Quotes About Action

We can give advice, but we cannot give conduct.

A man often imagines that he acts, when he is acted upon.

lacordaire henri dominique

The universe shows us the life of God, or rather it is in itself the life of God. We behold in it his permanent action, the scene upon which his power is exercised, and in which all his attributes are reflected. God is not out of the universe any more than the universe is out of God. God is the principle, the universe is the consequence, but a necessary consequence, without which the principle would be inert, unfruitful, impossible to conceive.

The mind sees, the will commands, the man acts. What is it then to act? To act is to produce something. If you have produced nothing--if no result has been the fruit of your will, you have done nothing.

You know, I don't ask myself too much how. I just do it.

Life won't just happen to you boy, he said. You have to happen to it.

We can't expect the world to be better than we make it.

As long as he had life, who deserved it so little, he would use it, wield it, and do whatever he could in its name, even if it was not, was never, enough

looking up at the stars, he had accepted life as a medium for action. Something to wield like a tool. One's own life: an instrument for the shaping of the world.

When all else fails: explosions.

Unlike those many dead because of him, he had life, and life wasn't a default state—I am not dead, hence I must be alive—but a medium. For action, for effort. As long as he had life, who deserved it so little, he would use it, wield it, and do whatever he could in its name, even if it was not, was never, enough.

Thyon, earthbound, felt every choice he'd made, every action he'd taken as a weight he carried with him. He wondered: Was it weight he could shed or throw off, or what it forever part of him, as much as his bones or his hearts?

Do the thing. Kill the monster. Change the world.

he had accepted life as a medium for action. Something to wield like a tool. One's own life: an instrument for shaping the world.

The Greek philosopher Epictetus said, "First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

Lazlo's chances came without warning, and when they did, he didn't dither, and he didn't stop to pack.

Life won't just happen to you, boy. You have to happen to it. Remember: the spirit grows sluggish when you neglect the passions.

It was the understanding—and burden—that unlike those many dead because of him, he had life, and life wasn't a default state—I am not dead, hence I must be alive—but a medium. For action, for effort. As long as he had life, who deserved it so little, he would use it, wield it, and do whatever he could in its name, even if it was not, was never, enough.

Life won't just happen to you, boy." He said. "You have to happen to it. Remember: The spirit grows sluggish when you neglect the passions.

The Greek philosopher Epictetus said, 'First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.' Good old Epictetus. I would be Confident Girl, and that means unplastering myself from the side of this building, for starters.

Life won't just happen to you, boy," he said. "You have to happen to it. Remember: The spirit grows sluggish when you neglect the passions." "My spirit is fine." "Then you're going sadly wrong. You're young. Your spirit shouldn't be 'fine.' It should be effervescent.

Barmhärtighet föder barmhärtighet, på samma sätt som blodsutgjutelse föder blodsutgjutelse Vi kan inte förvänta oss att världen blir bättre än vi gör den (s. 193).

Tools?" scoffed Kalisti, "Tools are for people who have nothing better to do than think things through and make sensible plans.