Laozi on motivation and goals

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao;
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.

The sage wears coarse clothing over his shoulders, but carries jade within his bosom.

A journey of a thousand li starts with a single step.

Do, or do not. There is no ‘try.’

Never give in⁠—never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

Winston Churchill1874–1965Speech given at Harrow School, Harrow, England, October 29, 1941. Quoted in Churchill by Himself (2008), ed. Langworth, PublicAffairs, 2008, p. 23

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

L. P. Jacks1860–1955Often credited to Winston Churchill