounding.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I have found in life that if you want a miracle you first need to do whatever it is you can do—if that’s to plant, then plant; if it is to read, then read; if it is to change, then change; if it is to study, then study; if it is to work, then work; whatever you have to do. And then you will be well on your way of doing the labor that works miracles.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!
—Anne Frank (1929–45) Holocaust Victim
There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.
—Unknown
Let everything you do be done as if it makes a difference.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Do your best every day and your life will gradually expand into satisfying fullness.
—Horatio Dresser (1866–1954) American New Thought Religious Leader
If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
We know better than we do. We do not yet possess ourselves…
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.
—John Wooden (1910–2010) American Basketball Coach, Educator
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. I do not agree with the big way of doing things.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life. Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody else, too.
—Meryl Streep (b.1949) American Actor
People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
One does not always do the best there is. One does the best one can.
—Catherine II of Russia (1729–96) Russian Empress
Act as if the maxim of your action were to become through your will a be general natural law.
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Historian, Political Leader, Explorer
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
—Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909) American Unitarian Clergyman, Writer
I’ve always tried to go a step past wherever people expected me to end up.
—Beverly Sills (1929–2007) American Singer, Musician
A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
—Duke Ellington (1899–1974) American Jazz Pianist, Composer, Bandleader
Oh, my friend, it’s not what they take away from you that counts—it’s what you do with what you have left.
—Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) American Head of State, Politician
the spring, the summer,
The chilling autumn, angry winter, change
Their wonted liveries; and the mazed world
By their increase, now knows not which is which.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Well done is better than well said.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Duty makes us do things well, but love makes us do them beautifully.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
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