Success and Failure

No man who needs a monument ever ought to have one.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, in Success and Failure

Never try to out-stubborn a cat.

Robert A. Heinlein, The Notebooks of Lazarus Long, in Success and Failure

The first myth of management is that it exists. The second myth of management is that success equals skill.

Robert Heller, in Success and Failure

Prophecy is many times the principal cause of the events foretold.

Thomas Hobbes, in Science and Religion and Success and Failure

Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take Hofstadter's Law into account.

Doug Hofstadter, in Success and Failure

Success is like a fart -- only your own smells nice.

James P. Hogan, in Success and Failure

Action cures fear, inaction creates terror.

Doug Horton, in Success and Failure

Change occurs in direct proportion to dissatisfaction, but dissatisfaction never changes.

Doug Horton, in Success and Failure

Desperation is like stealing from the mafia: you stand a good chance of attracting the wrong attention.

Doug Horton, in Success and Failure

First rule of Economics 101: our desires are insatiable. Second rule: we can stomach only three Big Macs at a time.

Doug Horton, in Success and Failure

Good ideas are a dime a dozen, bad ones are free.

Doug Horton, in Success and Failure

When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail.

Abraham Maslow, in Success and Failure

Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy.

Charlie McCarthy, in Success and Failure and Work and Recreation

I must catch up with the others, for I am their leader.

Tim McGowan, in Success and Failure

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.

Herman Melville, in Success and Failure

Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

Henry Louis Mencken, in Success and Failure

When one is trying to do something beyond one's known powers it is useless to seek the approval of friends. Friends are at their best in moments of defeat.

Henry Miller, in Success and Failure

Modesty is the opium of the mediocre.

Marty Milner, in Success and Failure

Be nice to people on your way up because you'll need them on your way down.

Wilson Mizner, in Success and Failure and Vice and Virtue

When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things.

Joe Namath, in Success and Failure