Ann Patchett Quotes

Writing is grunt work - you need to have self-motivation, perseverance, and faith... talent is the smallest part of it.

I learned that hard work and self-discipline can overcome many obstacles.

The only constant I can find is hard work.

I can just put my head down and train hard.

You aren't going to find anybody that's going to be successful without making a sacrifice and without perseverance.

In third grade, I was taking tap-dance lessons, and about six weeks before the recital I wanted to quit. My mom said, 'No, you're going to stay with it.' Well, I did it, and I was bad, too! But my parents never let their kids walk away from something because it was too hard.

I learned to put 100 percent into what you're doing. I learned about setting goals for yourself, knowing where you want to be and taking small steps toward those goals. I learned about adversity and how to get past it.

If you really want something, you just have to promise yourself that you won't stop until it happens.

You have to keep trying to get better.

The hardest thing for me is to be patient and realize that it's not all going to happen right now. I just have to keep digging away, digging away. Just keep working on my game.

The only thing I can do is work hard.

The book Relentless' is an awesome book. It taught me a lot about just staying consistent, being level-headed, being relentless at what you want to do.

I believe ability can get you to the top,” says coach John Wooden, “but it takes character to keep you there.… It’s so easy to … begin thinking you can just ‘turn it on’ automatically, without proper preparation. It takes real character to keep working as hard or even harder once you’re there. When you read about an athlete or team that wins over and over and over, remind yourself, ‘More than ability, they have character.'

Here's the truth about telling stories with your life. It's going to sound like a great idea, and you're going to get excited about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like that with writing books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain.

Shut up and write anyway. Don't use anything as an excuse.

You must be prepared to work always without applause.

School is not easy for kids and football wasn't easy for me... but if it's something you truly believe in, it's something you've got to fight for and be willing to do what you need to do make it work.

Remember that all success is based on long-term commitment, faith, discipline, attitude and a few stepping stones along the way.

Good things come to those who have patience and take consistent, persistent actions toward what they want.

I had no idea what I was walking into, and the years and years of hard work it would take. I felt like an outsider and like it was never going to happen. But even if I would have known, I think I still would have done it. Dancers are perfectionists, and that's what keeps us going and growing.

The greatest things in life all require commitment, sacrifice, some struggle and hardship. It's not easy. But absolutely worth it.

Win or lose you will never regret working hard, making sacrifices, being disciplined or focusing too much. Success is measured by what we have done to prepare for competition.

Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams.

The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.

A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.