Suspense is worst than disappointment.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
We need to practice acting in spite of fear, in spite of doubt, in spite of worry, in spite of uncertainty, in spite of inconvenience, in spite of discomfort, and even to practice acting when we’re not in the mood to act.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work. Worry upsets our whole system, work keeps it in health and order.
—John Lubbock (1834–1913) English Politician, Biologist
If we would keep filling our minds with the picture of happy things ahead, many worries and anxieties, and perhaps ill health, would naturally melt away … Always expect the best. Then if you have to hurdle a few tough problems, you will have generated the strength and courage to do so.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
If you are standing upright, don’t worry if your shadow is crooked
—Chinese Proverb
Loans and debts make worry and frets.
—Common Proverb
The task of worrying is to come up with positive solutions for life’s perils by anticipating dangers before they arise. If we are preoccupied by worries, we have that must less attention to expend on figuring out the answers. Our worries become self-fulfilling prophecies, propelling us toward the very disaster they predict.
—Daniel Goleman (b.1946) American Psychologist, Author, Science Journalist
Never bear more than one kind of trouble at a time. Some people bear three – all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have.
—Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909) American Unitarian Clergyman, Writer
We have a lot of anxieties, and one cancels out another very often.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Doubts and jealousies often beget the facts they fear.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
When I look back on all the worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which never happened.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
We have a problem. “Congratulations.” But it’s a tough problem. “Then double congratulations.”
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Set aside half an hour every day to do all your worrying; then take a nap during this period.
—Unknown
People get so in the habit of worry that if you save them from drowning and put them on a bank to dry in the sun with hot chocolate and muffins they wonder whether they are catching cold.
—John Jay Chapman (1862–1933) American Biographer, Poet, Essayist, Writer
A great many worries can be diminished by realizing the unimportance of the matter which is causing anxiety.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.
—George Burns (1896–1996) American Comedian
There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
The man of wisdom is never in two minds about right and wrong; the man of benevolence never worries about the future; the man of courage is never afraid.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Raising children is an uncertain thing; success is reached only after a life of battle and worry.
—Democritus (c.460–c.370 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
There’s many a pessimist who got that way by financing an optimist.
—Anonymous
If you have enough push, you don’t have to worry about the pull.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
Why worry when you can pray?
—Anonymous
Does one really have to fret about enlightenment? No matter which way I turn, I’m homeward bound.
—Anthony de Mello (1931–87) Indian-born American Theologian
You can never become a great man or woman until you have overcome anxiety, worry, and fear. It is impossible for an anxious person, a worried one, or a fearful one to perceive truth; all things are distorted and thrown out of their proper relations by such mental states, and those who are in them cannot read the thoughts of God.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they do possess, they would stop worrying. Would you sell both your eyes for a million dollars … or your two legs … or your hands … or your hearing? Add up what you do have, and you’ll find that you won’t sell them for all the gold in the world. The best things in life are yours, if you can appreciate yourself.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there and worrying. It’s the worry that gets you, not the loss of sleep.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
After all, our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
You can’t start worrying about what’s going to happen. You get spastic enough worrying about what’s happening now.
—Lauren Bacall (1924–2014) American Film Actress
When speculation has done its worst, two and two still make four.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Little minds have little worries, big minds have no time for worries.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Don’t worry about your heart, it will last you as long as you live.
—W. C. Fields (1880–1946) American Actor, Comedian, Writer
When one has too great a dread of what is impending, one feels some relief when the trouble has come.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Oh the nerves, the nerves; the mysteries of this machine called man! Oh the little that unhinges it, poor creatures that we are.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
Pray, and let God worry
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
Anxiety about the future never profits; we feel no evil until it comes, and when we feel it, no counsel helps; wisdom is either too early or too late.
—Friedrich Ruckert (1788–1866) German Poet, Translator
Imaginary obstacles are insurmountable. Real ones aren’t. But you can’t tell the difference when you have no real information. Fear can create even more imaginary obstacles than ignorance can. That’s why the smallest step away from speculation and into reality can be an amazing relief. The Reality Solution means: Do it before you’re ready.
—Barbara Sher (1935–2020) American Career Coach
Blessed is the man who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.
—Anonymous
If you treat every situation as a life and death matter, you’ll die a lot of times.
—Dean Smith (1931–2015) American Basketball Coach
Some of your hurts you have cured,
And the sharpest you still have survived,
But what torments of grief you endured
From evils which never arrived.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The freedom now desired by many is not freedom to do and dare but freedom from care and worry.
—James Truslow Adams (1878–1949) American Historian, Writer
Similarly—although to a somewhat lesser degree—conceit, self-indulgence, and greed lead to physical illness, or lack of well-being.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn’t you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn’t most of them turn out all right after all?
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
A wise man fights to win, but he is twice a fool who has no plan for possible defeat.
—Louis L’Amour (1908–88) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
Life is eating us up. We shall be fables presently. Keep cool: It will all be one a hundred years hence.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Don’t worry, be crappy. Revolutionary means you ship and then test… Lots of things made the first Mac in 1984 a piece of crap – but it was a revolutionary piece of crap
—Guy Kawasaki (1954–84) American Investor
Happy the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying, once and for all.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
I think these difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes around worry about are of no importance whatsoever.
—Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) (1885–1962) Danish Novelist, Short-story Writer
If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.
—Don Herold (1889–1966) American Humorist, Writer, Illustrator, Cartoonist
Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.
—Corrie Ten Boom (1892–1983) Dutch Jewish Humanist
Some men storm imaginary Alps all their lives, and die in the foothills cursing difficulties which do not exist.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor