Live poor so you can die rich.
—Indian Proverb
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.
—Unknown
As I correct what needs to be handled in my life, all my anger toward others dissipates.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Life’s irony is that as soon as worldly goods and worldly success are of no concern to you, the way is open for them to flow to you.
—Neale Donald Walsch (b.1943) American Spiritual Writer
If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things that are missing. If you don’t have love in your life, no matter what else there is, it’s not enough.
—Ask Ann Landers (1918–2002) American Advice Columnist
It’s of no use to look back and say, “I should have been different.” At any given moment, we are the way we are, and we see what we’re able to see. For that reason, guilt is always inappropriate.
—Joko Beck (1917–2011) American Zen Teacher
There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.
—Willa Cather (1873–1947) American Novelist, Writer
The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.
—Brennan Manning (1934–2013) American Theologian, Author
Perhaps life is just that… a dream and a fear.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
But when you think you’re supposed to do something with it and imagine that you’re the doer, that’s pure delusion. Just follow your passion. Do what you love. Inquire, and have a happy life while you’re doing it.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Men must live and create. Live to the point of tears.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
The most important thing is for you to be your own best friend. Whatever you are doing—don’t put yourself down. Slowly begin to discover which, for you, is the path of the heart. Which path in life will make you grow? That is the path to take.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Don’t wait until you die to learn the warrior’s way. Do it now, each night, just before you drift off to sleep. As you review your day, consider these two questions of courage and love. Learn from each day, so that each day you can show a little more courage and a little more love. Then, as incidents occur, you may rise to the occasion and look back at the end of your life and feel good about the way you lived.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
There is only one difference between a long life and a good dinner: that, in the dinner, the sweets come last.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
I don’t want an epitaph on my gravestone that says, ‘He would have pursued some big dreams in his life, but other people wouldn’t let him.
—Tom Peters (b.1942) American Management Consultant, Author
You can have peace of mind, improved health and an ever-increasing flow of energy. Life can be full of joy and satisfaction.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
Simplicity has power. Founding our life on constructive, positive behavior is the simplest, most direct, and powerful approach I’ve ever found—simple, but not easy.
—Dan Millman (b.1946) American Children’s Books Writer, Sportsperson
Would you throughout life be up to the height of your century, always in the prime of man’s reason, without crudeness and without decline, live habitually, while young, with persons older, and when old with persons younger than yourself.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Don’t think you can attain total awareness and whole enlightenment without proper discipline and practice. This is egomania. Appropriate rituals channel your emotions and life energy toward the light. Without the discipline to practice them, you will tumble constantly backward into darkness.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
The man who is aware of himself is henceforward independent; and he is never bored, and life is only too short, and he is steeped through and through with a profound yet temperate happiness.
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941) English Novelist
A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.
—Tim Ferriss (b.1977) American Self-help Author
The Book Of Life begins with a man and woman in a garden. It ends with Revelations.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Power is what they want, not candy—power to execute their design, power to give legs and feet, form and actuality to their thought; which, to a clear-sighted man, appears the end for which the universe exists, and all its resources might be well applied.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
If you listen to the Chatterbox, your experience of life is fear-producing, and you stop yourself from expanding. If you listen to the Higher Self, your experience of life is joyful and abundant and devoid of fear. You, like everyone else, are an expert at listening to your Chatterbox. Your task is now to become an expert at listening to your Higher Self. Then true choice will be possible.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
We never live, but we ever hope to live.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Poor people and most of the middle class are not willing to be uncomfortable. Remember, being comfortable is their biggest priority in life… The only time you can actually grow is when you are outside your comfort zone.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Before you can write a check, you must first make out a deposit slip; before you can draw money out of a bank, you must put money into a bank; before you are entitled to a living, you must give the world a life; if you want to make a first-class living, learn to give the world a first-class life.
—William J. H. Boetcker (1873–1962) American Presbyterian Minister
Some day, in years to come, you will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow of your life. But the real struggle is here, now, in these quiet weeks. Now it is being decided whether, in the day of your supreme sorrow or temptation, you shall miserably fail or gloriously conquer. Character cannot be made except by a steady, long-continued process.
—Phillips Brooks (1835–93) American Episcopal Clergyman, Author
The shell must break before the bird can fly.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.
—Andrew Carnegie (1835–1919) Scottish-American Industrialist
Hold on to the center and make up your mind to rejoice in this paradise called life.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Comfort kills! If your goal in life is to be comfortable, I guarantee two things. First, you will never be rich. Second, you will never be happy. Happiness doesn’t come from living a lukewarm life, always wondering what could have been. Happiness comes as a result of being in our natural state of growth and living up to our fullest potential.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Life is not having been told that the man has just waxed the floor.
—Ogden Nash (1902–71) American Writer of Sophisticated Light Verse
Perhaps nothing would be a lesson to us if it didn’t come too late. It’s well we should feel as life’s a reckoning we can’t make twice over; there’s no real making amends in this world, any more nor you can mend a wrong subtraction by doing your addition right.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
It’s extraordinary how we go through life with eyes half shut, with dull ears, with dormant thoughts. Perhaps it’s just as well; and it may be that it is this very dullness that makes life to the incalculable majority so supportable and so welcome.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, “This is what I need”. It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment—not discouragement—you will find the strength there. Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege!! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow. Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures, followed by wreckage, were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see this is really true. Nothing can happen to you that is not positive. Even though it looks and feels at the moment like a negative crisis, it is not. The crisis throws you back, and when you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.
—Joseph Campbell (1904–87) American Mythologist, Writer, Lecturer
The finest lives in my opinion are the common model, without miracle and without extravagance.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Those who live are those who fight.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.
—Colette (1873–1954) French Novelist, Performer
Mother is putting my new secondhand clothes in order. She prays now, she says, that I may learn in my own life and away from home and friends what the heart is and what it feels. Amen. So be it. Welcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet
People say that what we’re all seeking in life is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experience on the purely physical plane will have resonances within our innermost being and reality, so that we actually fee the rapture of being alive.
—Joseph Campbell (1904–87) American Mythologist, Writer, Lecturer
Life is not so much a matter of position as of disposition
—Unknown
Every story is a variation on a single theme: This shouldn’t be happening. I shouldn’t be having this experience. God is unjust. Life isn’t fair.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, simple and useful life.
—Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) African-American Educationist
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. & great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves. & even loved in spite of ourselves.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
There are three stages in a person’s life, birth, their life and death. They are not conscious of birth submit to death and forget to live.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author