Great quotes are tiny wisdom filled capsules on key areas of life. We get, in just a few words, what might have taken the author years of reading, researching, studying, and contemplating to conceive. So rather than having to do all that work, we can get the perfect summary on an important topic of interest to us. This is the incredible value of quotes.
Great quotes are not written on a whim. They are a meticulously selected, crafted, and polished group of words. They are word sculptures!
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Quote Categories
- Abundant Life
- Thought Mastery
- Self Mastery
- Courage
- Transition
- Perseverance
- Motivation
- Friendship
- Relationship
- Love
1. Abundant Life Quotes
“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
-Michelangelo (1475–1564) Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer. Some of his best-known works are his sculptors of Pieta and David and his paintings on ceiling and altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
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“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
-Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) Sixteenth President of the United States, successfully led his country through its greatest crisis, the Civil War, only to be assassinated less than a month after the war’s end.
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“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined.”
-Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, development critic, sage writer and philosopher. Best-known for his book, “Walden,” a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings.
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“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
-Gandhi (1869-1948) Also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was the pioneer of Satyagraha- a philosophy that is largely concerned with truth and resistance to evil through active, non-violent resistance- which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
2. Thought Mastery Quotes
“A man’s what he thinks about all day long.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, philosopher, poet, and leader of the Transcendentalist movement in the early 19th century. ”Self-Reliance”
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“You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.”
-James Allen (1864-1912) Philosophical writer of British nationality, known for his inspirational books and poetry. His most famous book is ”As a Man Thinketh.”
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“You become what you think about.”
-Earl Nightingale (1921–1989) American motivational speaker who cofounded the Nightingale-Conant corporation. His book, ”The Strangest Secret,”
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“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
-Albert Einstein (1879–1955) Theoretical physicist who is best-known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass–energy equivalence, E = mc2. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics.
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“Self-disciplined begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”
-Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. His most famous work, ”Think and Grow Rich,”
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“You cannot escape the results of your thoughts. Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain or rise with your thoughts, your vision, your ideal. You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration.”
-James Allen (1864-1912) Philosophical writer of British nationality, known for his inspirational books and poetry. His most famous book is ”As a Man Thinketh.”
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“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”
-Eckhart Tolle (1948- ) Spiritual teacher, motivational speaker, and New Thought writer. He has studied literature, languages and philosophy. His best-selling books include ”The Power of Now”
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“The shortcut to anything you want in your life is to BE and FEEL happy now! It is the fastest way to bring money and anything else you want into your life.”
-Rhonda Byrne (1955- ) Australian television writer and producer, best-known for her work, ”The Secret,”
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“Action that is inspired from aligned thought is joyful action. Action that is offered from a place of contradicted thought is hard work that is not satisfying and does not yield good results. When you really feel like jumping into action, that is a clear sign that your vibration is pure and you are not offering contradicting thoughts to your own desire. When you are having a hard time making yourself do something, or when the action you offer does not produce the results you are seeking, it is always because you are offering thoughts in opposition to your desire.”
-Esther Hicks (? – ) Inspirational speaker, and best-selling author. She has co-authored eight books with husband Jerry Hicks including ”Money, and the Law of Attraction.”
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“The Law of Attraction states that whatever you focus on, think about, read about, and talk about intensely, you’re going to attract more of into your life.”
-Jack Canfield (1944- ) American motivational speaker and author. He is best-known as the co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, which has 100 million copies in print. Some of his best-selling books include ”The Success Principles”
3. Self Mastery Quotes
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
-Socrates (470 BC–399 BC) Considered one of the founders of Western philosophy. He strongly influenced Plato, who was his student, and Aristotle, whom Plato taught.
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“The first and the best victory is to conquer self.”
-Plato (428 BC–348 BC) Classical Greek philosopher, who together with his teacher, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, helped to lay the philosophical foundations of Western culture.
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“What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.”
-Aristotle (384 BC–322 BC) Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.
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“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.”
-Denis Waitley (1933- ) One of America’s most respected authors, keynote lecturers, and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. His audio programs have sold over 10 million copies. One of his most popular titles is ”The Psychology of Winning.”
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“Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything else is…impossible.”
-Richard Bach (1936- ) American writer who is widely known for the hugely popular best-seller ”Jonathan Livingston Seagull.”
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“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.”
-Stephen Covey (1932-2012) Covey established the “Covey Leadership Center” which, merged with Franklin Quest to form FranklinCovey. He wrote the best-selling book ”The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”
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“Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you’ve got.”
-Jim Rohn (1930-2009) American philosopher, motivational speaker, business executive, and best-selling author. One of is best-known works is ”The Art of Exceptional Living.”
4. Courage Quotes
Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
-Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955.
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“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, philosopher, poet, and leader of the Transcendentalist movement in the early 19th century. ”Self-Reliance”
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“Most of us have far more courage than we ever dreamed we possessed.”
-Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in public speaking and interpersonal skills. He was the author of the best-selling book ”How to Win Friends & Influence People.”
