Quotes about motivation and goals
230 quotes from 178 people
America demands and deserves big things from us – and nothing big ever came from being small.
When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.
Paulo Coelhoborn 1947The Alchemist (1988), p. 22; a variant of this has become attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen” — but no occurrence of this a statement has been located prior to in The Gift …
Confucius551–479 BCAnalects, Chapter VI, § 6.20I take it that what all men are really after is some form or perhaps only some formula of peace.
Joseph Conrad1857–1924Under Western Eyes (1911), Pt. I
Calvin Coolidge1872–1933Quote from a program at a Coolidge memorial service (1933); cited in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (1999). The passage did not originate with Coolidge, but evolved over several decades, appearing as early as 1881 in a youth guidance book- Calvin Coolidge1872–1933Quote from a program at a Coolidge memorial service (1933); cited in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (1999). The passage did not originate with Coolidge, but evolved over several decades, appearing as early as 1881 in a youth guidance book
No one rises so high as he who knows not whither he is going.
Oliver Cromwell1599–1658Statement to Pomponne de Bellievre, as told to Cardinal de Retz in 1651; Memoirs of Cardinal de Retz (1717), p.75; p.286
Marie Curie1867–1934Letter to her brother Józef (18 March 1894), quoted in Eve Curie, Madame Curie (1937)I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy.
Marie Curie1867–1934Autobiographical Notes, in Pierre Curie (1923)It is a wretched taste to be gratified with mediocrity when the excellent lies before us.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry1900–1944Citadelle or The Wisdom of the Sands (1948)All our dreams can come true—if we have the courage to pursue them.
Walt Disney1901–1966How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Magic Every Day of Your Life (2004)
