The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hillside’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn:
God’s in his heaven—
All’s right with the world!
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
‘Tis very certain the desire of life prolongs it.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
The pessimist borrows trouble; the optimists lend encouragement.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
If you constantly think of illness, you eventually become ill; if you believe yourself to be beautiful, you become so.
—Shakti Gawain (b.1948) American Author, Environmentalist
He that seeks trouble always finds it.
—English Proverb
Gray skies are just clouds passing over.
—Duke Ellington (1899–1974) American Jazz Pianist, Composer, Bandleader
A man’s as miserable as he thinks he is.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902–91) Polish-born American Children’s Books Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
If you are possessed by an idea, you find it expressed everywhere, you even smell it.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force, that thoughts rule the world.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
A happy life consists in tranquility of mind.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
All that a man does outwardly is but the expression and completion of his inward thought. To work effectually, he must think clearly; to act nobly, he must think nobly. Intellectual force is a principal element of the soul’s life, and should be proposed by every man as the principal end of his being.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
Optimism is the opium of the people.
—Milan Kundera (b.1929) Czech Novelist
If you want to earn more-learn more. If you want to get more out of the world you must put more into the world. For, after all, men will get no more out of life than they put into it.
—William J. H. Boetcker (1873–1962) American Presbyterian Minister
We think in generalities, but we live in detail.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
The mathematics of high achievement—
Begin with a dream.
DIVIDE the problems and conquer them one by one.
MULTIPLY the exciting possibilities in your mind.
SUBTRACT all the negative thoughts to get started.
ADD enthusiasm and determination.
And the RESULT will be the attainment of your goal.
—Anonymous
Optimism is the content of small men in high places.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
For myself, I am an optimist — it does not seem to be much use being anything else.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
So always look for the silver lining
And try to find the sunny side of life.
—P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) British Novelist, Short-story Writer, Playwright
One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows that every day is Doomsday.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
This I conceive to be the chemical function of humor: to change the character of our thought.
—Lin Yutang (1895–1976) Chinese Author, Philologist
Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!
—McLandburgh Wilson
As you think, you travel, and as you love, you attract. You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
A mind not to be changed by place or time. The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Optimism is a kind of heart stimulant—the digitalis of failure.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Men have a trick of coming up to what is expected of them, good or bad.
—Jacob Riis (1849–1914) Danish-born American Social Reformer, Journalist, Photographer
To make the world a friendly place, one must show it a friendly face.
—James Whitcomb Riley (1849–1916) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Writer
Be an optimist—at least until they start moving animals in pairs to Cape Canaveral.
—Unknown
The optimism of a healthy mind is indefatigable.
—Margery Allingham (1904–66) English Detective-story Writer
He who has not faith in others shall find no faith in them.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Debt is a trap which man sets and baits himself, and then deliberately gets into.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
The greatest discovery of our generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. As you think, so shall you be.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
If you think it’s going to rain, it will.
—Clint Eastwood (b.1930) American Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor
The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.
—Chinese Proverb
Self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment.
—Maxwell Maltz (1899–1975) American Surgeon, Motivational Writer
What all men are really after is some form, or perhaps only some formula, of peace.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
You have to believe in happiness or happiness never comes.
—Douglas Malloch (1877–1938) American Poet, Short-story Writer
When you have 7% unemployed, you have 93% working.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Success comes in cans, failure in can’ts.
—Unknown
Take Time
Take time to work … it is the price of success.
Take time to think … it is the source of power.
Take time to play, … it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read, … it is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly, … it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream, … it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love & be loved, … it is the privilege of the Gods.
Take time to look around … it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh … it is the music of the soul.
—English Prayer
An optimist is a man who starts a crossword puzzle with a fountain pen.
—Unknown
Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads onto actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
I have learned to use the word impossible with the greatest caution.
—Wernher von Braun (1912–77) German-born American Engineer, Scientist
Why you are born and why you are living depend entirely on what you are getting out of this world and what you are giving to it. I cannot prove that this is a balance of mathematical perfection, but my own observation of life leads me to the conclusion that there is a very real relationship, both quantitatively and qualitatively, between what you contribute and what you get out of this world.
—Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960) American Songwriter, Composer, Theater Producer, Writer
A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities; an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
Where much is expected from an individual, he may rise to the level of events and make the dream come true.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope.
And you can do it when things are tough.
—Richard DeVos (1926–2018) American Businessman, Philanthropist
Some people are so fond of ill-luck that they run half-way to meet it.
—Douglas William Jerrold (1803–57) English Writer, Dramatist, Wit