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“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”
-Nelson Mandela (1918- ) Former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in fully representative democratic elections. Prior to this he spent 27 years in prison on convictions related to his struggle against apartheid.
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“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and assumed a role as an advocate for civil rights.
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“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
-Albert Einstein (1879–1955) Theoretical physicist who is best-known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass–energy equivalence, E = mc2. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics.
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“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
-Walt Disney (1901-1966) Multiple Academy Award-winning American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.
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“We must have courage to bet on our ideas, to take the calculated risk, and to act. Everyday living requires courage if life is to be effective and bring happiness.”
-Maxwell Maltz (1899–1975) American cosmetic surgeon and author who developed Psycho-Cybernetics, a system of ideas to improve self-image and lead a more successful life. His best-selling book on this topic is ”Psycho-Cybernetics.”
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“Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.”
-John Wayne (1907–1979) Academy Award-winning American film actor. He epitomized rugged masculinity, and has become an enduring American icon.
5. Transition Quotes
“You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created.”
-Albert Einstein (1879–1955) Theoretical physicist who is best-known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass–energy equivalence, E = mc2. Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics.
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“If your head tells you one thing, and your heart tells you another, before you do anything, you should first decide whether you have a better head or a better heart.”
-Marilyn vos Savant (1946- ) American magazine columnist, author, lecturer and playwright who rose to fame through her listing in the Guinness Book of World Records under “Highest IQ”. One of her best-selling books is ”Brain Building in Just 12 Weeks.”
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“Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.”
-Jack Canfield (1944- ) American motivational speaker and author. He is best-known as the co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, which has 100 million copies in print. Some of his best-selling books include ”The Success Principles”
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“You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.”
-Wayne Dyer (1940- ) Popular American self-help advocate, author and lecturer. His book, ”Your Erroneous Zones,”
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“Every failure, obstacle or hardship is an opportunity in disguise. Success in many cases is failure turned inside out. The greatest pollution problem we face today is negativity. Eliminate the negative attitude and believe you can do anything. Replace ‘if I can, I hope, maybe’ with ‘I can, I will, I must.'”
-Mary Kay Ash (1918–2001) U.S. businessperson and the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.
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“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.”
-Brian Tracy (1944- ) Self-help author who has written and produced more than 300 audio and video learning programs, including the worldwide, best-selling ”The Psychology of Achievement.”
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“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment.”
-Eckhart Tolle (1948- ) Spiritual teacher, motivational speaker, and New Thought writer. He has studied literature, languages and philosophy. His best-selling books include ”The Power of Now”
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“How do I change?
If I feel depressed I will sing. If I feel sad I will laugh. If I feel ill I will double my labour. If I feel fear I will plunge ahead. If I feel inferior I will wear new garments. If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice. If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come. If I feel incompetent I will think of past success. If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals. Today I will be the master of my emotions.”
-Og Mandino (1923-1996) A “sales guru” and the author of the best-selling book ”The Greatest Salesman in the World.”
6. Perseverance Quotes
“What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it.”
-Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922) An eminent scientist, inventor, and innovator who is credited with the invention of the telephone.
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“Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.”
-Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. His most famous work, ”Think and Grow Rich,”
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“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
-Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in public speaking and interpersonal skills. He was the author of the best-selling book ”How to Win Friends & Influence People.”
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“We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule our lives from within.”
-Earl Nightingale (1921–1989) American motivational speaker who cofounded the Nightingale-Conant corporation. His book, ”The Strangest Secret,”
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“When you get in a tight place and everything goes against you, until it seems as if you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time when the tide will turn.”
-Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896) American author and abolitionist, whose novel ”Uncle Tom’s Cabin”
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“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”
-Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. His most famous work, ”Think and Grow Rich,”
7. Motivation Quotes
“There is nothing impossible to him who will try.”
-Alexander the Great (356 BC–323 BC) Also known as Alexander III and Alexander the Macedonian, was an ancient Greek king (336–323 BC). He was one of the most successful military commanders in history, and was undefeated in battle.
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“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain (1835-1910) Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, he was an American humorist, satirist, lecturer and writer. Twain is most noted for his novels ”The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.”
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“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
-Walt Disney (1901-1966) Multiple Academy Award-winning American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.
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“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
-Vince Lombardi (1913–1970) American football coach who was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers 1959-67, winning five NFL league championships.
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“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”
-Mark Victor Hansen (1948- ) An American inspirational and motivational speaker, trainer and author. He is best-known as the founder and co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series. Popular books he co-authored include ”The One Minute Millionaire”
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“Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.”
-Wayne Dyer (1940- ) Popular American self-help advocate, author and lecturer. His book, ”Your Erroneous Zones,”
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“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.”
-Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American author and a progenitor of the theory of “positive thinking.” He is best-known for his book ”The Power of Positive Thinking.”
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“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”
-Mario Andretti (1940- ) American former racecar driver, and one of the most successful Americans in the history of auto racing.
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“I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person.“
-Og Mandino (1923-1996) A “sales guru” and the author of the best-selling book ”The Greatest Salesman in the World.”
