Some days you tame the tiger. And some days the tiger has you for lunch.
—Tug McGraw (1944–2004) American Baseball Sportsman
The chief duty I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
I have resolved that from this day on, I will do all the business I can honestly, have all the fun I can reasonably, do all the good I can willingly, and save my digestion by thinking pleasantly.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Architect
Time turns the old days to derision, our loves into corpses or wives; and marriage and death and division make barren our lives.
—Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837–1909) English Poet, Novelist
It’s how we spend our time here and now, that really matters. If you are fed up with the way you have come to interact with time, change it.
—Marcia Wieder
Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
—Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) French Sculptor
Time is the fairest and toughest judge.
—Edgar Quinet (1803–75) French Historian, Poet
The happiest people spend much time in a state of flow – the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.
—Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1934–2021) Hungarian-American Psychologist
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Historian, Political Leader, Explorer
City people try to buy time as a rule, when they can, whereas country people are prepared to kill time, although both try to cherish in their mind’s eye the notion of a better life ahead.
—Edward Hoagland (b.1932) American Essayist, Novelist
Each day provides its own gifts.
—Martial (40–104) Ancient Roman Latin Poet
The timeless moment.—The ‘moment’ has no yesterday or tomorrow. It is not the result of thought and therefore has no time.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
Follow your bliss. Find where it is and don’t be afraid to follow it.
—Joseph Campbell (1904–87) American Author, Mythologist
Who loses a day loses life.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, stolen on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
The clock upbraids me with the waste of time.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours.
—J. B. Priestley (1894–1984) English Novelist, Playwright, Critic
But at my back I always hear time’s winged chariot hurrying near.
—Andrew Marvell (1621–78) English Metaphysical Poet
An hour of pain is as long as a day of pleasure.
—Unknown
While we live, let us live.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Critic
Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
We create our fate every day … most of the ills we suffer from are directly traceable to our own behavior.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Make it a point to do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Possessions dwindle: I mourn their loss. But I mourn the loss of time much more; for anyone can save his purse, but none can win back lost time.
—Latin Proverb
May memory restore again and again
The smallest color of the smallest day:
Time is the school in which we learn,
Time is the fire in which we burn.
—Delmore Schwartz (1913–66) American Poet, Short-Story Writer
He possesses dominion over himself, and is happy, who can every day say, “I have lived.” Tomorrow the heavenly Father may either involve the world in dark clouds, or cheer it with clear sunshine; he will not, however, render ineffectual the things which have already taken place.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
No man goes before his time—unless the boss leaves early.
—Groucho Marx (1890–1977) American Actor, Comedian, Singer
A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.
—Charles Darwin (1809–82) English Naturalist
A sense of the value of time … is an essential preliminary to efficient work; it is the only method of avoiding hurry.
—Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) British Novelist, Playwright, Critic
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