Great Throughts Treasury

"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you."

"Strive for excellence, not perfection."

"Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others."

"Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking."

"Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get."

"Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity."

"Believe in miracles but don't depend on them."

"A kiss on the beach when there is a full moon is the closest thing to heaven."

"21 Suggestions for Success: Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery. Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know. Be forgiving of yourself and others. Be generous. Have a grateful heart. Persistence, persistence, persistence. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated. Commit yourself to constant improvement. Commit yourself to quality. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect. Be loyal. Be honest. Be a self-starter. Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did. Take good care of those you love. Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud."

"A racehorse that consistently runs just a second faster than another horse is worth millions of dollars more. Be willing to give that extra effort that separates the winner from the one in second place."

"Always kiss your children goodnight, even if they're already asleep."

"As you climb the ladder of success, be sure it's leaning against the right building."

"Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did."

"Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon."

"Be tough minded but tenderhearted."

"Be smarter than other people, just don't tell them so."

"Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know."

"Do you always want to be right, or do you want to be happy."

"Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 percent of all your happiness or misery."

"Commit yourself to constant improvement. Commit yourself to quality. Be persistent, persistent, persistent... and have a grateful heart!"

"Don't judge those who try and fail. Judge only those who fail to try."

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is."

"Don?t say you don?t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."

"Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated."

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."

"Don't waste time waiting for inspiration. Begin and inspiration will find you."

"Don't waste time learning the "tricks of the trade." Instead, learn the trade."

"Empower your dreams with deadlines."

"Every once in a while, take the scenic route."

"Every person that you meet knows something you don't; learn from them."

"Find a job you like and you add five days to every week."

"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it, piece by piece--by thought, choice, courage and determination."

"Follow the three R's: - Respect for self. - Respect for others. - Responsibility for all your actions. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly."

"Good manners sometimes means simply putting up with other people's bad manners."

"I never expect to lose. Even when I'm the underdog, I still prepare a victory speech."

"If you know someone who tries to drown their sorrows, you might tell them sorrows know how to swim."

"If someone offers you a breath mint, accept it."

"If you?re doing your best, you won?t have any time to worry about failure."

"If you kiss someone on the back of the neck, it spreads."

"In business or in life, don't follow the wagon tracks too closely."

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins--not through strength but by perseverance."

"Instruction for life: Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. When you lose, don't lose the lesson."

"It is my observation that too many of us are spending money we haven't earned to buy things we don't need to impress people we don't like."

"I've learned that it doesn't matter how your husband squeezes the toothpaste, the important thing is how he squeezes you."

"I've learned that regardless of color or age, we all need about the same amount of love."

"It's not how far you fall, but how high you bounce."

"I've learned that you know your husband still loves you when there are two brownies left and he takes the smaller one."

"I've learned... That being kind is more important than being right."

"Judge your success by the degree that you're enjoying peace, health, and love."

"Kiss your children goodnight, even if they are already asleep."