Quotes by Author | Beyond Motive

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Quotes by Author

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

Robert Brault, American Author

109

"When ambition ends, happiness begins."

"When ambition ends, happiness begins."

Thomas Merton, American Author

Happiness, Ambition

69

"In every religion there is an element of the supernatural, varying with the influence of pure reason over its devotees."

"In every religion there is an element of the supernatural, varying with the influence of pure reason over its devotees."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Religion, Influence, Reason, Supernatural

62

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."

Henry David Thoreau, American Author

Motivational, Success

61

"Recollection builds up our personality. Our individuality is based on all the little pieces we assembled in the past. ['The past was her best friend']"

"Recollection builds up our personality. Our individuality is based on all the little pieces we assembled in the past. ['The past was her best friend']"

Erik Pevernagie, Belgian Author

Identity, Memory, Personality, Past

61

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."

Mark Twain, American Author

Wisdom, People, Doubt, Fool, Open

60

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."

Tony Robbins, American Author

Motivational, Goals, First

60

"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today."

"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today."

H. G. Wells, English Author

Resilience, Today, Yesterday

59

"Life is a comedy for those who think... and a tragedy for those who feel."

"Life is a comedy for those who think... and a tragedy for those who feel."

Horace Walpole, English Author

Life, Comedy, Tragedy

52

"It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar."

"It is always the best policy to speak the truth, unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar."

Jerome K. Jerome, English Author

52

"We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery."

"We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery."

Samuel Smiles, Scottish Author

Wisdom, Success, Mistake, Failure

52

"Revenge only engenders violence, not clarity and true peace. I think liberation must come from within."

"Revenge only engenders violence, not clarity and true peace. I think liberation must come from within."

Sandra Cisneros, American Author

Peace, Clarity, Revenge, Violence

51

"Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend."

"Without Hitler, the State of Israel probably would not exist today. To that extent he was probably the Jews' greatest friend."

David Irving, British Author

Friendship, Friend, Israel, State, Today

51

"Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."

"Everywhere I go, I'm asked if I think the universities stifle writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."

Flannery O'Connor, American Author

Opinion, Writers

49

"All is worthwhile if the soul is not small."

"All is worthwhile if the soul is not small."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

47

"To feel today what one felt yesterday isn't to feel - it's to remember today what was felt yesterday, to be today's living corpse of what yesterday was lived and lost."

"To feel today what one felt yesterday isn't to feel - it's to remember today what was felt yesterday, to be today's living corpse of what yesterday was lived and lost."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

Living, Today, Yesterday

47

"Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise."

"Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Truth, Knowledge, Difference, Falsehood

46

"You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you."

"You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you."

Brian Tracy, American Author

Now, Right, World

46

"And this we should believe: that hope and volition can bring us closer to our ultimate goal: justice for all, injustice for no-one."

"And this we should believe: that hope and volition can bring us closer to our ultimate goal: justice for all, injustice for no-one."

Eyvind Johnson, Swedish Author

Hope, Injustice

45

"For us Africans, literature must serve a purpose: to expose, embarrass, and fight corruption and authoritarianism. It is understandable why the African artist is utilitarian."

"For us Africans, literature must serve a purpose: to expose, embarrass, and fight corruption and authoritarianism. It is understandable why the African artist is utilitarian."

Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian Author

Corruption, African, Artist, Fight

45

"You can have power over people as long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in you power."

"You can have power over people as long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in you power."

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Russian Author

Power, People, Man

45

"Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left."

"Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left."

Victor Hugo, French Author

Being, Carnival

45

"Especially moments when things are very difficult and complicated for me and I am still trying to grasp what is happening and I am still trying to understand and to reach family back home."

"Especially moments when things are very difficult and complicated for me and I am still trying to grasp what is happening and I am still trying to understand and to reach family back home."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Family, Home, Moments, Trying

44

"The only interesting answers are those that destroy the questions."

"The only interesting answers are those that destroy the questions."

Susan Sontag, American Author

Answers, Questions

42

"It's a sad moment, really, when parents first become a bit frightened of their children."

"It's a sad moment, really, when parents first become a bit frightened of their children."

Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian Author

Family, Children, First, Parents

42

"The religion of the Indian is the last thing about him that the man of another race will ever understand."

"The religion of the Indian is the last thing about him that the man of another race will ever understand."

Charles Eastman, Sioux Author

Religion, Man, Race, Will

42

"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."

"A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety."

