A fall from the third floor hurts as much as a fall from the hundredth. If I have to fall, may it be from a high place.
—Paulo Coelho (b.1947) Brazilian Songwriter, Novelist
I have brought myself by long meditation to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and that nothing can resist a will which will stake even existence upon its fulfillment.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
The willingness to take risks is our grasp of faith.
—George Edward Woodberry (1855–1930) American Literary Critic, Poet
Every time we’ve moved ahead in IBM, it was because someone was willing to take a chance, put his head on the block, and try something new.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
Are you willing to work sixteen hours a day? Rich people are. Are you willing to work seven days a week and five up most of your weekends? Rich people are. Are you willing to sacrifice seeing your family, your friends, and give up your recreations and hobbies? Rich people are. Are you willing to risk all your time, energy and start-up capital with no guarantee of returns? Rich people are.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
To do an evil act is base. To do a good one without incurring danger, is common enough. But it is the part of a good man to do great and noble deeds though he risks everything in doing them.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by giving, by losing.
—Anais Nin (1903–77) French-American Essayist
Every man has the right to risk his own life in order to preserve it. Has it ever been said that a man who throws himself out the window to escape a fire is guilty of suicide?
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.
—T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935) British Soldier, Scholar, Writer
It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Rancher, Humorist
Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated; you can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.
—David Lloyd George (1863–1945) British Liberal Statesman
It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) American Military Leader
People that are orthodox when they are young are in danger of being middle-aged all their lives.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.
—Unknown
Any new venture goes through the following stages: Enthusiasm, complication, disillusionment, search for the guilty, punishment of the innocent and decoration of those who did nothing.
—Anonymous
Victories that are easy are cheap. Those only are worth having which come as the result of hard fighting.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
There is no security in life, only opportunity.
—Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964) American Military Leader
Danger can never by overcome without taking risks.
—Latin Proverb
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 Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
In all my life I have never heard a mother call out to her child as she goes off to school, “Take a lot of risks today, darling”. She is more likely to convey to her child, “Be careful, darling”. This “Be careful” carries with it a double message: “The world is really dangerous out there” … and … “you won’t be able to handle it”.
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
We may by our excessive prudence squeeze out of the life we are guarding so anxiously all the adventurous quality that makes it worth living.
—Randolph Bourne (1886–1918) American Writer, Scholar
It takes courage to lead a life. Any life.
—Erica Jong (b.1942) American Novelist, Feminist
We must risk going too far to discover just how far we can go.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
The bravest are the tenderest. The loving are the daring.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Risk takers: their goal in life is not to succeed, make money, be happy or be anything other than engaged.
—Unknown
No one reaches a high position without daring.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
You can’t catch trout with dry breeches.
—Spanish Proverb
One of the reasons mature people stop learning is that they become less and less willing to risk failure.
—John W. Gardner (1912–2002) American Activist
Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
Courage is rarely reckless or foolish … courage usually involves a highly realistic estimate of the odds that must be faced.
—Margaret Truman (1924–2008) American Singer, Writer, Historian
If your life is free of failures, you’re not taking enough risks.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (b.1940) American Self-Help Author
People who refuse to take risks live with a feeling of dread that is far more severe than what they would feel if they took the risks necessary to make them less helpless—only they don’t know it!
—Susan Jeffers (1938–2012) American Psychologist, Self-Help Author
Be bold, be bold, and everywhere be bold.
—Herbert Spencer (1820–1903) English Polymath, Philosopher, Sociologist, Political Theorist
Poverty is uncomfortable, as I can testify: but nine times out of ten the best thing that can happen to a young man is to be tossed overboard and compelled to sink or swim for himself.
—James A. Garfield (1831–81) American Head of State, Lawyer, Educator
The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.
—Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964) Indian Head of State
Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.
—Unknown
A turtle makes progress when it sticks its neck out
—Unknown
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
—Michelangelo (1475–1564) Italian Painter, Sculptor, Architect, Poet, Engineer
Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.
—Denis Waitley (b.1933) American Motivational Speaker, Author
Few are they who have never had the chance to achieve happiness … and fewer those who have taken that chance.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
It is not manly to turn one’s back on fortune.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backward.
—James Thurber
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
If you want to launch big ships you have to go where the water is deep.
—Unknown
He that is not in the war is not out of danger.
—Unknown
It is only by risking our persons from one hour to another that we live at all.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
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
He who dares nothing need hope for nothing.
—Unknown