As Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor, Nobel laureate, and supporter of the Tibetan people, “We must understand that there can be no life without risk—and when your spirit is strong, everything else is secondary, even the risks.
—Robert K. Cooper (b.1957) American Author, Psychologist
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
—John Augustus Shedd (1858–1931) American Author
A ship is safest at the harbor, but that is not where it is supposed to be.
—N. R. Narayana Murthy (b.1946) Indian Businessperson, Philanthropist
It was a bold person that first ate an oyster.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
If you play it safe in life, you’ve decided that you don’t want to grow anymore.
—Shirley Hufstedler (1925–2016) American Lawyer, Jurist
Defensive strategy never has produced ultimate victory.
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) American Military Leader
Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
Dare to be naive.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
Good to sell knowledge for labor, honor for risk.
—Arabic Proverb
Life has no romance without risk.
—Sarah Doherty (1959–2023) American Mountaineer, Skier
When God lets loose a great thinker on this planet, then all things are at risk. There is not a piece of science but its flank may be turned tomorrow; nor any literary reputation or the so-called eternal names of fame that may not be refused and condemned.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson (b.1952) American Activist, Author, Lecturer
The bravest are the tenderest. The loving are the daring.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
When you are in any contest, you should work as if there were—to the very last minute—a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this is anything.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
During the first period of a man’s life the greatest danger is: not to take the risk. When once the risk has really been taken, then the greatest danger is to risk too much.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
As soon as there is life, there is danger.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
If you want to launch big ships you have to go where the water is deep.
—Unknown
Any life truly lived is a risky business, and if one puts up too many fences against the risks one ends by shutting out life itself.
—Kenneth S. Davis (1912–99) American Historian, Biographer
Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.
—Unknown
If your life is ever going to get better, you’ll have to take risks. There is simply no way you can grow without taking chances.
—David Viscott (1938–96) American Psychiatrist, Author, Businessman
It is easy to be brave when far away from danger.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Remember the turtle—He never makes any progress till he sticks his neck out.
—Unknown
A turtle makes progress when it sticks its neck out
—Unknown
To live differently, to love differently, to think differently, or to try to. Is the danger of beauty so great that it is better to live without it (the standard model)? Or to fall into her arms fire to fire? There is no discovery without risk and what you risk reveals what you value.
—Jeanette Winterson (b.1959) English Novelist, Journalist
We must risk going too far to discover just how far we can go.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Those who cling to life die, and those who defy death live.
—Uesugi Kenshin (1530–1578) Japanese Warlord, Military Strategist
The willingness to take risks is our grasp of faith.
—George Edward Woodberry (1855–1930) American Literary Critic, Poet
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