Quotes about doing
page 78

“True wisdom consists in respecting the simple things we do”

Source: Aleph

“Let his name be cleared and everyone else adjust their thinking. He had put in time, now they must do the work. His business was simple. Find Cecilia and love her, marry her and live without shame.”

Ian McEwan book Atonement

Source: Atonement

Love, Business, Thinking, Time

“Everything is the way it is because everything was the way it was. Sometimes I feel ensnared in this, as if no matter what I do, what will come has already been fixed.”

Jonathan Safran Foer book Everything Is Illuminated

Source: Everything Is Illuminated

Way, Feeling

“But I do know we’re deficient in some way. We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don’t satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.”

Mitch Albom Tuesdays with Morrie

Variant: We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don't satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.
Source: Tuesdays with Morrie

Love, Way, Universe

“The British do not expect happiness. I had the impression, all the time that I lived there, that they do not want to be happy; they want to be right.”

Quentin Crisp (1908–1999) writer, Actor

Time, Happiness

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”

Maya Angelou (1928–2014) American author and poet

Motivational, Deep, Success, Inspirational

“You really love her don't you," she said.
With all my heart."
She looked as sad as I'd ever seen her.
What's your heart telling you to do?"
I don't know."
Maybe", she said gently,"You're trying to hard to hear it.”

Nicholas Sparks (1965) American writer and novelist

Love, Sadness, Heart

“The objection to Puritans is not that they try to make us think as they do, but that they try to make us do as they think.”

H.L. Mencken (1880–1956) American journalist and writer

A Little Book in C Major, New York, NY, John Lane Company (1916) p. 53
1910s

Thinking

“The days weren't long enough for the reading she wanted to do.”

Alan Bennett book The Uncommon Reader

Source: The Uncommon Reader

Reading

“I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American general and politician, 34th president of the United States (in office from 1953 to 1961)

TV talk with Prime Minister Macmillan (31 August 1959) <br class="br"> "Selected Quotations", Eisenhower Archives, Eisenhower Library, 2007-04-01, http://web.archive.org/web/20070208232736/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/ss1.htm, 2007-02-08 http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/ss1.htm, <br class="br">1950s

People, Peace, Way, Thinking

“She did what girls generally do when they don't feel the part: she dressed it instead.”

Zadie Smith On Beauty

Source: On Beauty

Feeling, Girl, Parting

“My idea of feminism is self-determination, and it's very open-ended: every woman has the right to become herself, and do whatever she needs to do.”

Ani DiFranco (1970) musician and activist

Idea

“When does a fake Mohawk become a real Mohawk? Who decides? How do you know if it's happened?”

Jennifer Egan A Visit from the Goon Squad

Source: A Visit from the Goon Squad

“If you try to use your head to think about things, people don't want to have anything to do with you”

Haruki Murakami book Kafka on the Shore

Source: Kafka on the Shore

People, Thinking

“I have noticed that doing the sensible thing is only a good idea when the decision is quite small. For the life-changing things, you must risk it.”

Jeanette Winterson (1959) English writer

Source: Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

Life, Idea, Decision, Change

“Don't sit back and wait for God to do it all. Ask for His advice, but be prepared to do the hard yards yourself.”

Morris Gleitzman (1953) Australian writer

Source: Grace

God, Waiting

“We do not realize the sound the world makes -- unless, of course, it comes to a stop. Then, when it starts, it sounds like an orchestra.”

Mitch Albom (1958) American author

Source: The Time Keeper

World

“I come here with no expectations, only to profess, now that I am at liberty to do so, that my heart is and always will be… yours.”

Jane Austen book Sense and Sensibility

Source: Sense and Sensibility

love, Cute, Romantic, For Her

“You cannot impose ideologies on people who do not embrace it wholeheartedly.”

Peter F. Hamilton (1960) English novelist

Endron, systems specialist of the Far Realm
The Night's Dawn Trilogy (1996-1999), The Neutronium Alchemist (1997)

People

“Remember the two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn't work; and second, the failure gives you the opportunity to try a new approach.”

Roger von Oech (1948) Creativity theorist and inventor

Failure, Learning

“Everyone has the right to doubt everything as often as he pleases and the duty to do it at least once. No way of looking at things is too sacred to be reconsidered. No way of doing things is beyond improvement.”

Edward de Bono (1933) Maltese physician

Source: The Use of Lateral Thinking

Way

“When you can't figure out what to do, it's time for a nap.”

