Thought Quotes | Beyond Motive 32/36

top of page

Thought Quotes

"I used to want to be tall, and then I thought, 'If I were tall, then people would say I was pretty and not cute.' And then I realized that there are worse things than being called cute."

"I used to want to be tall, and then I thought, 'If I were tall, then people would say I was pretty and not cute.' And then I realized that there are worse things than being called cute."

Kristin Chenoweth, American Actress

Thought, People, Being, Cute

20

"I had always thought of starting my own record company. I haven't regretted the decision - yet!"

"I had always thought of starting my own record company. I haven't regretted the decision - yet!"

Julian Lennon, English Musician

Thought, Decision, Company

20

"The sweetest part of being a couple is sharing your life with someone else.But my life, evidently, had not been good enough to share."

"The sweetest part of being a couple is sharing your life with someone else.But my life, evidently, had not been good enough to share."

Charlaine Harris, American Author

Thought, Mind, Idea, Reflection, Logic

20

"We must think things not words or at least we must constantly translate our words into the facts for which they stand if we are to keep to the real and the true."

"We must think things not words or at least we must constantly translate our words into the facts for which they stand if we are to keep to the real and the true."

Oliver Holmes, Jr., American Judge

Thought, Thinking, Word, Reality, Truth

20

"A man has always to be busy with his thoughts if anything is to be accomplished."

"A man has always to be busy with his thoughts if anything is to be accomplished."

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, Dutch Scientist

Thought, Thoughts, Man

20

"When I thought about the calibre of people in the room I realized we might just have a credible candidate for Mayor who will would finally enforce the laws of the city. It was almost too good to be true."

"When I thought about the calibre of people in the room I realized we might just have a credible candidate for Mayor who will would finally enforce the laws of the city. It was almost too good to be true."

Herbert Baker, South African Architect

Thought, People, Laws, Will

20

"Whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people might be informed thereof."

"Whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people might be informed thereof."

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, Dutch Scientist

Thought, People, Discovery, Duty

20

"An arrow may fly through the air and leave no trace; but an ill thought leaves a trail like a serpent."

"An arrow may fly through the air and leave no trace; but an ill thought leaves a trail like a serpent."

Charles Mackay, British Poet

20

"But I owe it to the subject to say, that it has long afforded me what philosophy is so often thought, and made, barren of - the fun of discovery, the pleasures of co-operation, and the satisfaction of reaching agreement."

"But I owe it to the subject to say, that it has long afforded me what philosophy is so often thought, and made, barren of - the fun of discovery, the pleasures of co-operation, and the satisfaction of reaching agreement."

J. L. Austin, English Philosopher

Thought, Agreement, Discovery, Fun

20

"Most of the people who get off at our exit get off by mistake. They thought it was Exit 57."

"Most of the people who get off at our exit get off by mistake. They thought it was Exit 57."

Tom Perkins, American Venture Capitalist

Thought, Mistake, People

20

"I threw so hard I thought my arm would fly right off my body."

"I threw so hard I thought my arm would fly right off my body."

Smokey Joe Wood, American Athlete

Thought, Body, Right

20

"I don't think I am any good. If I thought I was any good, I wouldn't be."

"I don't think I am any good. If I thought I was any good, I wouldn't be."

John Betjeman, English Poet

19

"The result of this union would be, not the fortuitous result of a series of approximations and concessions, but the harmonious synthesis of two aspects of a single thought."

"The result of this union would be, not the fortuitous result of a series of approximations and concessions, but the harmonious synthesis of two aspects of a single thought."

Jacques Ibert, French Composer

Thought, Result

19

"All thought is a feat of association having what's in front of you bring up something in your mind that you almost didn't know you knew."

"All thought is a feat of association having what's in front of you bring up something in your mind that you almost didn't know you knew."

Robert Frost, American Poet

Thought, Creativity, Mind, Connection

19

"For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly."

"For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly."

Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese Philosopher

Thought, Words, Freedom, Imagination

19

"Because thought has by now been perverted into the solving of assigned problems, even what is not assigned is processed like a problem."

"Because thought has by now been perverted into the solving of assigned problems, even what is not assigned is processed like a problem."

