By banishing doubt and trusting your intuitive feelings, you clear a space for the power of intention to flow through.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
The path of sound credence is through the thick forest of skepticism.
—George Jean Nathan (1882–1958) American Drama Critic, Editor
There is no greater folly in the world than for a man to despair.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
The fearful unbelief is unbelief in yourself.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Man is not made to question, but adore.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Suspicion is one of the morbid reactions by which an organism defends itself and seeks another equilibrium.
—Nathalie Sarraute (1900–99) French Novelist, Essayist
Neither in this world nor elsewhere is there any happiness in store for him who always doubts.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
It is reserved for man alone to find his very existence questionable, to experience the whole dubiousness of being. More than such faculties as power of speech, conceptual thinking, or walking erect, this factor of doubting the significance of his own existence is what sets man apart from animal.
—Viktor Frankl (1905–97) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
The poison of skepticism becomes, like alcoholism, tuberculosis, and some other diseases, much more virulent in a hitherto virgin soil.
—Simone Weil (1909–1943) French Philosopher, Political Activist
If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name at a Swiss bank.
—Woody Allen (b.1935) American Film Actor, Director
The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars peace, love, hate, all that. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it’s unknown, and it’s plain sailing.
—John Lennon (1940–80) British Singer, Songwriter, Musician, Activist
The more uncertain I have felt about myself, the more there has grown up in me a feeling of kinship with all things.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.
—Paul Tillich (1886–1965) American Lutheran Theologian, Philosopher
Don’t waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour’s duties will be the best preparation for the hours or ages that follow it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
A reasonable probability is the only certainty.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Despair is the conclusion of fools.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
It is never worth while to suggest doubts in order to show how cleverly we can answer them.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
Suspicion is far more apt to be wrong than right; oftener unjust than just. It is no friend to virtue, and always an enemy to happiness.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Theologian
Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.
—Frederick Buechner (b.1926) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Theologian
There is only one thing about which I am certain, and this is that there is very little about which one can be certain.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
There is something pagan in me that I cannot shake off. In short, I deny nothing, but doubt everything.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Suspicion is most often useless pain.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
All business proceeds on beliefs, or judgments of probabilities, and not on certainties.
—Charles William Eliot (1834–1926) American Educationalist
To have doubted one’s own first principles is the mark of a civilized man.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
When one devotes oneself to meditation, mental burdens, unnecessary worries, and wandering thoughts drop off one by one; life seems to run smoothly and pleasantly. A student may now depend on intuition to make decisions. As one acts on intuition, second thought, with its dualism, doubt and hesitation, does not arise.
—Nyogen Senzaki (1876–1958) Japanese Buddhist Monk
When young, you’re shocked by the number of people who turn out to have feet of clay. Older, you’re surprised by the number of people who don’t.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
I’m delighted that the future is unsure. That’s the way it should be.
—William Sloane Coffin (1924–2006) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Peace Activist
There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
When in doubt, tell the truth.
—Indian Proverb
He who forecasts all perils will never sail the sea.
—Unknown
One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Give me the benefit of your convictions, if you have any, but keep your doubts to yourself, for I have enough of my own.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Doubt is uncomfortable, certainty is ridiculous.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself.
—Henry Adams (1838–1918) American Historian, Man of Letters
Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Doubts arise because of an absence of surrender.
—Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) Indian Hindu Mystic
Do not let yourself be tainted with a barren skepticism.
—Louis Pasteur (1822–95) French Biologist
Believe nothing and be on your guard against everything.
—Latin Proverb
Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
The future is no more uncertain than the present.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and, therefore, men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more, and not keep their suspicions in smother.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Believe while others are doubting.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
There is a time for departure, even when there’s no certain place to go.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
To deny, to believe, and to doubt absolutely—this is for man what running is for a horse.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Uncertainty is the refuge of hope.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
The doubt of an earnest, thoughtful, patient and laborious mind is worthy of respect. In such doubt may be found indeed more faith than in half the creeds.
—John Lancaster Spalding (1840–1916) American Catholic Clergyman, Educator, Essayist, Biographer