He who has begun has half done. Dare to be wise; begin.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
You can’t get rich sitting on the bench.
—Phil Linz (1939–2020) American Baseball Player
Self-trust is the first secret of success.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Necessity of action takes away the fear of the act, and makes bold resolution the favorite of fortune.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
To the timid and hesitating everything is impossible because it seems so.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined! As you simplify your life, the laws of the Universe will be simpler, solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts. An immense difference.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Now or never was the time.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.
—Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
Thirteen virtues necessary for true success: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
To be is to do.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Courage has genius, power, and magic in it. Only engage, and then the mind grows heated. Begin it and the work is completed.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Action makes more fortune than caution.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
The test of any man lies in action.
—Pindar (c.518–c.438 BCE) Greek Lyric Poet
He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg.
—Chinese Proverb
My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice, too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success.
—Helen Hayes (1900–93) American Actress, Philanthropist
If you dam a river it stagnates. Running water is beautiful water.
—English Proverb
Wishing does not make a poor man rich.
—Arabic Proverb
The emotions are not always subject to reason … but they are always subject to action. When thoughts do not neutralize an undesirable emotion, action will.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
Four steps to achievement: plan purposefully, prepare prayerfully, proceed positively, pursue persistently.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
It’s weak and despicable to go on wanting things and not trying to get them.
—Marion Milner (‘Joanna Field’) (1900–98) British Writer, Psychoanalyst
Every artist was first an amateur.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The way to do is to be.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
When I am idle and shiftless, my affairs become confused; when I work, I get results… not great results, but enough to encourage me.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Who waits until the wind shall silent keep will never find the ready hour to sow.
—Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–85) American Novelist, Civil Rights Activist
We don’t have enough time to premeditate all our actions.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
Success, which is something so simple in the end, is made up of thousands of things, we never fully know what.
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
And now, Lord, what wait I for?
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Success follows doing what you want to do. There is no other way to be successful.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
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