Theodor Adorno, German Philosopher

Thought, Now, Problems

19

"We met, 'twas in a crowd, and I thought he would shun me."

"We met, 'twas in a crowd, and I thought he would shun me."

Thomas Haynes Bayly, English Writer

19

"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking."

"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking."

Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher

Thought, Thoughts, Walking

19

"All that night he thought like boomerangs fly: an idea would shoot way off into the distance, all the way to a caravan in Hollywood and, for a moment, when he had got as far away from school and reality as it was possible to go, he was reasonably happy; then it would begin the return journey, thump him on the head, and leave him in exactly the place he had started from. And all the time it got nearer and nearer to the morning."

"All that night he thought like boomerangs fly: an idea would shoot way off into the distance, all the way to a caravan in Hollywood and, for a moment, when he had got as far away from school and reality as it was possible to go, he was reasonably happy; then it would begin the return journey, thump him on the head, and leave him in exactly the place he had started from. And all the time it got nearer and nearer to the morning."

Nick Hornby, English Writer

Thought, Escape, Imagination, Reality

19

"One man's blasphemy doesn't override other people's free-speech rights, their freedom to publish, freedom of thought."

"One man's blasphemy doesn't override other people's free-speech rights, their freedom to publish, freedom of thought."

Dan Savage, American Writer

Thought, People, Freedom, Rights

19

"People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable."

"People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable."

Samuel Butler, British Poet

Thought, People, Being, Care

19

"The best translations cannot convey to us the strength and exquisite delicacy of thought in its native garb, and he to whom such books are shut flounders about in outer darkness."

"The best translations cannot convey to us the strength and exquisite delicacy of thought in its native garb, and he to whom such books are shut flounders about in outer darkness."

Edwin Booth, American Actor

Thought, Strength, Books, Darkness

19

"I've always thought that having an attractive free agent is better than a guy who was picked in the seventh round."

"I've always thought that having an attractive free agent is better than a guy who was picked in the seventh round."

David Dunn, English Athlete

19

"I've thought a lot about the world and how George Bush sees the world and it ain't even close."

"I've thought a lot about the world and how George Bush sees the world and it ain't even close."

Dick Gephardt, American Politician

19

"To me, flying free is doing what I want to do, even if it's different from what everybody expects me to do. I'm flying free when I win the battle between me and the people who thought I should go down this road and I find my own road."

"To me, flying free is doing what I want to do, even if it's different from what everybody expects me to do. I'm flying free when I win the battle between me and the people who thought I should go down this road and I find my own road."

Crystal Waters, American Musician

Thought, People, Battle, Flying

19

"Scientists have proven that it's impossible to long-jump 30 feet, but I don't listen to that kind of talk. Thoughts like that have a way of sinking into your feet."

"Scientists have proven that it's impossible to long-jump 30 feet, but I don't listen to that kind of talk. Thoughts like that have a way of sinking into your feet."

Carl Lewis, American Athlete

Thought, Thoughts, Feet, Scientists, Talk

19

"The man who can smile when things go wrong has thought of someone else he can blame it on."

"The man who can smile when things go wrong has thought of someone else he can blame it on."

Robert Bloch, American Writer

Thought, Blame, Man, Smile

18

"Sanity is only that which is within the frame of reference of conventional thought."

"Sanity is only that which is within the frame of reference of conventional thought."

Erich Fromm, American Psychologist

Thought, Sanity

18

"I would have to say honestly I was very pleased to be in a film whether it was good or bad with De Niro, Norton and Brando even if I don't have any scenes with them, I thought it was pretty good company to keep."

"I would have to say honestly I was very pleased to be in a film whether it was good or bad with De Niro, Norton and Brando even if I don't have any scenes with them, I thought it was pretty good company to keep."

Angela Bassett, American Actress

Thought, Company, Film, Pretty

18

"Don't think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed."

"Don't think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed."

Dwight D. Eisenhower, American President

Thought, Thoughts

18

"A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value."

"A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value."

Isaac Asimov, American Scientist

Thought, Error, May, Value

18

"Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many of those who worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit or oratory."

"Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many of those who worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit or oratory."

Emily Post, American Author

Thought, Conversation, Oratory, Wit

18

"Courage is the fear of being thought a coward."

"Courage is the fear of being thought a coward."