Mason Cooley (1927–2002) American academic

Time

“For a human being, nothing comes naturally,” said Grumman. “We have to learn everything we do.”

Philip Pullman book The Subtle Knife

Stanislaus Grumman to Lee Scoresby in Ch. 14 : Alamo Gulch
Source: His Dark Materials, The Subtle Knife (1997)

Nature, Learning

“Real power is control. Knowing that you can do anything… and not doing it only because you can.”

Joan D. Vinge The Snow Queen

Source: The Snow Queen

“Ooh. Top secret angel business, huh? What’re you going to do? Dance on a pinhead? Lobby for National Cute Puppy Day?”

Richelle Mead (1976) American writer

Source: Succubus Dreams

Secret, Angels, Business, Dance

“In my view, the novelist has no right to express his opinions on the things of this world. In creating, he must imitate God: do his job and then shut up.”

Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880) French writer (1821–1880)

God, World

“Science fiction is very well suited to asking philosophical questions; questions about the nature of reality, what it means to be human, how do we know the things that we think we know.”

Ted Chiang (1967) American science fiction writer

Question, Nature, Thinking, Reality

“No one can manipulate anyone else. In any relationship, both parties know what they're doing. even if one complains later on that they were used.”

Paulo Coelho (1947) Brazilian lyricist and novelist

Source: The Witch Of Portobello

“It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.”

William Faulkner (1897–1962) American writer

“You people with hearts,' he said once, 'have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful.”

L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Source: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

People, Heart

“It's what you do that makes your soul.”

Barbara Kingsolver (1955) American author, poet and essayist

Soul

“Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American philosopher, essayist, and poet

Courageous, Death, Fear

“The cloak of the past is cut from patches of feeling, and sewn with rebus threads. Most of the time, the best we can do is wrap it around ourselves for comfort or drag it behind us as we struggle to go on.”

Gregory David Roberts book Shantaram

Source: Shantaram

Feeling, Time, Past

“Maybe the only thing I can definitely say about is this: That’s life. Maybe the only thing we can do is accept it, without really knowing what’s going on.”

Haruki Murakami book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Source: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Life

“Sinead broke in. "The cops need to know what to do with Evan, Amy. What should I tell them?"
"Shoot to kill?" Ian suggested.”

Gordon Korman book The Medusa Plot

Source: The Medusa Plot

“Look," said Janet, irritated, "if the thing you liked best to do in the world was read, and somebody offered to pay you room and board and give you a liberal arts degree if you would just read for four years, wouldn't you do it?”

Pamela Dean Tam Lin

Source: Tam Lin

World, Art, Reading

“I wanted to try this new drink: That's all we do, isn't it - look at things and try new drinks?”

Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American author and journalist

Source: The Complete Short Stories

Drink

“Even I don't know what you're doing, and I know everything.”

Karen Marie Moning (1964) author

Source: Bloodfever

“I didn't call you because I'm tired of you only wanting me around when you need something. I'm tired of watching you be in love with someone else - someone, incidentally, who will never love you back. Not the way I do.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Glass

Variant: No." Magnus strode toward him. "I didn't call you because I'm tired of you only wanting me around when you need something. I'm tired of watching you be in love with someone else-someone, incidentally, who will never love you back. Not the way I do.
Source: City of Glass

Love, Way

“I often see how you sob over what you destroy, how you want to stop and just worship; and you do stop, and then a moment later you are at it again with a knife, like a surgeon.”

Anaïs Nin (1903–1977) writer of novels, short stories, and erotica

“We’ve got to get these guys to Bubba’s. Anyone got a clue how to do it? (Nick)
They gotta be breathing? (Simi)
Yes. (Nick and Caleb)
Well, pooh. That just takes all the fun out of it. (Simi)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Infinity

Guy

“If you think of something, do it.

Plenty of people often think, “I’d like to do this, or that.”

Lydia Davis (1947) American writer

People, Thinking

“No one knows what to do with you, girlie.”

Suzanne Collins book Mockingjay

Source: Mockingjay

“You can’t do damage control dead.”

Karen Marie Moning (1964) author

Burned

Dead

“When a child is locked in the bathroom with water running and he says he's doing nothing but the dog is barking, call 911.”

Erma Bombeck (1927–1996) When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent le…

Dogs, Water

“The worst thing you can do is nothing. (re: teaching children with autism)”

Temple Grandin (1947) USA-american doctor of animal science, author, and autism activist

Children

“Americans do seem to say things which make the English notice England.”

Dodie Smith book I Capture the Castle

Source: I Capture the Castle

“For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.”

Norton Juster book The Phantom Tollbooth

Source: The Phantom Tollbooth

Learning

“Just because you had every right to feel sorry for yourself didn't mean you ever took the opportunity to do so.”

Jodi Picoult book Handle With Care

Source: Handle with Care

Feeling

“squats are a form of torture designed by people who don’t need to do squats in the first place”

Nora Roberts book Bed of Roses

Source: Bed of Roses

People

“Women are naturally secretive, and they like to do their own secreting.”

Arthur Conan Doyle book The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Source: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Women, Secret, Nature

“Ah, but I’m wise,” Athena said. “Wise enough to make you do it instead.”

Rick Riordan (1964) American writer

Source: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

“You cannot say 'no' to the people you love, not often. That's the secret. And then when you do, it has to sound like a 'yes'. Or you have to make them say 'no.' You have to take time and trouble.”

Mario Puzo The Godfather

Source: The Godfather

Love, People, Secret, Time

“It is easy to get everything you want, provided you first learn to do without the things you cannot get.”

Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher fue el escritor del jarron azul

Learning

“As long as a thing is unknown, it belongs to us in a way that well-known things do not. For we have the opportunity to fill the empty, unknown spaces for ourselves, and in them there is room for imagination and for hope.”

Cameron Dokey (1956) American writer

Hope, Way, Imagination

“How can you do anything until you have seen everything, or as much as you can?”

Rudyard Kipling book The Light That Failed

Source: The Light That Failed

“sometimes the best thing to do is to
pretend it didn't happen”

Candace Bushnell book Summer and the City

Source: Summer and the City

“Do you know where to find a party or something?”
“I’m Adrian Ivashkov,” I declared. “The parties find me.”

Richelle Mead book Silver Shadows

Source: Silver Shadows

“Using a fetching face to make men do as you wish is no different from a man using muscle to force a woman to his will. Both are base, and both will fail a person as they age.”

Brandon Sanderson book Words of Radiance

Source: Words of Radiance

Men, Age, Personality

“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.”

Will Rogers (1879–1935) American humorist and entertainer

Daily Telegram #1172, Will Rogers Sees No Value In All The Time We Save (28 April 1930)
Daily telegrams

Happy, Life, Time, Funny

“What obsession do men have for destruction and murder? Who do we electrocute men for murdering an individual and then pin a purple heart on them for mass slaughter of someone arbitrarily labeled 'enemy?”

Sylvia Plath (1932–1963) American poet, novelist and short story writer

Source: The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

Men, Heart

“Stay mad, but behave like normal people. Run the risk of being different, but learn to do so without attracting attention.”

Paulo Coelho (1947) Brazilian lyricist and novelist

People, Learning, Madness

“Remember? Ohh, I wouldn't do that! Remembering's dangerous. I find the past such a worrying, anxious place.

"The past tense", I supposed you'd call it. Ha ha ha.”

Alan Moore book Batman: The Killing Joke

Source: Batman: The Killing Joke

Past

“I'm not really sure why. But… do you stop loving someone just because they betray you? I don't think so. That's what makes the betrayal hurt so much - pain, frustration, anger… and I still loved her. I still do.”

Brandon Sanderson (1975) American fantasy writer

Source: The Final Empire

Love, Pain, Thinking, Betrayal

“I think the most significant work we'll do in our whole life, in our whole world is done within the four walls of our home.”

Stephen R. Covey (1932–2012) American educator, author, businessman and motivational speaker

Life, World, Home, Thinking

“It means we're on your side." That's what Bonnie said. I have people on my side? What side? Am I unwittingly the face of the hoped-for rebellion? Has the mockingjay on my pin become a symbol of resistance? If so, my side's not doing too well.”

Suzanne Collins book Catching Fire

Source: Catching Fire

People, Hope

“In politics, my dear fellow, you know, as well as I do, there are no men, but ideas — no feelings, but interests; in politics we do not kill a man, we only remove an obstacle, that is all.”

Alexandre Dumas book The Count of Monte Cristo

Source: The Count of Monte Cristo

Men, Feeling, Idea

“The secret of flight is this -- you have to do it immediately, before your body realizes it is defying the laws.”

