Wisdom
Epictetus on Difficulty
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.” Epictetus
Thomas Jefferson on Luck
“I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Thomas Jefferson, (attributed) 3rd president of US (1743 – 1826)
Thomas H. Huxley on Wisdom
“It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance.” Thomas Huxley
R. D. Hitchcock on Character and Education
“The secret of all success is to know how to deny yourself. Prove that you can control yourself, and you are an educated man; and without this all other education is good for nothing.” R. D. Hitchcock
J.R.R Tolkien on Wisdom
“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crown less again shall be king.” J.R.R Tolkien
Confucius on Wisdom
“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Confucius
Marie Curie on Understanding
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Skłodowska-Curie Polish chemist & physicist (1867 – 1934)
Al Franken on Mistakes
“Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.” Al Franken, “Oh, the Things I Know”, 2002
Aristotle on Age
“Bashfulness is an ornament to youth, but a reproach to old age.” Aristotle
Benjamin Franklin on Freedom and Security
“He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.” Benjamin Franklin
Mahatma Gandhi on Work
“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” Mahatma Gandhi Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 – 1948)
Saint Paul the Apostle on Money
“People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them.” Saint Paul the Apostle, The Bible (1 Timothy 6:10)
Seneca on Difficulties
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; It is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” Seneca
Jef Mallett on Opinion
“An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.” Jef Mallett Frazz, 04-04-07
Arthur Schopenhauer Wisdom Quote
“We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.” Arthur Schopenhauer German philosopher (1788 – 1860)
Baltasar Gracian on Wisdom
“A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.” Baltasar Gracian
Gilbert K. Chesterton on Imagination
“It is not bigotry to be certain we are right; but it is bigotry to be unable to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong.” Gilbert K. Chesterton English author & mystery novelist (1874 – 1936)
Sun Tzu on Leadership
“A leader leads by example not by force.” Sun Tzu Chinese general & military strategist (~400 BC)
Zig Ziglar on Friendship
“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.” Zig Ziglar
Tom Morris on Love and Life
“The meaning of life is creative love. Not love as an inner feeling, as a private sentimental emotion, but love as a dynamic power moving out into the world and doing something original.” Tom Morris
Ralph Waldo Emerson on Greatness
“To be great is to be misunderstood.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, An Essay on Self-Reliance US essayist & poet (1803 – 1882)
Will Rogers on Direction
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” Will Rogers US humorist & showman (1879 – 1935)
Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friendship
“There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” Saint Thomas Aquinas
Oscar Wilde on Selfishness
“Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.” Oscar Wilde Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet (1854 – 1900)
Omar N. Bradley on Technology and Wisdom
“If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.” Omar N. Bradley
Aeschylus on Wisdom
“It is a profitable thing, if one is wise, to seem foolish.” Aeschylus Greek tragic dramatist (525 BC – 456 BC)
James M. Barrie on Life
“Life is a long lesson in humility.” James M. Barrie
Robert Byrne on Life
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Robert Byrne
Abraham Lincoln on Character
“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Abraham Lincoln
Saint Augustine on Hope
“Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” Saint Augustine
Sun Tzu on Fear
“Fear is the true enemy, the only enemy” Sun Tzu Chinese general & military strategist (~400 BC)
Albert Einstein on Logic and Imagination
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Albert Einstein
Cullen Hightower on Wisdom
“Wisdom is what’s left after we’ve run out of personal opinions.” Cullen Hightower
Benjamin Disraeli on Strategy
“The most dangerous strategy is to jump a chasm in two leaps.” Benjamin Disraeli British politician (1804 – 1881)
Winston Churchill on Strategy and Results
“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” Winston Churchill
Henry Ford on Reputation
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Henry Ford US automobile industrialist (1863 – 1947)
Jesse Owens on Dreams
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” Jesse Owens
Marlene Dietrich on Wisdom
“I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.” Marlene Dietrich German movie actress (1901 – 1992)
G.K. Chesterton on Modernism
“He who marries the spirit of the times will soon find himself a widower.” Gilbert K. Chesterton English author & mystery novelist (1874 – 1936)
Annie Lennox on Kindness
“Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.” Annie Lennox
Daniel Webster on Politics
“A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures.” Daniel Webster US diplomat, lawyer, orator, & politician (1782 – 1852)
Ambrose Bierce on Anger
“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.” Ambrose Bierce
Soren Kierkegaard on Life
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Soren Kierkegaard Danish philosopher (1813 – 1855)
Oren Arnold on Christmas
“Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.” Oren Arnold
Charles M. Crowe on Easter
“Easter tells us that life is to be interpreted not simply in terms of things but in terms of ideals.” Charles M. Crowe