William James Quotes

Pursue one great decisive aim with force and determination.

The man who actually knows just what he wants in life has already gone a long way toward attaining it.

Riches don't respond to wishes. They respond only to definite plans, backed by definite desires, through constant persistence.

Definiteness of purpose is the starting point from which one must begin.

If I set my mind to something I do it. My biggest wish for all of us is that we are happy, successful, and that we stay true to ourselves.

Now, to a single-minded man, who is either brave enough or reckless enough to surrender himself wholly to one idea, and look neither right nor left, but only forward, what earthly consequences may follow is not material. Persecution strengthens him; and so he is sure he is right, whether his course end in a prison or on a throne is no matter at all. But men of this calibre are uncommon in any age or in any country very uncommon in this age and this country.

The wish precedes the event, the will accompanies it.

I have an uncompromising relationship with my goals.

Nothing of worth or weight can be achieved with half a mind, with a faint heart, and with a lame endeavor.

The things are mighty few on earth that wishes can attain. Whate'er we want of any worth, we've got to work to gain.

It is not enough to sit and hope. You have to work in order to realize your hopes.

It is wonderful what great strides can be made when there is a resolute purpose behind them.

It may take months or years for a wish to come true, but it's far more likely to happen when you care so much about a wish that you'll do all you can to make it happen.

We have only to keep the end in view, and have our hearts thoroughly engaged in the pursuit of it, and means will not be very difficult.

There's no better sign of a brave mind than a hard hand.

If you have the ability and want it bad enough, do it!

We can do whatever we wish to do provided our wish is strong enough. But the tremendous effort needed- one doesn't always want to make it-does one? ... But what else can be done? What's the alternative? What do you want most to do? That's what I have to keep asking myself, in the face of difficulties.

If you want to touch the other shore badly enough, barring an impossible situation, you will. If your desire is diluted for any reason, you'll never make it.

FOCUS - Follow One Course Until Successful

I see only my objective - the obstacles must give way.

Anything can be achieved with a strong enough why!

If you aren't afraid to fail, then you probably don't care enough about success.

A person can do anything if they only will it strongly enough.

What a man wants to do he generally can do, if he wants to badly enough.

Having a powerful enough WHY will provide you with the necessary HOW