Horace Smith, English Poet

Thought, Fear, Courage, Being

18

"Why are there trees I never walk under but large and melodious thoughts descend upon me?"

"Why are there trees I never walk under but large and melodious thoughts descend upon me?"

Walt Whitman, American Poet

Thought, Thoughts, Trees

18

"Beware thoughts that come in the night. They aren't turned properly; they come in askew, free of sense and restriction, deriving from the most remote of sources."

"Beware thoughts that come in the night. They aren't turned properly; they come in askew, free of sense and restriction, deriving from the most remote of sources."

William Trogdon, American Author

Thought, Thoughts, Night, Sense

18

"Language is the dress of thought."

"Language is the dress of thought."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Thought, Dress, Language

18

"When he died, Emerson was thought of as the representative American writer par excellence, and his point of view was still so potent that William James was honored to be asked to speak at a centenary celebration."

"When he died, Emerson was thought of as the representative American writer par excellence, and his point of view was still so potent that William James was honored to be asked to speak at a centenary celebration."

Howard Mumford Jones, American Writer

Thought, Excellence

18

"The dead of midnight is the noon of thought."

"The dead of midnight is the noon of thought."

Anna Letitia Barbauld, English Poet

Thought, Midnight

18

"I thought 'God, what have I done?'... I realized I would be in serious trouble. I thought the best way out of the mess was to make sure she could not tell anybody."

"I thought 'God, what have I done?'... I realized I would be in serious trouble. I thought the best way out of the mess was to make sure she could not tell anybody."

Peter Sutcliffe, English Criminal

Thought, Trouble

18

"Everyone said that if you want to be a real actor, go to New York. If you want to sell out, go to LA. And I thought - I want to sell out!"

"Everyone said that if you want to be a real actor, go to New York. If you want to sell out, go to LA. And I thought - I want to sell out!"

Jennifer Tilly, American Actress

Thought, Actor, Want

17

"I guess I'm like Roger Miller who used to say that he didn't have as many jokes as he thought he did."

"I guess I'm like Roger Miller who used to say that he didn't have as many jokes as he thought he did."

Glen Campbell, American Musician

17

"I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything."

"I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything."

Steven Wright, American Comedian

Thought, Reading

17

"By this act the president alone is empowered to make the law, to fix in his mind what acts, words, what thoughts or looks, shall constitute such a crime."

"By this act the president alone is empowered to make the law, to fix in his mind what acts, words, what thoughts or looks, shall constitute such a crime."

Edward Livingston, American Judge

Thought, Thoughts, Act, Crime, Law

17

"It is a good idea to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought."

"It is a good idea to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought."

James Douglas, American Leader

Thought, Idea, Dawn, Garden

17

"A great many people mistake opinions for thought."

"A great many people mistake opinions for thought."

Herbert V. Prochnow, American Businessman

Thought, Mistake, People, Opinions

17

"For some days, people thought that India was shaking. But there are always tremors when a great tree falls."

"For some days, people thought that India was shaking. But there are always tremors when a great tree falls."

Rajiv Gandhi, Indian Statesman

Thought, People

17

"Action is no less necessary than thought to the instinctive tendencies of the human frame."

"Action is no less necessary than thought to the instinctive tendencies of the human frame."

Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Leader

Thought, Action

17

"Nothing requires a greater effort of thought than arguments to justify the rule of non-thought."

"Nothing requires a greater effort of thought than arguments to justify the rule of non-thought."

Milan Kundera, Czechoslovakian Writer

Thought, Arguments, Effort, Nothing

17

"Surrealism is a bourgeois disaffection; that its militants thought it universal is only one of the signs that it is typically bourgeois."

"Surrealism is a bourgeois disaffection; that its militants thought it universal is only one of the signs that it is typically bourgeois."

Susan Sontag, American Author

Thought, Surrealism

17

"Not until he stood at the altar did he achieve a sense of being hale and furnished. It was strange, he thought, that a man would find his surest current in the spot where he felt least worthy."

"Not until he stood at the altar did he achieve a sense of being hale and furnished. It was strange, he thought, that a man would find his surest current in the spot where he felt least worthy."

Charles Tennyson Turner, English Poet

Thought, Being, Man, Sense

17

bottom of page