Samuel Smiles Quotes

The battle of life is, in most cases, fought uphill; and to win it without a struggle were perhaps to win it without honor. If there were no difficulties there would be no success; if there were nothing to struggle for, there would be nothing to be achieved.
Samuel Smiles

Life, Success, Struggle

Quote

Life will always be to a large extent what we ourselves make it.
Samuel Smiles

Life, Ourselves, Large

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.
Samuel Smiles

Hope, Sun, Journey

An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.
Samuel Smiles

Reality, Often, Capable

We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.
Samuel Smiles

Success, Failure, Wisdom

The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at length established with difficulty.
Samuel Smiles

Great, Greatest, Thoughts

The reason why so little is done, is generally because so little is attempted.
Samuel Smiles

Done, Why, Reason

He who never made a mistake, never made a discovery.
Samuel Smiles

Made, Mistake, Discovery

Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever.
Samuel Smiles

Time, Health, Knowledge

Hope... is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles.
Samuel Smiles

Success, Power, Hope

Progress however, of the best kind, is comparatively slow. Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk, step by step.
Samuel Smiles

Life, Great, Best

It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done.
Samuel Smiles

Success, Men, Failure

Wisdom and understanding can only become the possession of individual men by travelling the old road of observation, attention, perseverance, and industry.
Samuel Smiles

Men, Wisdom, Old

Progress, of the best kind, is comparatively slow. Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk, step by step.
Samuel Smiles

Life, Great, Best

The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual.
Samuel Smiles

Spirit, Growth, Individual

We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.
Samuel Smiles

Made, Often, Mistake

A place for everything, and everything in its place.
Samuel Smiles

Everything, Place

Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.
Samuel Smiles

Down, Cannot, Rise

Men must necessarily be the active agents of their own well-being and well-doing they themselves must in the very nature of things be their own best helpers.
Samuel Smiles

Nature, Men, Best

Men who are resolved to find a way for themselves will always find opportunities enough; and if they do not find them, they will make them.
Samuel Smiles

Men, Find, Enough

The work of many of the greatest men, inspired by duty, has been done amidst suffering and trial and difficulty. They have struggled against the tide, and reached the shore exhausted.
Samuel Smiles

Work, Men, Greatest

Enthusiasm... the sustaining power of all great action.
Samuel Smiles

Great, Power, Action

I'm as happy a man as any in the world, for the whole world seems to smile upon me!
Samuel Smiles

Smile, Happy, Whole

It is energy - the central element of which is will - that produces the miracle that is enthusiasm in all ages. Everywhere it is what is called force of character and the sustaining power of all great action.
Samuel Smiles

Great, Power, Character

Knowledge conquered by labor becomes a possession - a property entirely our own.
Samuel Smiles

Knowledge, Labor, Property

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Biography

Nationality: Scottish

Type: Author

Born: December 23, 1812

Died: April 16, 1904

Links

Find on Amazon: Samuel Smiles

Cite this Page: Citation

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