Motivation

Explore 11 quotes about Motivation

No, Sir; to act from pure benevolence is not possible for finite beings. Human benevolence is mingled with vanity, interest, or some other motive.

Samuel Johnson

Quoted in The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D, by James Boswell

Buy The Life of Samuel Johnson at Amazon Buy The Life of Samuel Johnson at Amazon
Read The Life of Samuel Johnson at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Altruism What motivates people Motivation

Speaker

Samuel Johnson

Author

James Boswell

Source

The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D

Genre

Biography

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Johnson, Samuel. Quoted in journal entry, written by James Boswell. 26 Apr. 1776.

Current Citation

Johnson, Samuel. Quoted in The Life of Samuel Johnson, written by James Boswell, edited by David Womersley. Penguin Classics, 2008.

Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation.

Oscar Wilde

A Woman of No Importance

Buy A Woman of No Importance at Amazon Buy A Woman of No Importance at Amazon
Read A Woman of No Importance at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Unhappiness Discontent Motivation What motivates people Personal growth Progress

Speaker

Lord Illingworth

Author

Oscar Wilde

Source

A Woman of No Importance

Medium

Play

Language

English

Time

1893 1890s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Wilde, Oscar. A Woman of No Importance. 1893, Haymarket Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2.

Current Citation

Wilde, Oscar. "A Woman of No Importance." The Importance of Being Earnest and Other Plays. Oxford University Press, 2008, act 2.

There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job.

Whiplash

Watch Whiplash at Amazon Watch Whiplash at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Motivation Language

Speaker

Fletcher

Actor

J. K. Simmons

Source

Whiplash

Medium

Film

Genre

Psychological drama (film) Drama (film) Psychological drama Drama

Language

English

Time

2014 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Whiplash. Directed by Damien Chazelle, Blumhouse Productions/Right of Way Films/Bold Films, 2014.

Get up quickly-just switch on the white light of the will.

Susan Sontag

More information about this quote

Topic

Getting started Motivation Work

Author

Susan Sontag

Source

Journals of Susan Sontag

Medium

Personal journal

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1973 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Sontag, Susan. Journal entry. 15 Oct. 1973.

I was there to push people beyond what's expected of them. I believe that is an absolute necessity.

Whiplash

Watch Whiplash at Amazon Watch Whiplash at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Motivation

Speaker

Fletcher

Actor

J. K. Simmons

Source

Whiplash

Medium

Film

Genre

Psychological drama (film) Drama (film) Psychological drama Drama

Language

English

Time

2014 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Whiplash. Directed by Damien Chazelle, Blumhouse Productions/Right of Way Films/Bold Films, 2014.

Have regrets. They are fuel.

Geoff Dyer

Read this article at The Guardian

More information about this quote

Topic

Regrets What motivates people Motivation

Author

Geoff Dyer

Source

The Guardian

Medium

Newspaper

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

2010 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Dyer, Geoff. Quoted in "Ten Rules for Writing Fiction: Part 1." Guardian, 19 Feb. 2010, www.theguardian.com/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one.

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Knickerbocker

Buy a Longfellow's Poems and Other Writings at Amazon Buy a Longfellow's Poems and Other Writings at Amazon
Read A Psalm of Life at Poetry Foundation

More information about this quote

Topic

Inspiration Legacy Motivation

Author

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Source

A Psalm of Life The Knickerbocker

Medium

Poem Magazine

Language

English

Time

1838 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, [published anonymously]. "A Psalm of Life." The Knickerbocker. New York: Lewis Gaylord Clark, Oct. 1838, I. 25.

Current Citation

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. "A Psalm of Life." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Poems and Other Writings, edited by J. D. McClatchy. Library of America, 2000, I. 25.

You know, I think you gotta be a little deluded
to stay motivated.

Before Midnight

Watch Before Midnight at Amazon Watch Before Midnight at Amazon

More information about this quote

Topic

Delusion Motivation

Speaker

Jesse

Actor

Ethan Hawke

Source

Before Midnight

Medium

Film

Genre

Romantic drama (film) Drama (film) Romantic drama Drama

Language

English

Time

2013 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Before Midnight. Directed by Richard Linklater, Castle Rock Entertainment/Venture Forth/Detour Filmproduction, 2013.

Moments of crisis produce in man a redoubling of life.

François-Rene de Chateaubriand

More information about this quote

Topic

Inflection points Difficult situations Overcoming adversity Adversity Motivation

Author

François-Rene de Chateaubriand

Source

Memoirs from Beyond the Grave

Genre

Autobiography and memoir

Language

French

Time

1850 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

De Chateaubriand, Francois Rene. Memoires d'outre Tomb [Memoirs from Beyond the Grave]. Vol. 2, Paris: Penaud frères, 1850, bk. 5, ch. 14.

Current Citation

De Chateaubriand, Francois Rene. Memoirs from Beyond the Grave: 1768-1800, translated by Alex Andriesse. NYRB Classics, 2018.

Injustice, poverty, slavery, ignorance—these may be cured by reform or revolution. But men do not live only by fighting evils. They live by positive goals, individual and collective, a vast variety of them, seldom predictable, at times incompatible.

Isaiah Berlin

Foreign Affairs

More information about this quote

Topic

Motivation

Author

Isaiah Berlin

Source

Political Ideas in the Twentieth Century Foreign Affairs

Medium

Essay Magazine

Genre

Philosophical literature Political literature

Language

English

Time

1950 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Berlin, Isaiah. "Political Ideas in the Twentieth Century." Foreign Affairs, Vol. 28, No. 3, Apr. 1950.

Don't get rid of negative emotion, but just use it... Like the salt in your food.

Yoko Ono

More information about this quote

Topic

Artistic process Negative emotions Emotions Motivation

Author

Yoko Ono

Source

Twitter

Medium

Tweet

Language

English

Time

2016 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Yoko Ono [@yokoono]. "Don't get rid of negative emotion, but just use it...like the salt in your food." Twitter, 27 Mar. 2016, 3:12 p.m., twitter.com/yokoono/status/714168108844523520.