The spirited horse, which will try to win the race of its own accord, will run even faster if encouraged.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Die when I may, I want it said of me by those who know me best, that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower when I thought a flower would grow.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
The pessimist borrows trouble; the optimists lend encouragement.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
All may do what has by man been done.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The finest gift you can give anyone is encouragement. Yet, almost no one gets the encouragement they need to grow to their full potential. If everyone received the encouragement they need to grow, the genius in most everyone would blossom and the world would produce abundance beyond the wildest dreams. We would have more than one Einstein, Edison, Schweitzer, Mother Theresa, Dr. Salk and other great minds in a century.
—Sidney Madwed (1926–2013) American Poet, Author
The strongest bond of human sympathy, outside of the family relation, should be one uniting all working people, of all nations, and tongues, and kindreds. Nor should this lead us to a war upon property, or the owners of property. Property is the fruit of labor; property is desirable; is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus, by example, assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Nine tenths of education is encouragement.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
No matter what our achievements might be, we think well of ourselves only in rare moments. We need people to bear witness against our inner judge, who keeps book on our shortcomings and transgressions. We need people to convince us that we are not as bad as we think we are.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else. I don’t care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause.
—George Madison Adams (1837–1920) American Politician, Military Leader
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind always be at your back
May the sunshine warm upon your face
The rains falls soft upon your fields and until we meet again
May GOD hold you in the palm of his hand.
—Irish Proverb
Any man’s life will be filled with constant, unexpected encouragements of this kind if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day of his life — that is, tries to make each day reach as nearly as possible the high-water mark of pure, unselfish, useful living.
—Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) African-American Educationist
Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, Grow, Grow”.”
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Correction does much, but encouragement does more. Encouragement after censure is as the sun after a shower.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
A word of encouragement during failure is worth more than a dictionary of praise after success.
—Unknown
The most powerful and predictable people-builders are praise and encouragement.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
Sometimes too much encouragement by others or towards others can bring creativity and spiritual development to a stand still.
—Hans Taeger
Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.
—Sam Walton (1918–92) American Entrepreneur, Businessperson
To withhold deserved praise lest it should make its object conceited is as dishonest as to withhold payment of a just debt lest your creditor should spend the money badly.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Excellence encourages one about life generally; it shows the spiritual wealth of the world.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Most of the high spots in our lives come about through encouragement. I don’t care how great, how famous, how successful a man may be, he hungers for applause.
—Unknown
We ought not to raise expectations which it is not in our power to satisfy.—It is more pleasing to see smoke brightening into flame, than flame sinking into smoke.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
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
Faint not; the miles to heaven are but few and short.
—Samuel Rutherford (1600–61) Scottish Presbyterian Theologian, Author
If you treat an individual… as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
If they have not opened the eyes of the blind, they have at least given great encouragement to the short-sighted, and while their leaders may have all the inexperience of old age, their young men are far too wise to be ever sensible.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Instruction does much, but encouragement does everything.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
If I can put one touch of a rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Novelist, Lecturer, Poet
Great minds are to make others great. Their superiority is to be used, not to break the multitude to intellectual vassalage, not to establish over them a spiritual tyranny, but to rouse them from lethargy, and to aid them to judge for themselves.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
What men and women need is encouragement. Their natural resisting powers should be strengthened, not weakened… Instead of always harping on a man’s faults, tell him of his virtues. Try to pull him out of his rut… Hold up to him his better self, his real self that can dare and do and win out!… People radiate what is in their minds and in their hearts.
—Eleanor H. Porter (1868–1920) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer
It is more difficult to praise rightly than to blame.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
There is no such thing as a “self-made” man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
A word of encouragement during failure is worth more than a whole book of praises after a success.
—Anonymous
Get around the right people. Associate with positive, goal-oriented people who encourage and inspire you.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
I praise loudly. I blame softly.
—Catherine II of Russia (1729–96) Russian Empress
There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else. I don’t care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
Often we can help each other most by leaving each other alone; at other times we need the hand-grasp and the word of cheer.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
—J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) Scottish Novelist, Dramatist
We begin to praise when we begin to see a thing needs our assistance.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher