“It’s precisely the disappointing stories, which have no proper ending and therefore no proper meaning, that sound true to life.”
— Max Frisch
“Hope is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles.”
— Samuel Smiles
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.”
— Barbara Kingsolver
“Allowing a negative situation to bring out the worst in you is never a good idea. Make the decision to be optimistic and to be the powerful person that God intended for you to be!”
— Unknown
“All limitations are self-imposed.”
— Oliver Wendell Holmes
“You can live a lifetime and, at the end of it, know more about other people than you know about yourself.”
— Beryl Markham
“To be authentic is literally to be your own author…, to discover your own native energies and desires, and then to find your own way of acting on them.”
— Warren G. Bennis
“Self-knowledge is the great power by which we comprehend and control our lives.”
— Vernon Howard
“When you take charge of your mind, you take charge of your life. When you understand your thoughts, feelings, emotions, and desires, you can direct them to any end you choose. Wisdom comes from taking the time to study yourself, to know why you are the person you are. Taking charge of your mind is a thoughtful, reflective, solitary process. Only you can come to understand the complex inner workings of your own mind, and you must be willing to spend the time and effort that gaining such insight requires.”
— Napoleon Hill
“Julius Caesar had long wished to capture the British. He sailed to the British Isles, quietly unloaded his troops and supplies, and gave the order to burn the ships. He then called all of his men together and said, “Now it is win or perish. We have no choice.” With that single order, he guaranteed the success of his campaign. He knew that people who have no other alternative — or will accept no other — always win. If you find yourself in a situation where victory seems impossible, you may benefit your cause by developing an alternate course of action. If your objective won’t yield to a full frontal assault, try an oblique approach. There are very few problems in life that are impossible to solve, and few obstacles that will not eventually give way to a determined, motivated person with a plan that is flexible enough to cope with changing condition.”
— Napoleon Hill
“Somewhere, as you read, the secret to which I refer will jump from the page and stand boldly before you, if you are ready for it! When it appears, you will recognize it. Whether you receive the sign in the first or the last chapter, stop for a moment when it presents itself, and turn down a glass, for that occasion will mark the most important turning-point of your life.”
— Napoleon Hill