Initiative Quotes
“He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
-Confucius
“Half the things that people do not succeed in are through fear of making the attempt.”
-James Northcote
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
“You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”
-Abraham Lincoln
“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.”
-Don Marquis
“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”
-Conrad Hilton, Hilton Hotels
“Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world,”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
-William Jennings Bryan
“The one thing all famous authors, world-class athletes, business tycoons, singers, actors, and celebrated achievers in any field have in common is that they all began their journeys when they were none of these things.”
—Mike Dooley
“Action is the antidote to despair.”
– Joan Baez
“Expect change. Analyze the landscape. Take the opportunities. Stop being the chess piece; become the player. It’s your move.”
— Tony Robbins
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
– Wayne Gretzky
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
― Walt Disney
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
—Muriel Strode
“What good is an idea if it remains an idea? Try. Experiment. Iterate. Fail. Try again. Change the world.”
—Simon Sinek
“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”
—Mandy Hale
“Passion is the genesis of genius.”
—Anthony Robbins
“The innovation point is the pivotal moment when talented and motivated people seek the opportunity to act on their ideas and dreams.”
—Dr. W. Arthur Porter
“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough, we must do.”
—Leonardo da Vinci
“The explanation for triumph is in its first syllable.”
-Zig Ziglar
“Leaders are those who make the most of very moment, of every opportunity, and of every available resource.”
-Theodore Roosevelt
“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”
-Tony Robbins
“Procrastination is the thief of time.”
-Edward Young
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”
-Mark Twain
“Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then…do something. Don’t just stand there, make it happen.”
-Lee Lacocca
“Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.”
-Abraham Lincoln
“Change starts with you but it doesn’t start until you do.”
-Tom Ziglar
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
—Amelia Earhart
“Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope.”
—Bradley Whitford
“The beginning is always today.”
-Mary Wollstonecraft
“I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that; then I realized that I am somebody.”
—Unknown
“The man who moved a mountain was the one who began carrying away small stones.”
Chinese proverb
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the one who’ll decide where to go. ”
—Theodor Seuss Geisel
“It’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.”
—Queen Elizabeth II
“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all what the world needs most are dreamers that do.”
—Sarah Ban Breathnach
“It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever – the one who recognizes the challenges and does something about it. ”
—Vince Lombardi
“Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of life contains three descriptions: could have, might have and should have.”
—Louis E. Boone
“Trying is winning in the moment.”
—Dan Waldschmidt
“Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.”
-Henry Bergson
“A job well begun is half done.”
-Proverb
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
-Will Rogers
“There comes a moment when you have to stop revving up the car and shove it into gear.”
-David Mahoney
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t been in bed with a mosquito.”
-Anita Roddick
“For every person who climbs the ladder of success, there are a dozen waiting for the elevator.”
-Kathy Griffith
“If you want to change your destiny, you have to be active. If you just sit down, life will be imposed on you.”
-Madonna, in Le Figaro
“An idea is worthless unless you use it.”
-John Maxwell
“Well done is better than well said.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it.”
-Jonathan Winters
“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.”
—William Arthur Ward
“Successful leaders have the courage to take action while others hesitate.”
-John C. Maxwell
“Start with pain. Start with doubt. Start with hands shaking… but start.”
– Ijeoma Umebinyuo
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
—Carl Sandburg
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
– Arthur Ashe
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
—Michael Jordan
“Pursue your passion, and everything else will fall into place. This is not being romantic. This is the highest order of pragmatism.”
—Gaby Giffords
“If you feel like there’s something out there that you’re supposed to be doing, if you have a passion for it, then stop wishing and just do it.”
—Wanda Sykes
“Two little words that can make the difference: START NOW.”
– Mary C. Crowley
“Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.”
—Michael Landon Jr.
How can you use Quotes?
- Start a discussion: Quotes can start a discussion about a character trait at the beginning of a meeting or the dinner table. You can ask questions about what it means, how they have seen the trait demonstrated in their own lives, or how they can develop it themselves.
- Provide a model: Quotes can provide a model of good character. When you read a quote from a famous person or historical figure, you show that people they admire also value the same character traits.
- Use quotes as writing/journal prompts: Ask them to write a short essay about a quote to help them think more deeply about its implications for their lives.
- Post quotes: You can post quotes where they will be seen/heard often – classroom, breakroom, lobby, dining room, email signatures, video bulletin boards, morning announcements, social media, etc.
- Read quotes aloud: You can read quotes aloud to your children during mealtimes, bedtime, or any other time you spend together.
- Make it fun: You can make it even more fun by incorporating games, activities, or crafts. Let children decorate signs with the quotes to hang in the classroom or a bedroom door. Record children saying it and post it on social media.