When one devotes oneself to meditation, mental burdens, unnecessary worries, and wandering thoughts drop off one by one; life seems to run smoothly and pleasantly. A student may now depend on intuition to make decisions. As one acts on intuition, second thought, with its dualism, doubt and hesitation, does not arise.
—Nyogen Senzaki (1876–1958) Japanese Buddhist Monk
Unrest and uncertainty, doubt are our lot.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
I’m delighted that the future is unsure. That’s the way it should be.
—William Sloane Coffin (1924–2006) American Clergyman, Activist
To teach how to live with uncertainty, yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy can do.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
To be uncertain is to be uncomfortable, but to be certain is to be ridiculous.
—Chinese Proverb
Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-American Philosopher, Poet, Sculptor
We sail within a vast sphere, ever drifting in uncertainty, driven from end to end.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
In the face of uncertainty, there is nothing wrong with hope.
—Bernie S. Siegel (b.1932) American Writer, Surgeon
In contemplation, if a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Every year, if not every day, we have to wager our salvation upon some prophecy based upon imperfect knowledge.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
—Vincent van Gogh (1853–90) Dutch Painter
When in doubt, do it.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
He who forecasts all perils will never sail the sea.
—Unknown
When we are not sure, we are alive.
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
There’s nothing certain in a man’s life except this: That he must lose it.
—Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright
The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is unchangeable or certain.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
All that lies between the cradle and the grave is uncertain.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
An image is a stop the mind makes between uncertainties.
—Djuna Barnes (1892–1982) American Writer, Artist
The future is no more uncertain than the present.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist
Without the element of uncertainty, the bringing off of even, the greatest business triumph would be dull, routine, and eminently unsatisfying.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Art Collector, Philanthropist, Businessperson
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The greatest loss of time is delay and expectation, which depend upon the future. We let go the present, which we have in our power, and look forward to that which depends upon chance, and so relinquish a certainty for an uncertainty.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Uncertainty and expectation are the joys of life. Security is an insipid thing.
—William Congreve (1670–1729) English Playwright, Poet
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
Doubt breeds doubt.
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872) Austrian Dramatist, Playwright
Faith … acts promptly and boldly on the occasion, on slender evidence.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it.
—Alexandre Dumas pere (1802–1870) French Novelist, Playwright
A man’s doubts and fears are his worst enemies.
—William Wrigley, Jr. (1861–1932) American Businessman
The longing for certainty … is in every human mind. But certainty is generally illusion.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
To believe with certainty, we must begin by doubting.
—Polish Proverb
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