I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
No one rises so high as he who knows not whither he is going.
—Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658) British Head of State, Military Leader
Part of the issue of achievement is to be able to set realistic goals, but that’s one of the hardest things to do because you don’t always know exactly where you’re going, and you shouldn’t.
—George Lucas (b.1944) American Director, Producer, Screenwriter
The object of war is to survive it.
—John Irving (b.1942) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible—and achieve it, generation after generation.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
How am I going to live today in order to create the tomorrow I’m committed to?
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
Goals must never be from your ego, but problems that cry for a solution.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
—Jack London (1876–1916) American Novelist
If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.
—Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) (1832–98) British Anglican Author, Mathematician, Clergyman, Photographer, Logician
A straight path never leads anywhere except to the objective.
—Andre Gide (1869–1951) French Novelist
Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
Great souls are not those who have fewer passions and more virtues than others, but only those who have greater designs.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Your life can’t go according to plan if you have no plan.
—Unknown
If it came true, it wasn’t much of a dream.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals.
—George S. Patton (1885–1945) American Military Leader
The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Their is nothing so terrible as activity without insight.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
When we have passed beyond individualising, then we shall be real Persons. Ego was the helper; Ego is the bar.
—Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Indian Mystic, Philosopher, Poet
One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. Which road do I take? she asked. Where do you want to go? was his response. I don’t know, Alice answered. Then, said the cat, it doesn’t matter.
—Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) (1832–98) British Anglican Author, Mathematician, Clergyman, Photographer, Logician
We are kept from our goal not by obstacles but by a clear path to a lesser goal.
—Robert Brault
Firmness of purpose is one of the most necessary sinews of character, and one of the best instruments of success. Without it genius wastes its efforts in a maze of inconsistencies.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
A windmill is eternally at work to accomplish one end, although it shifts with every variation of the weathercock, and assumes ten different positions in a day.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
A bull does not enjoy fame in two herds.
—African Proverb
Do not let the future be held hostage by the past.
—Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) American Mormon Religious Leader
A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
Decide what you want and write your goals. Then convert your goals into positive, present tense statements called affirmations. Affirm your goals each day until they become part of your subconscious mechanism.
—Unknown
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.
—T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935) British Soldier, Scholar, Writer
It is those who concentrate on but one thing at a time who advance in this world. The great man or woman is the one who never steps outside his or her specialty or foolishly dissipates his or her individuality.
—Og Mandino (1923–96) American Self-Help Author
Famous archer, Howard Hill won all of the 267 archery contests he entered. He could hit a bullseye at 50 feet, then split first arrow with the second. Would it be possible for you to shoot better than him? YES, if he were blindfolded! How can you hit a target you can’t see? Even worse, how can you hit a target you don’t even have!? You need to have GOALS in your life!
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
No one can go back and make a brand new start, my friend, but anyone can start from here and make a brand new end.
—Dan Zadra
Picture yourself in your minds eye as having already achieved this goal. See yourself doing the things you’ll be doing when you’ve reached your goal.
—Earl Nightingale (1921–89) American Motivational Speaker, Author
I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can’t be done. If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
The more specific and measurable your goal, the more quickly you will be able to identify, locate, create, and implement the use of the necessary resources for its achievement.
—Charles J. Givens (1941–98) American Self-Help Writer
There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning, and yearning.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist
Goals help you channel your energy into action.
—Les Brown
Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
The one thing worth living for is to keep one’s soul pure.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Transform effort into an easy and sovereign overflowing of the soul-strength; let all thyself be conscious force. This is thy goal.
—Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Indian Mystic, Philosopher, Poet
Define your goals in terms of the activities necessary to achieve them, and concentrate on those activities.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
Great minds have purposes; others have wishes.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
Begin, be bold and venture to be wise.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
The highest principles for our aspirations and judgements are given to us in the Jewish-Christian religious tradition. It is a very high goal which, with our weak powers, we can reach only very inadequately, but which gives a sure foundation to our aspirations and valuations.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.
—Unknown
Respectable men and women content with good and easy living are missing some of the most important things in life. Unless you give yourself to some great cause you haven’t even begun to live.
—William P. Merrill (1867–1954) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Pacifist, Hymn Writer
Providence seldom vouchsafes to mortals any more than just that degree of encouragement which suffices to keep them at a reasonably full exertion of their powers.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Every true man, sir, who is a little above the level of the beasts and plants does not live for the sake of living, without knowing how to live; but he lives so as to give a meaning and a value of his own to life.
—Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936) Italian Dramatist, Novelist, Short Story Writer, Author
I am searching for that which every man seeks—peace and rest.
—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) Italian Poet, Philosopher
A man has to have goals- for a day, for a lifetime- that was mine, to have people say, “There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived.”
—Ted Williams (1918–2002) American Sportsperson
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet