Henry Austin? Henry Austen? Robert Burns Wilson? C. C. Cameron? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: A poem about tenacity begins with the following four lines: Genius, that power which dazzles mortal eyes, Is oft but perseverance in disguise. Continuous effort, of itself, implies, In spite of countless falls, the power to rise. This verse has been …
Search results for: persistence
Purpose and Persistence Are Required for Success: Unrewarded Genius Is Almost a Proverb
Calvin Coolidge? Theodore Thornton Munger? M. M. Callen? Orison Swett Marden? Edward H. Hart? Dear Quote Investigator: Many books extolling self-improvement include a didactic passage that begins as follows: Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded …
Quote Origin: Those Who Cannot Remember the Past Are Condemned To Repeat It
George Santayana? Edmund Burke? Winston Churchill? Question for Quote Investigator: The study of history teaches vital lessons; however, those lessons are often unheeded. Here are five versions of a popular adage: (1) Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. (2) Those who do not learn from the experience of history are …
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Nothing Is Ever Really Lost To Us As Long As We Remember It
Lucy Maud Montgomery? Adelaide Anne Procter? Walt Whitman? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The popular Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery is best known for the children’s novel “Anne of Green Gables”. Apparently, she once made a powerful statement about transience, mortality, and memory: Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it. …
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Genius Is Really Only the Power of Making Continuous Efforts
Elbert Hubbard? Robert Burns Wilson? Dale Carnegie? Kin Hubbard? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: A short motivational piece of about 130 words begins with the following sentence: “Genius is really only the power of making continuous efforts.” The piece has been attributed to aphorist Elbert Hubbard and poet Robert Burns Wilson. Would you please explore this …
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There Is Really No Insurmountable Barrier, Save Your Own Inherent Weakness of Purpose
Elbert Hubbard? Kin Hubbard? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Robert Burns Wilson? Henry Austin? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: Success is often achieved via persistence. Here is a popular elaboration of this notion: There is no defeat except from within. There is really no insurmountable barrier, save your own inherent weakness of purpose. This remark has been attributed …
You Never Fail Until You Stop Trying
Albert Einstein? Florence Griffith Joyner? Thomas Edison? Louise Chandler Moulton? Mike Ditka? Elmer Burritt Bryan? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The following motivational remark has been attributed to the famous scientist Albert Einstein: You never fail until you stop trying. This saying has also been credited to the Olympic-medal-winning athlete Florence Griffith Joyner and the well-known …
If I Cease Becoming Better, I Shall Soon Cease To Be Good
Oliver Cromwell? John Andrewes? Earl of Chichester? Mark Antony Lower? Viscount Fauconberg? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A popular saying extols continuous improvement. Here are four versions: He who ceases to be better ceases to be good. He who ceases to improve, ceases to be good. If I cease becoming better, I shall soon cease to …
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First Forget Inspiration. Habit Is More Dependable. Habit Will Sustain You Whether You’re Inspired or Not
Octavia Butler? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Recently, a publisher in Silicon Valley tweeted an illustration of the prominent science fiction author Octavia Butler together with a quotation that offered intriguing advice about writing. The quote began: First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. When were these words written or said by Butler? Quote Investigator: Octavia …
You Just Can’t Beat the Person Who Never Gives Up
Babe Ruth? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: George Herman Ruth Jr. was one of the greatest baseball players in history. His famous nickname was Babe Ruth. A popular adage about perseverance and tenacity has been attributed to him. Here are three versions I have found: (1) You just can’t beat the person who never gives up. …
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