8. Friendship Quotes
“Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.”
-Aristotle (384 BC–322 BC) Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great.
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“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.”
-George Washington (1732–1799) First President of the United States, (1789–1797), and led the Continental Army to victory over the Kingdom of Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783).
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“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
-Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in public speaking and interpersonal skills. He was the author of the best-selling book ”How to Win Friends & Influence People.”
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“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
-Zig Ziglar (1926- ) American author, salesperson, and motivational speaker. One of his best-selling classics is ”See You at the Top.”
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“Friendships are different from all other relationships. Unlike acquaintanceship, friendship is based on love. Unlike lovers and married couples, it is free of jealousy. Unlike children and parents, it knows neither criticism nor resentment. Friendship has no status in law. Business partnerships are based on a contract. So is marriage. Parents are bound by the law. But friendships are freely entered into, freely given, freely exercised. “
-Stephen Ambrose (1936–2002) American historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents.
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“A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often – just to save it from drying out completely.”
-Pam Brown (1948- ) Australian poet. She is the author of many books of poetry and prose including “Drifting topoi,” “Text thing,” and “Dear Deliria.”
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“A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.”
-Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. He was an influential exponent of the Arts and Crafts movement.
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“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
-Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American writer and lecturer and the developer of famous courses in public speaking and interpersonal skills. He was the author of the best-selling book ”How to Win Friends & Influence People.”
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“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”
-Anonymous
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“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”
-Oprah Winfrey (1954- ) American television host, media mogul, and philanthropist. Her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, has earned her multiple Emmy Awards and is the highest-rated talk show in the history of television.
9. Relationship Quotes
“However good or bad you feel about your relationship, the person you are with at this moment is the ‘right’ person, because he or she is the mirror of who you are inside.”
-Deepak Chopra (1946- ) Medical doctor and writer, has written extensively on spirituality and diverse topics in mind-body medicine. One of his best-selling books is ”The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.”
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“When you judge another person, you do not define him or her, you define yourself.”
-Wayne Dyer (1940- ) Popular American self-help advocate, author and lecturer. His book, ”Your Erroneous Zones,”
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“Be good to yourself. People will only treat you as well as you treat yourself.”
-Mark Victor Hansen (1948- ) An American inspirational and motivational speaker, trainer and author. He is best-known as the founder and co-creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series. Popular books he co-authored include ”The One Minute Millionaire”
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“Men are motivated and empowered when they feel needed. Women are motivated and empowered when they feel cherished.”
-John Gray (1951- ) American author on relationships and personal growth, best-known for his book ”Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus.”
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“When you struggle with your partner, you are struggling with yourself. Every fault you see in them touches a denied weakness in yourself.”
-Deepak Chopra (1946- ) Medical doctor and writer, has written extensively on spirituality and diverse topics in mind-body medicine. One of his best-selling books is ”The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.”
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“It’s surprising how many persons go through life without ever recognizing that their feelings toward other people are largely determined by their feelings toward themselves, and if you’re not comfortable within yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others.”
-Sidney J. Harris (1917–1986) An American journalist for the Chicago Daily News and later the Chicago Sun-Times. His column, “Strictly Personal,” was syndicated in many newspapers throughout the United States and Canada.
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“All disagreements are results of misunderstanding someone else’s level of consciousness.”
-Deepak Chopra (1946- ) Medical doctor and writer, has written extensively on spirituality and diverse topics in mind-body medicine. One of his best-selling books is ”The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.”
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“A deadness occurs in relationships when people are no longer willing to tell each other how they really feel.”
-Shakti Gawain (1948- ) Author and proponent of what she calls “personal development”. Her books have sold over 10 million copies. Gawain’s best-known book is ”Creative Visualization.”
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“We are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves.”
-Henri Frederic Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss Philosopher, Poet, Critic
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“Relationships based on obligation lack dignity.”
-Wayne Dyer (1940- ) Popular American self-help advocate, author and lecturer. His book, ”Your Erroneous Zones,”
10. Love Quotes
“Immature love says: ‘I love you because I need you.’ Mature love says ‘I need you because I love you.'”
-Erich Fromm (1900-1980) An internationally renowned social psychologist, psychoanalyst, and humanistic philosopher. One of his best-known books is ”The Art of Loving.”
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“If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.”
-Anonymous
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“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.”
-Barbara De Angelis (1951- ) One of the most influential teachers in the field of relationships and personal growth. One of her best-selling books is ”Are You the One for Me?”
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“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it’s what you are expected to give — which is everything.”
-Anonymous
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“Love does not dominate; it cultivates.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German writer. George Eliot called him “Germany’s greatest man of letters.” Goethe’s works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science.
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“Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another”
-Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680) Noted French author of maxims and memoirs, as well as an example of the accomplished 17th-century nobleman.
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“He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.”
-Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) One of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Franklin was a leading author, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat. His self-written autobiography is ”The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.”
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“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.”
-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. His 600 compositions include works widely acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concert, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music.
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