It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.
He who is in love is wise and is becoming wiser, sees newly every time he looks at the object beloved, drawing from it with his eyes and his mind those virtues which it possesses.
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward.
Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.
Experience is not what happens to a man, it's what a man does with what happens to him.
Never say more than is necessary.
One only gets to the top rung on the ladder by steadily climbing up one at a time, and suddenly, all sorts of powers, all sorts of abilities which you thought never belonged to you -- suddenly become within your own possibility and you think, "Well, I'll have a go, too''.
Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later a collection of mistakes is what is called experience.
No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an unchartered land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.
A dream is a wish your heart makes.
Children are all foreigners.
Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.
There may be peace without joy, and joy without peace, but the two combined make happiness
Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.
You have to think anyway, so why not think big ?
Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.
The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered. When crossing over fences, carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be.
Do we not all agree to call rapid thought and noble impulse by the name of inspiration ?
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life.
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.
All misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune.
God is merciful to those whom he sees struggling heart and soul for realization. But remain idle, without any struggle, and you will see that his grace will never come.
Relationships are the hallmark of the mature person.
Seeing yourself as you want to be is the key to personal growth.
Cushion the painful effects of hard blows by keeping the enthusiasm going strong, even if doing so requires struggle.
Anybody can do just about anything with himself that he really wants to and makes up his mind to do. We are all capable of greater things than we realize.
If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.
Better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
I am again fairly settled down to the pleasant duties of an old fashioned Virginia house-keeper, steady as a clock, busy as a bee, and as cheerful as a cricket.
The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life.
The worst thing one can do is not to try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized -- never knowing.
Luck is when opportunity knocks, and you answer.
The brain and muscles must develop simultaneously. Iron nerves with an intelligent brain - and the whole world is at your feet.
We must have friendship for all, we must be merciful toward those that are in misery, when people are happy, we ought to be happy, and to the wicked we must be indifferent. These attitudes will make the mind peaceful.
The man who has no imagination has no wings.
It is interesting to notice how some minds seem almost to create themselves, springing up under every disadvantage, and working their solitary but irresistible way through a thousand obstacles.
The unique ability to take decisive action while maintaining focus on the ultimate mission is what defines a true leader.
We should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened. Winston Churchill When I want to read a novel, I write one.
A ship is safe in harbor, but thats not what ships are for.
This is as true in everyday life as it is in battle we are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind, or whether to act, and in acting, to live.
How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.
Our limitations and success will be based, most often, on your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells upon, the body acts upon.
Courage is not a virtue of value among other personal values like love or fidelity. It is the foundation that underlies and gives reality to all other virtues and personal values. Without courage our love pales into mere dependency. Without courage our fidelity becomes conformism.
Your level of brilliance will determine the size of your opportunities in life.
Don't hide your light under a bushel.
This is the true joy the being used for a purpose recognized as a might one.
Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, " What's in it for me ? ".
I used to think anyone doing anything weird was weird. Now I know that it is the people that call others weird that are weird.
To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.
I deal with the obvious. I present, reiterate and glorify the obvious -- because the obvious is what people need to be told.
We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule our lives from within
Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.
We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.
Keep away from small people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too can become great.
A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties. No religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
Success leaves clues.
Challenges are what make life interesting , overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
Repeat anything long enough and it will start to become you.
Someday when I grow up, finish school and get a job, I'll start living my life the way I want someday after the mortgage is paid off, the finances are on track and the kids are grown up, I'll drive that new car and take exciting trips abroad someday, now that I'm 9 about to retire, I'll buy that beautiful motor home and travel across this great country, and see all there is to see someday.
We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insolvuble problems.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly it is dearness only that gives everything its value.
Seize the day.
Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
No man can succeed in a line of endeavor which he does not like.
If you're not sure where you're going, you'll probably end up somewhere else.
First law on holes - when you're in one, stop digging.
You owe it to yourself to find your own unorthodox way of succeeding, or sometimes, just surviving.
No one became poor by giving alms.
Our first journey is to find that special place for us.
Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.
Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible - the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
The fire that warms us can also consume us, it is not the fault of the fire.
You are never a loser until you quit trying.
Every hero becomes a bore at last.
Accomplishment of purpose is better than making a profit.
If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.
It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.
The time to make friends is before you need them.
Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint you can on it.
There is nothing as remarkable as learning how to think better.
Lives most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others ?