Never do anything concerning the rectitude of which you have a doubt.
—Pliny the Elder (23–79CE) Roman Statesman, Scholar
If you are in doubt whether to write a letter or not, don’t. And the advice applies to many doubts in life besides that of letter writing.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.
—Alexandre Dumas pere (1802–1870) French Novelist, Playwright
Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
Nobody can really guarantee the future. The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them and then make our plans with confidence.
—Henry Ford II (1917–1987) American Industrialist
The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it’s not without doubt but in spite of doubt.
—Rollo May (1909–94) American Philosopher
Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Galileo called doubt the father of invention; it is certainly the pioneer.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.
—Frederick Buechner (1926–2022) American Writer, Theologian
A man’s doubts and fears are his worst enemies.
—William Wrigley, Jr. (1861–1932) American Businessman
Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
I respect faith, but doubt is what gets you an education.
—Wilson Mizner (1876–1933) American Playwright, Entrepreneur
He that knows nothing, doubts nothing.
—Common Proverb
We can be absolutely certain only about things we do not understand.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
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 man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. Accept life, and you must accept regret.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
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
The future is no more uncertain than the present.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
Doubt indulged soon becomes doubt realized.
—Frances Ridley Havergal (1836–79) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
What loneliness is more lonely than distrust?
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
It’s imperative to realize that it is not necessary to try to get rid of fear in order to succeed. Rich and successful people have fear, rich and successful people have doubts, rich and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them. Unsuccessful people have fears, doubts, and worries, then let those feelings stop them.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Skepticism is the beginning of Faith.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Despair is the damp of hell, as joy is the serenity of heaven.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
A bitter and perplexed, “What shall I do?” is worse to man than worst necessity.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
Freedom of speech and freedom of action are meaningless without freedom to think. And there is no freedom of thought without doubt.
—Bergen Evans
There is a kind of courtesy in skepticism. It would be an offense against polite conventions to press our doubts too far.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Uncertainty hurts business. It annoys individuals. Why keep the whole country, including business and individuals, in uncertainty over the extent of the tax burdens to be placed upon us? How many of those who voted for Calvin Coolidge imagined for a moment that would do nothing to bring about tax relief before 1926? … But if the Administration persists in opposing a special session then it will inevitably be 1926 before action is taken…. Coolidge and Congress should ease our minds and grease our activities by reforming and reducing taxation as soon as feasible after March 4.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
When unhappy, one doubts everything; when happy, one doubts nothing.
—Philibert Joseph Roux (1780–1854) French Surgeon
As to the adjective, when in doubt strike it out.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist