1.
The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream...It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.
Benjamin E. Mays
2.
Whatever you do,strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.
Benjamin E. Mays
Endeavor to accomplish your task in such a manner that it could not be surpassed by anyone, living or dead, or even those yet to be born.
3.
It is not your environment, it is you- the quality of your mind, the integrity of your soul and the determination of your will that will decide your future and shape your life.
Benjamin E. Mays
It is not your circumstances, it is you - the caliber of your intellect, the rectitude of your spirit and the resolution of your volition that will ascertain your destiny and form your existence.
4.
The tragedy of life is not found in failure but complacency. Not in you doing too much, but doing too little. Not in you living above your means, but below your capacity. It's not failure but aiming too low, that is life's greatest tragedy.
Benjamin E. Mays
5.
Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.
Benjamin E. Mays
Each individual is born with an exceptional purpose to fulfill and if they do not carry it out, it will never be accomplished.
6.
We, today, stand on the shoulders of our predecessors who have gone before us. We, as their successors, must catch the torch of freedom and liberty passed on to us by our ancestors. We cannot lose in this battle.
Benjamin E. Mays
7.
It isn't more light we need, it isn't more truth, and it isn't more scientific data. It is more Christ, more courage, more spiritual insight to act on the light we have.
Benjamin E. Mays
'We must not seek augmented illumination, truth or facts, but rather an amplified dose of Jesus, bravery and divine discernment to utilize the knowledge we possess.'
8.
Whatever you do, do it so well that people looking on will feel that the task was reserved especially for you by God Himself.
Benjamin E. Mays
Do your utmost in all endeavors, so that onlookers will sense the task was crafted exclusively for you by the Almighty.
9.
He who starts behind in the great race of life must forever remain behind or run faster than the man in front.
Benjamin E. Mays
One who is lagging in the pursuit of success must hasten their pace or be left behind.
10.
It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach.
Benjamin E. Mays
It should be remembered that the sorrow of life doesn't stem from failing to achieve one's ambition. The real tragedy is lacking any ambitions to pursue.
11.
A child must learn early to believe that she is somebody worthwhile, and that she can do many praiseworthy things.
Benjamin E. Mays
12.
It isn't a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.
Benjamin E. Mays
13.
[H]owever hard the road, however difficult today, tomorrow things will be better. Tomorrow may not be better, but we must believe that it will be.
Benjamin E. Mays
14.
You have the ability, now apply yourself.
Benjamin E. Mays
15.
Honest communication is built on truth and integrity and upon respect of the one for the other.
Benjamin E. Mays
16.
The tragedy of this life is not failure, but low aim.
Benjamin E. Mays
17.
Failure isn't in not reaching your goal but in having no goal to reach.
Benjamin E. Mays
18.
. . . the circumference of life cannot be rightly drawn until the center is set.
Benjamin E. Mays
19.
In this perilous world, if a black boy wanted to live a halfway normal life and die a natural death he had to learn early the art of how to get along with white folks.
Benjamin E. Mays
20.
It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture.
Benjamin E. Mays
21.
Man is what his dreams are.
Benjamin E. Mays
22.
The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach
Benjamin E. Mays
23.
For nearly a century, the South made itself believe that Negroes and white people were really communicating. So convinced of this were the white Southerners that they almost made the nation believe that they, and only they, knew the mind of the Southern Negro.
Benjamin E. Mays
24.
Many well-meaning intelligent people have argued since the May 17, 1954, decision of the United States Supreme Court outlawing segregation in the public schools that communication between the races has broken down.
Benjamin E. Mays
25.
The creation of the spiritual was no accident. It was a creation born of necessity, so that the slave might more adequately adjust himself to the conditions of the New World.
Benjamin E. Mays
26.
It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream.
Benjamin E. Mays
27.
I believe everyone is born into the world to do something unique and distinctive.
Benjamin E. Mays
28.
If what is communicated is false, it can hardly be called communication.
Benjamin E. Mays