Above all, try something.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
Talking is easy, action difficult.
—Spanish Proverb
Ideas are one thing, and what happens is another.
—John Cage (1912–92) American Composer
As long as you can start, you are all right. The juice will come.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
We are very near to greatness: one step and we are safe; can we not take the leap?
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
A sedentary life is the real sin against the Holy Spirit. Only those thoughts that come by walking have any value.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.
—James Anthony Froude (1818–94) British Historian, Novelist, Biographer, Editor
Action is eloquence.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
“Mean to” don’t pick no cotton.
—Anonymous
Indifference and inaction must always pay a penalty.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself.
—Zen Proverb Japanese School of Mahayana Buddhism
The sleeping fox catches no poultry.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
To know just what has do be done, then to do it, comprises the whole philosophy of practical life.
—William Osler (1849–1919) Canadian Physician
The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
—Chinese Proverb
To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult of all.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The biggest sin is sitting on your ass.
—Florynce Kennedy (1916–2000) American Lawyer, Civil Rights Leader, Feminist, Activist
That is the principal thing: not to remain with the dream, with the intention, with the being in the mood, but always forcibly to convert it into all things.
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
Boast not of what thou would’st have done, but do.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
What the Puritans gave the world was not thought, but action.
—Wendell Phillips (1811–84) American Abolitionist, Lawyer, Orator
Delay not to seize the hour.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
The beginning is half of every action.
—Greek Proverb
If we really want to live, we’d better start at once to try.
—W. H. Auden (1907–73) British-born American Poet, Dramatist
Every beginning is hard.
—Unknown
How long will they kill our prophets while we stand aside and look?
—Bob Marley (1945–81) Jamaican Musician, Singer, Songwriter
If you want a thing done, go. If not, send. The shortest answer is doing.
—English Proverb
Do noble things, do not dream them all day long.
—Charles Kingsley (1819–75) English Clergyman, Academic, Historian, Novelist
Words gain credibility by deed.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
Things don’t turn up in this world until somebody turns them up.
—James A. Garfield (1831–81) American Head of State, Lawyer, Educator
Make up your mind to act decidedly and take the consequences. No good is ever done in this world by hesitation.
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95) English Biologist
Act—act in the living present.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Well done is better than well said.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The end of man is action.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
If you don’t place your foot on the rope, you’ll never cross the chasm.
—Unknown
Stagnation is something worse than death: it is corruption also.
—William Gilmore Simms (1806–70) American Poet, Novelist, Historian
The most important thing about getting somewhere is starting right where we are.
—Bruce Fairchild Barton (1886–1967) American Author, Advertising Executive, Politician
The wise does at once what the fool does at last.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
Doing nothing is the most tiresome job in the world because you cannot quit and rest.
—Unknown
In putting off what one has to do, one runs the risk of never being able to do it.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible.
—George C. Lorimer (1838–1904) American Baptist Clergyman
To sit back hoping that someday, some way, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last—but eat you he will.
—Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) American Head of State
Nothing else so destroys the power to stand alone as the habit of leaning upon others. If you lean, you will never be strong or original. Stand alone or bury your ambition to be somebody in the world.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
Eighty percent of success is showing up.
—Woody Allen (b.1935) American Film Actor, Director
Shun idleness. It is a rust that attaches itself to the most brilliant metals.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with him continually, and you will not sin and will learn to love, and the things you must do will work out prosperously for you.
—John of the Cross (1542–1591) Spanish Roman Catholic Mystic
If you miss the first buttonhole, you will not succeed in buttoning up your coat.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
It is following the line of least resistance that makes men and rivers crooked.
—Unknown