William Arthur Ward Quotes

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.

Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.

Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give.

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strenghs; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.

Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.

The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of like is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give.

Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering a room others by leaving the room. Some individuals leave trails of gloom; others, trails of joy. Some leave trails of hate and bitterness; others, trails of love and harmony. Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism; others trails of faith and optimism. Some leave trails of criticism and resignation; others trails of gratitude and hope. What kind of trails do you leave?

A Winner's Blueprint for Achievement BELIEVE while others are doubting. PLAN while others are playing. STUDY while others are sleeping. DECIDE while others are delaying. PREPARE while others are daydreaming. BEGIN while others are procrastinating. WORK while others are wishing. SAVE while others are wasting. LISTEN while others are talking. SMILE while others are frowning. COMMEND while others are criticizing. PERSIST while others are quitting.

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” —

Three enemies of personal peace: regret over yesterday’s mistakes, anxiety over tomorrow’s problems, and ingratitude for today’s blessings.

It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses.

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.

Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.

Our words reveal our thoughts; our manners mirror our self-esteem; our actions reflect our character; our habits predict the future.

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

Blessed is the person who sees the need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you?'

The optimist pleasantly ponders how high his kite will fly; the pessimist woefully wonders how soon his kite will fall.

A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life.

The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain - he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem--he is challenged by it. Mountains are created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be defeated; problems are sent to be solved. It is better to master one mountain than a thousand foothills.

A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.

Real optimism is aware of problems but recognizes the solutions, knows about difficulties but believes they can be overcome, sees the negatives but accentuates the positives, is exposed to the worst but expects the best, has reason to complain but chooses to smile.

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

A complaining tongue reveals an ungrateful heart.

Another fresh new year is here . . . Another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, To love and laugh and give! This bright new year is given me To live each day with zest . . . To daily grow and try to be My highest and my best! I have the opportunity Once more to right some wrongs, To pray for peace, to plant a tree, And sing more joyful songs!

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.

To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.

Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk.

Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.

Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.

Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently.

We can choose to throw stones, to stumble on them, to climb over them, or to build with them.

Each of us will one day be judged by our standard of life, not by our standard of living; by our measure of giving, not by our measure of wealth; by our simple goodness, not by our seeming greatness.

Success never resides in the world of weak wishes, but in the palace of purposeful plans and prayerful persistence.

To bear defeat with dignity, to accept criticism with poise, to receive honors with humility - these are marks of maturity and graciousness.

Whatever gets your goat gets your attention. Whatever gets your attention gets your time. Whatever gets your time gets you. Whatever gets you becomes your master. Take care, lest a little thing horn in and get your goat

Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.

The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.

The more generous we are, the more joyous we become. The more cooperative we are, the more valuable we become. The more enthusiastic we are, the more productive we become. The more serving we are, the more prosperous we become.

There is one thing we can do better than anyone else: we can be ourselves.

Another fresh new year is here. Another year to live! To Banish worry, doubt and fear, to love and give

Love is more than a noun-it is a verb; it is more than a feeling-it is caring, sharing, helping, sacrificing.

Failure is delay, but not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead-end street.

The more we count the blessings we have, the less we crave the luxuries we haven't.

The pessimist borrows trouble; the optimists lend encouragement.