The price of progress is trouble.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
The way to get ahead is to start now. If you start now, you will know a lot next year that you don’t know now and that you would not have known next year if you had waited.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Judge of thine improvement, not by what thou speakest or writest, but by the firmness of thy mind, and the government of thy passions and affections.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
All the grand agencies which the progress of mankind evolves are the aggregate result of countless wills, each of which, thinking merely of its own end, and perhaps fully gaining it, is at the same time enlisted by Providence in the secret service of the world.
—James Martineau (1805–1900) English Philosopher, Religious Leader
Progress is the activity of today and the assurance of tomorrow.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
On the road from the City of Skepticism, I had to pass through the Valley of Ambiguity.
—George Goodman (b.1930) American Economist, Author
All progress means war with society.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
As long as I can conceive something better than myself I cannot be easy unless I am striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
The good man is the man who, no matter how morally unworthy he has been, is moving to become better.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
A fresh mind keeps the body fresh. Take in the ideas of the day, drain off those of yesterday. As to the morrow, time enough to consider it when it becomes today.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
If any person had told the Parliament which met in terror and perplexity after the crash of 1720 that in 1830 the wealth of England would surpass all their wildest dreams, that the annual revenue would equal the principal of that debt which they considered an intolerable burden, that for one man of
—Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay (1800–59) English Historian, Essayist, Philanthropist
He that is good will infallibly become better, and he that is bad will as certainly become worse; for vice, virtue, and time are three things that never stand still.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
I make progress by having people around me who are smarter than I am and listening to them. And I assume that everyone is smarter about something than I am.
—Henry J. Kaiser (1882–1967) American Industrialist
All progress and growth is a matter of change, but change must be growth within our social and government concepts if it should not destroy them.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
All progress is experimental.
—John Jay Chapman (1862–1933) American Literary Critic, Essayist
All the important human advances that we know of since historical times began have been due to individuals of whom the majority faced virulent public opposition.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Regrets are idle; yet history is one long regret. Everything might have turned out so differently!
—Charles Dudley Warner (1829–1900) American Essayist, Novelist
Become addicted to constant and never-ending self-improvement.
—Anthony J. D’Angelo
Nothing recedes like progress.
—e. e. cummings (1894–1962) American Poet, Writer, Painter
It’s the same each time with progress. First they ignore you, then they say you’re mad, then dangerous, then there’s a pause and then you can’t find anyone who disagrees with you.
—Tony Benn (1925–2014) British Politician, Cabinet Minister
Most of our modern portrait painters are doomed to absolute oblivion. They never paint what they see. They paint what the public sees, and the public never sees anything.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
No man is able to make progress when he is wavering between opposite things.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
The prudent, penniless beginner in the world labors for wages for a while, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land for himself another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This is the just, and generous and prosperous system which opens the way to all, gives hope to all, and consequently energy, and progress, and improvement of conditions to all.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
It takes five years to design a new car in this country. Heck, we won World War II in four years.
—Ross Perot (1930–2019) American Businessman
The simplest school boy is now familiar with truths for which Archimedes would have sacrificed his life.
—Ernest Renan (1823–92) French Philosopher, Historian
When any real progress is made, we unlearn and learn anew what we thought we knew before.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.
—Robert M. Pirsig (b.1928) American Writer, Philosopher, Author
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