Success and Failure

Try a thing you haven't done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.

Virgil Thomson, in Success and Failure

He is the best sailor who can steer within fewest points of the wind, and exact a motive power of the greatest obstacle.

Henry David Thoreau, in Success and Failure

There are really not many jobs that actually require a penis or a vagina, and all other occupations should be open to everyone.

Gloria Steinem, in Men and Women and Success and Failure

The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate me away from those who are still undecided.

Casey Stengal, in Success and Failure

Bravery and stupidity go hand in hand.

David Summers, in Success and Failure and Wisdom and Ignorance

Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

Sun Tzu, in Success and Failure

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.

Bessie Stanley, in Happiness and Misery and Success and Failure

To deny we need and want power is to deny that we hope to be effective.

Liz Smith, in Success and Failure

You see things and you say, "Why?" But I see things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"

George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah, Part I, Act I (1921), in Success and Failure

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

George Bernard Shaw, in Success and Failure

When I was young, I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. So I did ten times more work.

George Bernard Shaw, in Success and Failure and Work and Recreation

Anything not worth doing is worth not doing well. Think about it.

Elias Schwartz, in Success and Failure

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.

Albert Schweitzer, in Success and Failure

Talkers are no good doers.

William Shakespeare, Henry VI, in Success and Failure

We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities.

Walt Kelly, in Success and Failure

Large increases in cost with questionable increases in performance can be tolerated only in race horses and women.

Lord Kelvin, in Men and Women and Success and Failure

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

Alan Kay, in Success and Failure and Work and Recreation

Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.

Danny Kaye, in Life and Death and Success and Failure

I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.

John Keats, in Success and Failure

We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough.

Helen Keller, in Success and Failure