I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail.
—Muriel Strode (1875–1964) American Author, Businesswoman
Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no more doubts; at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart’s desire without transgressing the norm.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music-the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
The injury of prodigality leads to this, that he that will not economize will have to agonize.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Get busy living, or get busy dying.
—Stephen King (b.1947) American Novelist, Screenwriter, Columnist, Film Director
Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I’m not living.
—Jonathan Safran Foer (b.1977) American Novelist
Live simply so others may simply live.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
I could not, at any age, be content to take my place in a corner by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. The fatal thing is the rejection. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
—The Dhammapada Buddhist Anthology of Verses
The superior man does what is proper to the station in which he is; he does not desire to go beyond this. In a position of wealth and honor, he does what is proper to a position of wealth and honor. In a poor and low position, he does what is proper to a poor and low position.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The Path is not far from man. When men try to pursue a course, which is far from the common indications of consciousness, this course cannot be considered The Path.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good society.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Tzu-kung asked, ‘Is there a single word which can be a guide to conduct throughout one’s life?’ The Master said, ‘It is perhaps the word ‘shu.’ Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth … lust. When he is strong … quarrelsomeness. When he is old … covetousness.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Tis’ better to live your own life imperfectly than to imitate someone else’s perfectly.
—Elizabeth Gilbert (b.1969) American Novelist, Memoirist
Use your health, even to the point of wearing it out. That is what it is for. Spend all you have before you die; do not outlive yourself.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Study the past, if you would define the future.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
You can get all A’s and still flunk life.
—Walker Percy (1916–90) American Novelist
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Although your father and mother are dead, if you propose to yourself any good work, only reflect how it will make their names illustrious, and your purpose will be fixed.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
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