Quotes About Effort

When a man is out of his depth, whether he has fallen into a little swimming-bath or into mid-ocean, he has to swim all the same.

The mind more often faints from the severity of study than from the severity of gymnastics: the toil is more entirely the mind's own and is not shared with the body.

There's no difficulty in choosing vice in abundance: the road is smooth and it's hardly any distance to where it lives. But the gods have put sweat in the way of goodness, and a long, rough, steep road.

It isn't, I said. However, it is a fact that whether one falls into a little swimming pool or into the middle of the biggest sea, one nevertheless swims all the time. Most certainly. Then we too must swim and try to save ourselves from the argument, hoping that some dolphin might take us on his back or for some other unusual rescue.

I exhort you also to take part in the great combat, which is the combat of life, and greater than every other earthly conflict.

After a moment's pause, in which he made a real manly effort to think, he said: My opinion is, Socrates, that temperance makes a man ashamed or modest, and that temperance is the same as modesty. Very good, I said; and did you not admit, just now, that temperance is noble?

La virtud con sus dones diversos nace de la inspiración de una naturaleza honesta, que por su propio esfuerzo abraza a la vez la esencia y todos los modos, debido al sentimiento innato del bien, que la precede y que la crea. Esta ciencia verdaderamente anterior y superior a la virtud, ninguno puede enseñarla, porque cada uno debe sacarla de sí mismo; nace con nosotros.

Knowledge is prior to any particular knowledge, and exists not in the previous state of the individual, but of the race. It is potential, not actual, and can only be appropriated by strenuous exertion.

He means well' is useless unless he does well.

Like someone trying to gargle boiling water.

We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.

Più in generale, l'esperienza ci aveva già dimostrato infinite volte la vanità di ogni previsione: a che scopo travagliarsi per prevedere l'avvenire, quando nessun nostro sforzo, nessuna nostra parola lo avrebbe potuto minimamente influenzare?

Don't do nothing, just because you can't do everything. pg. 144

The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.

Not everything is about beating your head against the wall until it breaks." "Just most things.

No. No no no no. It is not easy. Things that matter are not easy. Feelings of happiness are easy. Happiness is not. Flirting is easy. Love is not. Saying you're friends is easy. Being friends is not.

I turn the key and I turn the key and I turn the key and she doesn't do a damn thing.

People who want things to be perfect are always impossible to please. But that doesn't mean we should stop trying. Even

It is not easy. Things that matter are not easy. Feelings of happiness are easy. Happiness is not. Flirting is easy. Love is not. Saying you're friends is easy. Being friends is not.

People who want things to be perfect are always impossible to please. But that doesn't mean we should stop trying. Even if their expectations aren't correct, their instincts

It's hard to show you that I tried unless you end up succeeding.

No point in playing if your goal is to lose.

creature doing its delicate work, scratching to gain entry. To the Esteemed

If the windmill should prove too formidable, said he, from the threshold, I may see what can be done with the wind.