Orison Swett
Orison Swett
chances
Golden opportunities are nothing to laziness, but industry makes the commonest chances golden.
desirable everybody good struggling worse
Everybody is struggling for the good things of the world, and all the arguments to prove that they are not desirable are worse than wasted.
education matter weigh
Every young man or woman should weigh the matter well before concluding that a college education is out of the question.
characters controls destinies strongest
Charm of personality is a divine gift that sways the strongest characters and sometimes even controls the destinies of nations.
clear constant
By constant contemplation of excellence, we clear our selfhood of all dross and impurities.
exhausting health keeps upsets work worry
A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work. Worry upsets our whole system; work keeps it in health and order.
appears enthusiasm moment regardless seems worth
If a thing seems to you worth working for at all, if it appears to you of moment enough to challenge any effort, then put into what you do all the enthusiasm of which you are capable, regardless of criticism.
calls god man pure upright
When God calls a man to be upright and pure and generous, he also calls him to be intelligent and skillful, and strong and brave.
biggest condition sacred
It is every one's sacred duty to keep himself in a condition to do the biggest thing possible to him.
man successful trying
Every man must play the part of his ambition. If you are trying to be a successful man, you must play the part.
assert blade kept man rust sharp stand
No man can stand still; the moment progress is not made, retrogression begins. If the blade is not kept sharp and bright, the law of rust will assert its claim.
amusement false money save spend starving useful
One should live between extravagance and meanness. Don't save money by starving your mind. It is false economy never to take a holiday, or never to spend money for an evening's amusement or for a useful book.
await condition conviction creative efforts expectation kept mind soul
Live in the very soul of expectation of better things, in the conviction that something large, grand, and beautiful will await you if your efforts are intelligent, if your mind is kept in a creative condition and you struggle upward to your goal.
farm human
One of the greatest boons that can ever come to a human being is to be born on a farm and reared in the country. Self-reliance and grit are oftenest country-bred.