Aesop, Greek Author

Contentment, Peace, Anxiety

42

"The writer identifies the thought behind every written word."

"The writer identifies the thought behind every written word."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Skill, Writer, Identifies, Thought, Word

41

"The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become."

"The more things are forbidden, the more popular they become."

Mark Twain, American Author

Attitude, Forbidden, Popular

41

"Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

"Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

Lewis Carroll, English Author

41

"We should try to understand our innermost needs. We shouldn't use irony to reduce their power."

"We should try to understand our innermost needs. We shouldn't use irony to reduce their power."

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

Power, Irony, Needs

40

"There is, indeed, nothing that so much seduces reason from vigilance, as the thought of passing life with an amiable woman."

"There is, indeed, nothing that so much seduces reason from vigilance, as the thought of passing life with an amiable woman."

Samuel Johnson, English Author

Life, Thought, Nothing, Reason

40

"I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old."

"I first read science fiction in the old British Chum annual when I was about 12 years old."

A. E. van Vogt, Canadian Author

Creativity, Science, Fiction, First, Old

40

"Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new."

"Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new."

Augustine Og Mandino, American Author

Attitude, Questions

40

"Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made."

"Hope cannot be said to exist, nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made."

Lu Hsun, Chinese Author

Men, Hope, Earth, Road

39

"It's a responsibility of the writer to get the reader out of the story somehow."

"It's a responsibility of the writer to get the reader out of the story somehow."

Michael Ondaatje, Canadian Author

Responsibility, Writer

39

"You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen. But if you are beautiful at sixty, it will be your soul's own doing."

"You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen. But if you are beautiful at sixty, it will be your soul's own doing."

Marie Stopes, Scottish Author

Beauty, Soul, Credit, Will

39

"We don't tend to write about disease in fiction - not just teen novels but all American novels - because it doesn't fit in with our idea of the heroic romantic epic. There is room only for sacrifice, heroism, war, politics and family struggle."

"We don't tend to write about disease in fiction - not just teen novels but all American novels - because it doesn't fit in with our idea of the heroic romantic epic. There is room only for sacrifice, heroism, war, politics and family struggle."

John Green, American Author

Literature, Fiction, Disease, Heroism, Sacrifice

39

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."

Mark Twain, American Author

Courage, Fear, Absence

38

"It is a fool's prerogative to utter truths that no one else will speak."

"It is a fool's prerogative to utter truths that no one else will speak."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

38

"I'm a writer first and a woman after."

"I'm a writer first and a woman after."

Katherine Mansfield, New Zealander Author

Identity, First, Woman, Writer, Newzealander

37

"Always Do Your Best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."

"Always Do Your Best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."

Miguel Angel Ruiz, Mexican Author

Change, Circumstance, Regret, Self

37

"I once knew a house rather like The Land of Smiles - an old house occupied by a varied collection of young people, mainly students. However none of these people were true models for the characters in the book, though their way of life may have been."

"I once knew a house rather like The Land of Smiles - an old house occupied by a varied collection of young people, mainly students. However none of these people were true models for the characters in the book, though their way of life may have been."

Margaret Mahy, New Zealander Author

Life, People, Land, May

37

"No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in with it."

"No intelligent idea can gain general acceptance unless some stupidity is mixed in with it."

Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese Author

Creativity, Idea, Acceptance, Gain, Stupidity

37

"You have all these people in the city and everything has become centralized. If you live outside the city and you need a birth certificate or some official paper from the government, you have to travel to the city."

"You have all these people in the city and everything has become centralized. If you live outside the city and you need a birth certificate or some official paper from the government, you have to travel to the city."

Edwidge Danticat, Haitian Author

Travel, Government, People

37

"Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen."

"Grief has limits, whereas apprehension has none. For we grieve only for what we know has happened, but we fear all that possibly may happen."

Pliny the Elder, Roman Author

Fear, Grief, Limits, May

37

"The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough is love."

"The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough is love."

Henry Miller, American Author

37

"The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."

"The man who does not read books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."

Mark Twain, American Author

Inspirational, Books, Man

37

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."

"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."

Aesop, Greek Author

Justice, Office, Public

36

"In a country like France, so ancient, their history is full of outstanding people, so they carry a heavy weight on their back. Who could write in French after Proust or Flaubert?"

"In a country like France, so ancient, their history is full of outstanding people, so they carry a heavy weight on their back. Who could write in French after Proust or Flaubert?"

Manuel Puig, Argentinian Author

History, People, Country, France

36

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