Michael Cunningham book A Home at the End of the World

Source: A Home at the End of the World

Secret, Law

“My left brain is doing the best job it can with the information it has to work with. I need to remember, however, that there are enormous gaps between what I know and what I think I know.”

Jill Bolte Taylor (1959) American neuroscientist

Source: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

Thinking

“When I'm running I don't have to talk to anybody and don't have to listen to anybody. This is a part of my day I can't do without.”

Haruki Murakami book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Source: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Parting

“No good has ever come from feeling guilty, neither intelligence, policy, nor compassion. The guilty do not pay attention to the object but only to themselves, and not even to their own interests, which might make sense, but to their anxieties.”

Paul Goodman (1911–1972) American novelist, playwright, poet and psychotherapist

Feeling, Intelligence, Sense

“If they [presidents] can't do it to their wives, they do it to their country.”

Mel Brooks (1926) American director, writer, actor, and producer

The 2,000 Year Old Man (and sequels)

Country

“Do not speak of your happiness to one less fortunate than yourself.”

Plutarch (46–127) ancient Greek historian and philosopher

Source: The Fall of the Roman Republic: Six Lives

Happiness

“I just wish I could have all this and stand up to her a little. Rose would."
"Rose would have gotten herself arrested for treason the first time Tatiana asked her to do something.”

Richelle Mead Blood Promise

Source: Blood Promise

Time

“You cannot save every fallen bird," said Woosley, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. "Even the handsome ones." "One will do," said Magnus, and, as Will was no longer within his sight, he let the front door fall shut.”

Cassandra Clare book Clockwork Prince

Source: Clockwork Prince

Bird

“Once one becomes a man, he can and must make his own decisions. But I do offer warning. Even a good thing can become destructive if taken to excess.”

Brandon Sanderson (1975) American fantasy writer

Source: The Alloy of Law

Decision

“I can feel Peeta press his forehead into my temple and he asks, 'So now that you've got me, what are you going to do with me?' I turn into him. 'Put you somewhere you can't get hurt.”

Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games

Source: The Hunger Games

Romantic, Feeling, Hurt

“Do not fear death, but rather the unlived life. You don't have to live forever. You just have to live.”

Natalie Babbitt (1932–2016) American children's writer and illustrator

Variant: Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.
Source: Tuck Everlasting: Scholastic Book Guides

Life, Death, Fear

“What do you do to your hair?"
"Dust, hair gel, and a little gun oil."
"Ever thought of patenting the recipe?"
"No.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Bites

“Do not try to explain feelings. Live everything intensely and treasure what you feel as a gift from God.”

Paulo Coelho book Brida

Source: Brida

God, Feeling

“We do not wait for inspiration. We work because we've jolly well got to. But when all is said and done, we toil at this particular job because it's turned out to be our particular job, and in a weird sort of way I suppose we may be said to like it.”

Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982) New Zealand writer

Source: Ngaio Marsh: A Life

Way, Waiting

“I'm looking for what might be called a body language. One thing I do is stick a vibrator up my cunt and start writing -- writing from the point of orgasm and losing control of the language and seeing what that's like.”

Kathy Acker (1947–1997) American novelist, playwright, essayist, and poet

“This is what intimacy does to us over time. That's what a long marriage can do: It causes us to inherit and trade each other's stories. (p.237)”

Elizabeth Gilbert book Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

Source: Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

Marriage, Time

“If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy. But since I am not, I do not care.”

Ernest Hemingway book The Old Man and the Sea

Source: The Old Man and the Sea

Thinking

“Do you love him?"
Deryn swallowed, then pointed at the screen. "He makes me feel like that. Like flying.”

Scott Westerfeld book Goliath

Source: Goliath

Love, Feeling, Flying

“What do such machines really do? They increase the number of things we can do without thinking. Things we do without thinking-there’s the real danger.”

Frank Herbert (1920–1986) American writer

Thinking

“I am a believer in free will. If my dog chooses to hate the whole human race except myself, it must be free to do so.”

Diana Wynne Jones book Castle in the Air

Source: Castle Series, Castle in the Air (1990), p. 31.
Context: "Maybe," he said, "you should be more careful about whom you let your dog bite."
"Not I!" said Jamal. "I am a believer of free will. If my dog chooses to hate the whole human race except myself, it must be free to do so."

Hate, Dogs