Quotes About Determination

The play seems out for an almost infinite run. Don't mind a little thing like the actors fighting. The only thing I worry about is the sun. Well be all right if nothing goes wrong with the lighting.

I do not see why I should e'er turn back, Or those should not set forth upon my track To overtake me, who should miss me here And long to know if still I held them dear. They would not find me changed from him they knew— Only more sure of all I thought was true.

Out walking in the frozen swamp one gray day, I paused and said, 'I will turn back from here. No, I will go on farther—and we shall see.' The hard snow held me, save where now and then One foot went through. The view was all in lines Straight up and down of tall slim trees

The best way out is always through

It is the chair in honor of all those who, however competently, embrace the impossible. Sit in that chair someday.

Never whine, never complain, never try to justify yourself.

But the greatest battle of all is with yourself—your weaknesses, your emotions, your lack of resolution in seeing things through to the end. You must declare unceasing war on yourself.

Those who seek to achieve things should show no mercy. Kautilya, Indian philosopher third century B.C. OBSERVANCE

With such a deep rooted interest you can withstand the setbacks and failures, the days of drudgery, and the hard work that are always a part of any creative action. You can ignore the doubters and critics. You will then feel personally committed to solving the problem and will not rest until you do so.

Do not think that what is hard for you to master is humanly impossible; and if it is humanly possible, consider it to be within your reach. —MARCUS AURELIUS

we tend to think of our behavior as largely conscious and willed. To imagine that we are not always in control of what we do is a frightening thought, but in fact it is the reality.

Our levels of desire, patience, persistence, and confidence end up playing a much larger role in success than sheer reasoning powers.

Because you think you have options, you never involve yourself deeply enough in one thing to do it thoroughly, and you never quite get what you want. Sometimes you need to run your ships aground, burn them, and leave yourself just one option: succeed or go down. Make the burning of your ships as real as possible—get rid of your safety net. Sometimes you have to become a little desperate to get anywhere.

You must always be prepared to place a bet on yourself, on your future, by heading in a direction that others seem to fear.

Concentrate on a single goal, a single task, and beat it into submission.

Persistence of little progress wins over brute force.

What separates Masters from others is often something surprisingly simple. Whenever we learn a skill, we frequently reach a point of frustration—what we are learning seems beyond our capabilities. Giving in to these feelings, we unconsciously quit on ourselves before we actually give up.

We shall creep out quietly into the butler's pantry-- cried the Mole. --with out pistols and swords and sticks-- shouted ther Rat. --and rush in upon them, said Badger. --and whack 'em, and whack 'em, and whack 'em! cried the Toad in ecstasy, running round and round the room, and jumping over the chairs.

AESTHETICS OF INTEGRITY For every star in the sky Someone is holding his ground.

I poo poo the chit.' The attendant looked stunned. 'You cannot poo-poo the chit!' I do.' Kate said solemnly. 'I do poo-poo.' We'll walk.

This way, she said, veering toward the roof's edge. Can you jump? Oh, I can jump! Then jump!

Brother, Cap said, he's a Pig-nut! Pig-nut? I asked. Pig-nut, Cap repeated. You can tell a man with brains he's wrong and he'll try to fix things up: but you take and tell a pig-nut he's wrong, and he'll spend the rest of his life trying to have something heavy fall on you when you ain't looking. - From Kennebunk born Pulitzer Prize winner Kenneth Roberts' 1933 novel Rabble in Arms.

On every side of us are men who hunt perpetually for their personal northwest passage, too often sacrificing health, strength, and life itself to the search; and who shall say they are not happier in their vain but hopeful quest than wiser, duller folks who sit at home, venturing nothing and, with sour laughs, deriding the seekers for that fabled thoroughfare?

This ain't going to be no goddamn Sunday school picnic.