The soul that has no established aim loses itself.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Anxiety and conscience are a powerful pair of dynamos. Between them, they have ensured that I shall work hard, but they cannot ensure that one shall work at anything worthwhile.
—Arnold J. Toynbee (1889–1975) British Historian
A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
Acting was a way out at first. A way out of not knowing what to do, a way of focusing ambitions. And the ambition wasn’t for fame. The ambition was to do an interesting job.
—Harrison Ford (b.1942) American Actor
We must each find our separate meaning in the persuasion of our days until we meet in the meaning of the world.
—Christopher Fry (1907–2005) English Poet, Playwright
What all men are really after is some form, or perhaps only some formula, of peace.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
I usually need a can of beer to prime me.
—Norman Mailer (1923–2007) American Novelist Essayist
There are two levers for moving men—interest and fear.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
—Leo Buscaglia (1924–98) American Motivational Speaker
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian
A man who is afraid will do anything.
—Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964) Indian Head of State
Success stems from motivation, effort, and a commitment to excellence.
—Anonymous
It is for the superfluous things of life that men sweat.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
If you would lift me up you must be on higher ground.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We would frequently be ashamed of our good deeds if people saw all of the motives that produced them.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
It’s not my job to motivate players. They bring extraordinary motivation to our program. It’s my job not to de-motivate them.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
We should often have reason to be ashamed of our most brilliant actions if the world could see the motives from which they spring.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
All progress is based upon a universal innate desire on the part of every living organism to live beyond its income.
—Samuel Butler
Hunger, love, vanity, and fear. There are four great motives of human action.
—William Graham Sumner (1840–1910) American Polymath, Academic, Historian, Sociologist, Anthropologist
Everyone expects to go further than his father went; everyone expects to be better than he was born and every generation has one big impulse in its heart—to exceed all the other generations of the past in all the things that make life worth living.
—William Allen White (1868–1944) American Editor, Politician, Author
We promise according to our hopes, but perform according to our selfishness and our fears.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Necessity is the mother of taking chances.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The momentum of continuous action fuels motivation, while procrastination kills motivation.
—Steve Pavlina (b.1971) American Motivational Speaker
Each individual should work for himself. People will not sacrifice themselves for the company. They come to work at the company to enjoy themselves.
—Soichiro Honda (1906–91) Japanese Inventor
We talk on principal, but act on motivation.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
By unlinking your money motivation from anger, fear, and the need to prove yourself, you can install new links for earning your money through purpose, contribution, and joy.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
What you are must always displease you, if you would attain to that which you are not.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible.
—William Sloane Coffin (1924–2006) American Presbyterian Clergyman, Peace Activist
Hope is one of the principal springs that keep mankind in motion.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Fear, desire, hope, still push us on toward the future.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Nobody motivates today’s workers. If it doesn’t come from within, it doesn’t come. Fun helps remove the barriers that allow people to motivate themselves.
—Herman Cain (1945–2020) American Businessman
People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
Two purposes in human nature rule. Self-love to urge, and reason to restrain.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Necessity, who is the mother of our invention.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Please know I am quite aware of the hazards. I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.
—Amelia Earhart (1897–1937) American Aviator
Don’t spur a willing horse.
—Common Proverb
I’ve always felt that a manager has achieved a great deal when he’s able to motivate one other person. When it comes to making the place run, motivation is everything. You might be able to do the work of two people, but you can’t be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people.
—Lee Iacocca (1924–2019) American Businessperson
Lust and force are the source of all our actions; lust causes voluntary actions, force involuntary ones.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
The light of lights looks always on the motive, not the deed, the shadow of shadows on the deed alone.
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) Irish Poet, Dramatist
The ultimate inspiration is the deadline.
—Nolan Bushnell (b.1943) American Engineer, Businessman
Money and women. They’re the two strongest things in the world. There are things you do for a woman you wouldn’t do for anything else. Same with money.
—Satchel Paige (1906–82) American Baseball Player
What makes life dreary is the want of a motive.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.
—Finley Peter Dunne (1867–1936) American Author, Writer, Humorist
If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
To sink a six-foot putt with thirty million people looking over your shoulder, convince yourself that, if you miss it, you will be embarrassed and poor.
—Jack Nicklaus (b.1940) American Sportsperson
The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that’s when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
What comes from the heart, goes to the heart.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher