The most unhappy of all men is he who believes himself to be so.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.
—William Fitzjames Oldham (1854–1937) Indian-Born Methodist Bishop
Cynicism is intellectual dandyism.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
Most of the time we think we’re sick it’s all in the mind.
—Thomas Wolfe (1900–38) American Novelist
All things are possible until they are proved impossible—even the impossible may only be so, as of now.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
We have a problem. “Congratulations.” But it’s a tough problem. “Then double congratulations.”
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Happiness will never be any greater than the idea we have of it.
—Maurice Maeterlinck (1862–1949) Belgian Poet, Playwright, Essayist
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 Writer, Novelist, Short Story Writer
It isn’t our position, but our disposition, that makes us happy.
—Unknown
It seems to me probably that any one who has a series of intolerable positions to put up with must have been responsible for them to some extent … they have contributed to it by impatience or intolerance, or brusqueness—or some provocation.
—Robert Hugh Benson (1871–1914) English Roman Catholic Priest, Writer
Bad times, hard times-this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are, such are the times.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
Rosiness is not a worse windowpane than gloomy gray when viewing the world.
—Grace Paley (1922–2007) American Short-Story Writer, Political Activist
Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.
—Nicholas Murray Butler (1862–1947) American Philosopher, Diplomat, Educator
Every noble work is at first impossible.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The more wary you are of danger, the more likely you are to meet it.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.
—W. W. Ziege
The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Nothing befalls us that is not of the nature of ourselves. There comes no adventure but wears to our soul the shape of our everyday thoughts.
—Maurice Maeterlinck (1862–1949) Belgian Poet, Playwright, Essayist
I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes.
—Sara Teasdale (1884–1933) American Poet
Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work – the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside – the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don’t show their effect all at once. There is another sort of blow that comes from within – that you don’t feel until it’s too late to do anything about it, until you realize with finality that in some regard you will never be as good a man again. The first sort of breakage seems to happen quick – the second kind happens almost without your knowing it but is realized suddenly indeed. Before I go on with this short history, let me make a general observation – the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
If they do kill me, I shall never die another death.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Great things are not something accidental, but must certainly be willed.
—Vincent van Gogh (1853–90) Dutch Painter
If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.
—Haim Ginott
If you prepare for old age, old age comes sooner.
—Unknown
Think of only three things: your God, your family and the Green Bay Packers—in that order.
—Vince Lombardi (1913–70) American Football Coach
All happiness is in the mind.
—Unknown
I am still determined to be cheerful and happy,
in whatever situation I may be; for I have also
learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness
or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.
—Martha Washington (1731–1802) American First Lady
We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-American Philosopher, Poet, Sculptor
Each of us makes his own weather, determines the color of the skies in the emotional universe which he inhabits.
—Fulton J. Sheen (1895–1979) American Catholic Theologian
Those see nothing but faults that seek for nothing else.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
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