Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.? Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.? Albert Einstein? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Question for Quote Investigator: Encountering a novel idea or sensation causes changes that permanently alter one’s intellect. This notion can be expressed as follows: A mind that is stretched by a new idea or experience can never shrink back to its old …
Category Archives: Ralph Waldo Emerson
Quote Origin: Every Minute You Are Angry, You Lose Sixty Seconds of Happiness
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Mary Pickford? Irving Hoffman? Office Cat? Junius? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A constant stream of social media and news updates is available to each of us. It is easy to seek out material which induces anger, yet the value of continuously inflicting aggravation and anguish upon oneself is unclear. Here are …
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Consistency Is the Last Refuge of the Unimaginative
Oscar Wilde? James McNeill Whistler? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Being consistent is important in life. Yet, additional knowledge and experience motivates new thoughts and behaviors. The following adage criticizes the straitjacket of excessive consistency: Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. The famous Irish wit Oscar Wilde has received credit …
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Nothing Succeeds Like Success
Alexandre Dumas? Ralph Waldo Emerson? William J. Snelling? Jacques-François Ancelot? Jules Janin? William Pulling? Alphonse de Lamartine? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: One success often leads to another success in a chain of achievement, opportunity, and good fortune. A popular adage expresses this idea: Nothing succeeds like success. This phrase has been attributed to several French …
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 …
The Only Person You Are Destined To Become Is the Person You Decide To Be
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Nike Advertisement? Janet Champ? Charlotte Moore? Wieden & Kennedy? Pam Finger? Dear Quote Investigator: Some people fear that their genes or social circumstances will restrict their life options and push them inexorably toward a foreordained destiny. An inspirational message presents a radically different viewpoint: The only person you are destined to become …
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No Truth So Sublime But It May Be Trivial Tomorrow in the Light of New Thoughts
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Tryon Edwards? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: During one’s lifetime one may discover a truth that appears deep and beautiful. Yet, one must be willing to continuously grow and change. That supposed truth may later seem trivial or misleading. Personal development demands regular reevaluations. The transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson made a similar …
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Sunlight Is the Best Disinfectant
Louis Brandeis? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Robert Walter? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: There is a family of sayings about the effectiveness of light for the destruction of noxious infectious agents. This family also includes metaphorical instances in which corrupt behavior is revealed and blocked via publicity. Here are some examples: Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Sunshine …
A Hero Is No Braver Than an Ordinary Person, But the Hero Is Brave Five Minutes Longer
Marcel Proust? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Lord Palmerston? Duke of Wellington? Japanese Proverb? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The difference between demonstrating bravery and cowardice can be surprisingly small. Perseverance under extreme duress can lead to success. Here are three instances from a family of sayings about heroism and tenacity: A hero is no braver than an …
Self-Trust Is the First Secret of Success
Ralph Waldo Emerson? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Anxiety and self-doubt can sabotage one’s attempts to achieve success. The transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said: Self-trust is the first secret of success. Would you please help me to find a citation? Quote Investigator: In 1870 Ralph Waldo Emerson collected a set of his essays under the …
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