The truest wisdom, in general, is a resolute determination.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Our energy is in proportion to the resistance it meets. We attempt nothing great but from a sense of the difficulties we have to encounter; we persevere in nothing great but from a pride in overcoming them.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Energy and persistence alter all things.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The only thing that keeps a man going is energy. And what is energy but liking life?
—Louis Auchincloss (1917–2010) American Novelist, Lawyer
Perhaps the most distinguishing trait of visionary leaders is that they believe in a goal that benefits not only themselves, but others as well. It is such vision that attracts the psychic energy of other people, and makes them willing to work beyond the call of duty for the organization.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
Are you willing to work sixteen hours a day? Rich people are. Are you willing to work seven days a week and five up most of your weekends? Rich people are. Are you willing to sacrifice seeing your family, your friends, and give up your recreations and hobbies? Rich people are. Are you willing to risk all your time, energy and start-up capital with no guarantee of returns? Rich people are.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
When you become involved in a bigger energy motivated by the Group Higher Self, you are infused with power and purpose.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
When you are genuinely strong, you neither attack nor defend and so retain your energy.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Author, Philosopher
And what is a man without energy? Nothing – nothing at all.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
You see me in my most virile moment when you see me doing what I do. When I am directing, a special energy comes upon me … It is only when I am doing my work that I feel truly alive. It is like having sex.
—Federico Fellini (1920–93) Italian Filmmaker
Energy is the only life, and is from the body; and reason is the bound or outward circumference of energy. Energy is eternal delight.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
To this military attitude of the soul we give the name of Heroism… It is a self-trust which slights the restraints of prudence, in the plenitude of its energy and power to repair the harms it may suffer. The hero is a mind of such balance that no disturbances can shake his will…
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Resolution is omnipotent.—Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something.—Aim at excellence, and excellence will be attained.—This is the great secret of effort and eminence.—“I cannot do it,” never accomplished anything; “I will try,” has wrought wonders.
—Joel Hawes (1789–1867) American Clergyman
Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Crime is naught but misdirected energy.
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940) Lithuanian-American Anarchist, Feminist
Rich and successful people are solution-oriented; they spend their time and energy strategizing and planning the answers to challenges that come up, and creating systems to make certain that problem doesn’t occur again.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
He alone has energy who cannot be deprived of it.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
Energy is contagious: either you affect people or you infect people.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Goals help you channel your energy into action.
—Les Brown
To know oneself is the first step toward making flow a part of one’s entire life. But just as there is no free lunch in the material economy, nothing comes free in the psychic one. If one is not willing to invest psychic energy in the internal reality of consciousness, and instead squanders it in chasing external rewards, one loses mastery of one’s life, and ends up becoming a puppet of circumstances.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
Obviously, the real issue has nothing to do with fear itself, but, rather, how we hold the fear. For some, the fear is totally irrelevant. For others, it creates a state of paralysis. The former hold their fear from a position of power (choice, energy, and action), and the latter hold it from a position of pain (helplessness, depression, and paralysis).
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Novelist
You must be what it is that you’re seeking. This is a universe of attraction and energy. You can’t have a desire to attract a mate who’s confident, generous, non-judgmental, and gentle, and expect that desire to be manifested if you’re thinking and acting in nonconfident, selfish, judgmental, or arrogant ways…
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
Energy is the power that drives every human being. It is not lost by exertion but maintained by it, for it is a faculty of the psyche.
—Germaine Greer (b.1939) Australia Academic, Journalist, Scholar, Writer
Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
Work, every hour, paid or unpaid; see only that thou work and thou canst not escape thy reward. Whether thy work be fine or coarse, planting corn, or writing epics, so only it be honest work, done to thine own approbation, it shall earn a reward to the senses, as well as to the thought. The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.
—Denis Waitley (1933–2025) American Speaker, Consultant, Self-help Pioneer
Money is a lubricant. It lets you “slide” through life instead of having to “scrape” by. Money brings freedom—freedom to buy what you want , and freedom to do what you want with your time. Money allows you to enjoy the finer things in life as well as giving you the opportunity to help others have the necessities in life. Most of all, having money allows you not to have to spend your energy worrying about not having money.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, which we ascribe to heaven; the fated sky gives us free scope; only, doth backward pull our slow designs, when we ourselves are dull.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
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