Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
A wise man loses nothing, if he but save himself.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Empty your mind of all thoughts.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Take care to sell your horse before he dies. The art of life is passing losses on.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Show me a good loser and I will show you a loser.
—Paul Newman (1925–2008) American Actor, Philanthropist
Grief is the price we pay for love
—Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022) Queen of United Kingdom
Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
Loss leaves us empty – but learn not to close your heart and mind in grief. Allow life to replenish you. When sorrow comes it seems impossible – but new joys wait to fill the void.
—Pam Brown (b.1948) Australian Poet
Praising what is lost makes the remembrance dear.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Every man is afraid of something. That’s how you know he’s in love with you; when he is afraid of losing you.
—Unknown
When you lose a couple of times, it makes you realize how difficult it is to win.
—Steffi Graf (b.1969) German Tennis Player, Philanthropist
Never in any case say I have lost such a thing, but I have returned it. Is your child dead? It is a return. Is your wife dead? It is a return. Are you deprived of your estate? is not this also a return?
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Whoever said, “It’s not whether you win or lose that counts,” probably lost.
—Martina Navratilova (b.1956) Czech-born American Sportsperson
There are occasions when it is undoubtedly better to incur loss than to make gain.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
Never give up, never give in, and when the upper hand is ours, may we have the ability to handle the win with the dignity that we absorbed the loss.
—Doug Williams (b.1955) American Sportsperson, Football Executive
Wise men ne’er sit and wail their loss, but cheerily seek how to redress their harms.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
That loss is common would not make My own less bitter, rather more: Too common! Never morning wore To evening, but some heart did break.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
No wise person should make known the loss of fortune, any malpractice in their house, his being cheated, or having been disgraced.
—The Hitopadesha Indian Collection of Fables
Tears are the silent language of grief.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
The loss which is unknown is no loss at all.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
—German Proverb
The acknowledgment of our weakness is the first step toward repairing our loss.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
There may be as much nobility in being last as in being first, because the two positions are equally necessary in the world, the one to complement the other.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
You’re never a loser until you quit trying.
—Mike Ditka (b.1939) American Sportsperson
The first proof of a person’s incapacity to achieve, is their endeavoring to fix the stigma of failure on others.
—Benjamin Haydon (1786–1846) English Painter, Writer
Nothing that grieves us can be called little: by the eternal laws of proportion, a child’s loss of a doll and a king’s loss of a crown are events of the same size.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
What makes us so bitter against people who outwit us is that they think themselves cleverer than we are.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
If a man falls once, all will tread upon him.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
I hate to lose more than I love to win.
—Jimmy Connors (b.1952) American Tennis Player
Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet