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In this life we get nothing save by effort.

Freedom from effort in the present merely means that there has been stored up effort in the past.

Other decent men are so alienated by such conduct that in their turn they abandon all effort to fight for reform, believing reformers to be either hypocrites or fools.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better

There is a bit of homely philosophy, quoted by Squire Bill Widener, of Widener's Valley, Virginia, which sums up one's duty in life: Do what you can, with what you've got, where you are.

Genius is 1 per cent. inspiration and 99 per cent. perspiration.

The good plan itself, this comes not of its own accord; it is the fruit of “genius” (which means transcendent capacity of taking trouble, first of all)

I have been obliged to content myself through life with saying what I mean in the plainest of plain language, than which, I suppose, there is no habit more ruinous to a man's prospects of advancement.

Life seems terribly foreshortened as they look back and the mountain they set themselves to climb in youth turns out to be a mere spur of immeasurably higher ranges when, by failing breath, they reach the top.

When I hear some of my young friends complain of want of sympathy and encouragement, I am inclined to think that my naval life was not the least valuable part of my education.

If thou bear it unwillingly, thou makest a burden for thyself and greatly increaseth thy load, and yet thou must bear it.

If we would put some slight stress on ourselves at the beginning, then afterwards we should be able to do all things with ease and joy.

I am now sending back to Belle Plain all my wagons for a fresh supply of provisions and ammunition, and purpose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.

It is men who wait to be selected, and not those who seek, from whom we may always expect the most efficient service.

One of my superstitions had always been when I started to go any where, or to do anything, not to turn back, or stop until the thing intended was accomplished.

The Day of Miracles was past, and a long, gray road of dogged work lay ahead.

Struggle, work, fight as I would, I seemed to get nowhere and accomplish nothing.

Do, every day, all that you can do that day, and do each act in an efficient manner.

Do all that you can do in a perfect manner every day, but do it without haste, worry, or fear. Go as fast as you can, but never hurry.

You can do what you want to do, and it is your right and privilege to follow the business or avocation which will be most congenial and pleasant.

The world is advanced only by those who more than fill their present places.

You are to become a creator, not a competitor.

Rest and recreation are also necessary to his physical life.

There is no short cut to the making of these ideals into glad realities.