This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Jimmy Carter, fully James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr.
I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God's standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love.
Anne Sullivan, fully Johanna "Anne" Mansfield Macy
People seldom see the halting and painful steps by which the most insignificant success is achieved.
Success |
John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury
Mere success is one of the worst arguments in the world of a good cause, and the most improper to satisfy conscience: and yet in the issue it is the most successful of all other arguments, and does in a very odd, but effectual, way, satisfy the consciences of a great many men, by showing them their interest.
John Wooden, fully John Robert Wooden
Never try to be better than someone else. Learn from others, and try to be the best you can be. Success is the by-product of that preparation.
A successful future for America depends on the meaning we attach to being citizens of the same republic--a meaning shattered every time the left questions the intelligence of their opponents and the right questions the patriotism of those who don’t share their views. That success also will be measured by the depth of our commitment to each other—a commitment that begins in our neighborhoods and PTAs and town councils and swells upward from there. Our success rest on the shape and power of our vision--how can we pursue “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” when the nation is a battleground of uncompromising ideas and ideologies? We need to change what’s in our minds but above all we need to change what’s in our hearts.
Change | Commitment | Future | Ideas | Intelligence | Liberty | Meaning | Need | Patriotism | Power | Rest | Right | Success | Time | Will |
If you start today to do the right thing, you are already a success even if it doesn’t show yet.
True success comes only when every generation continues to develop the next generation.
Success |
Your success stops where your character stops. You can never rise above the limitations of your character.
John D. Rockefeller, fully John Davidson Rockefeller I
Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success in life, no matter what may be one's aim.
Reaching the top is a monumental achievement, but remaining there may be the most spectacular feat of all. The biggest detriment to tomorrow's success is today's success. Passion creates energy and magnetically pulls co-workers and customers into a shared vision, and it is exceptionally strong when linked with a leader's values. Leaders don't rise to the pinnacle of success without developing the right set of attitudes and habits; they make every day a masterpiece. The best leaders are humble enough to realize their victories depend upon their people.
John F. Kennedy, fully John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy
For of those to whom much is given, much is required. And when at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each of us—recording whether in our brief span of service we fulfilled our responsibilities to the state—our success or failure, in whatever office we hold, will be measured by the answers to four questions: First, were we truly men of courage—with the courage to stand up to one’s enemies—and the courage to stand up, when necessary, to one’s associates—the courage to resist public pressure, as well as private greed? Secondly, were we truly men of judgment—with perceptive judgment of the future as well as the past—of our mistakes as well as the mistakes of others—with enough wisdom to know what we did not know and enough candor to admit it? Third, were we truly men of integrity—men who never ran out on either the principles in which we believed or the men who believed in us—men whom neither financial gain nor political ambition could ever divert from the fulfillment of our sacred trust? Finally, were we truly men of dedication—with an honor mortgaged to no single individual or group, and comprised of no private obligation or aim, but devoted solely to serving the public good and the national interest? Courage—judgment—integrity—dedication—these are the historic qualities,with God’s help, characterize our Government’s conduct in the 4 stormy years that lie ahead.
Ambition | Candor | Conduct | Courage | Enough | Fulfillment | Future | Good | History | Honor | Individual | Judgment | Men | Obligation | Office | Principles | Public | Sacred | Service | Success | Will | Wisdom | Ambition |
The success of each is dependent upon the success of the other.
Success |
John Wooden, fully John Robert Wooden
Remember, results aren’t the criteria for success — it’s the effort made for achievement that is most important.
Achievement | Effort | Success |
We must continue to perform the sacred deeds even though we may be compelled to bribe the self with human incentives. Purity of motivation is the goal; constancy of action is the way… The way to purify the self is to avoid dwelling upon the self and to concentrate upon the task.
Action | Constancy | Deeds | Purity | Sacred | Self | Deeds |
Seven Steps to Success 1) Make a commitment to grow daily. 2) Value the process more than events. 3) Don't wait for inspiration. 4) Be willing to sacrifice pleasure for opportunity. 5) Dream big. 6) Plan your priorities. 7) Give up to go up.
Commitment | Plan | Pleasure | Sacrifice | Success | Value |
The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year
Success |
Milton Friedman, fully John Milton Friedman
The ICC [Interstate Commerce Commission] illustrates what might be called the natural history of government intervention. A real or fancied evil leads to demands to do something about it. A political coalition forms consisting of sincere, high-minded reformers and equally sincere interested parties. The incompatible objectives of the members of the coalition (e.g., low prices to consumers and high prices to producers) are glossed over by fine rhetoric about “the public interest,” “fair competition,” and the like. The coalition succeeds in getting Congress (or a state legislature) to pass a law. The preamble to the law pays lip service to the rhetoric and the body of the law grants power to government officials to “do something.” The high-minded reformers experience a glow of triumph and turn their attention to new causes. The interested parties go to work to make sure that the power is used for their benefit. They generally succeed. Success breeds its problems, which are met by broadening the scope of intervention. Bureaucracy takes its toll so that even the initial special interests no longer benefit. In the end the effects are precisely the opposite of the objectives of the reformers and generally do not even achieve the objectives of the special interests. Yet the activity is so firmly established and so many vested interests are connected with it that repeal of the initial legislation is nearly inconceivable. Instead, new government legislation is called for to cope with the problems produced by the earlier legislation and a new cycle begins.
Attention | Body | Commerce | Evil | Experience | Government | History | Law | Objectives | Power | Problems | Public | Rhetoric | Service | Success | Work | Government | Commerce |
Discipline provides a constancy which is independent of what kind of day you had yesterday and what kind of day you anticipate today.