Greatness quotes
1.9K quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
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Browse quotes that often appear alongside greatness — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
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"It passes in the world for greatness of mind, to be perpetually giving and loading people with bounties; but it is one thing to know how to give and another thing not to know how to keep. Give me a heart that is easy and open, but I will have no holes in it; let it be bountiful with judgment, but I will have nothing run out of it I know not how."
"Familiarity reduces the greatness of things."
"Becoming a superstar takes about 10,000 hours of hard work."
"Greatness starts with a clear vision of the future."
"There are only two sorts of greatness: true greatness, which is of a spiritual order, and the old, old lie of world conquest. Conquest is an ersatz greatness."
"You must never forget that greatness does not guarantee happiness but goodness always does"
"Greatness is a matter of a moment. Goodness is the work of a lifetime."
"Some men […] choose to seek greatness, while others are forced to it. It is always better to choose than to be forced. A man who is forced is never completely his own master. He must dance on the strings of those who forced him."
"A critical assumption is sometimes made that [Grisham, Clancey, Crichton & myself] have access to some mystical vulgate that other (and often better) writers cannot find or will not deign to use. I doubt if this is true. Nor do I believe the contention of some popular novelists... that thier success is based on literary merit -- that the public understands true greatness in ways the tight-a**ed, consumed-by-jealousy literary establishment cannot. This idea is ridiculous, a product of vanity and insecurity."
"Until your dream dominates your mindset, you'll never wake up to your greatness."
"An excuse is the tool our weak self uses to prevent our strongest self from reaching greatness."
"Hope looks good on paper. But what creates greatness is focus, dedication and hard work. Daily. Go do it. We deserve to see you fly in 2014."
"Infinite perfection is in every man, though unmanifested. Every man has in him the potentiality of attaining to perfect saintliness, Rishihood, or to the most exalted position of an Avatâra, or to the greatness of a hero in material discoveries."
"Sometimes worst enemies like a Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier that's what makes you fight so hard. Without them they never would have achieved greatness."
"You can't shrink your way to greatness!"
"When the room brightens when you walk in, you matter."
"When the legacy you leave behind lasts for hours, days or a lifetime, you matter."
"If there isn't a good reason, go home. If there is, then do something ... loud, now, and memorable."
"Doing justice to the work is your task, not setting a world record."
"Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe."
