Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.

My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.

Beauty is not caused. It is.

Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.

We're asking you to trust in the Well-being. In optimism there is magic. In pessimism there is nothing. In positive expectation there is thrill and success. In pessimism or awareness of what is not wanted, there is nothing. What you're wanting to do is redefine your relationship with the Stream. We do not ask you to look at something that is black and call it white. We do not ask you to see something that is not as you want it to be and pretend that it is. What we ask you to do is practice moving your gaze. Practice changing your perspective. Practice talking to different people. Practice going to new places. Practice sifting through the data for the things that feel like you want to feel and using those things to cause you to feel a familiar place. In other words, we want you to feel familiar in your joy. Familiar in your positive expectation, familiar in your knowing that all is well, because this Universe will knock itself out giving you evidence of that Well-being once you find that place. We have enjoyed this interaction immensely. There is great love here for you.

God is not on the side of any nation, yet we know He is on the side of justice. Our finest moments [as a nation] have come when we faithfully served the cause of justice for our own citizens, and for the people of other lands.

Power is no source of satisfaction. Is is rather cause for very real humility. It is the whole history of mankind that power lacking the inner strength of self-restraint will be eventually cast down.

Even a small thorn causes pain.

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause.

I know that I have the ability to achieve my definite purpose in life:
therefore I demand of myself, persistent, continuous action towards its attainment and I here and now promise to render such action.
I fully realize that no wealth or position will long endure unless it is built upon truth and justice;
therefore I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all to whom it effects.
I am succeeding by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use and the cooperation of other people.
I induce others to serve me because of my willingness to serve others.
I eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, cynicism, anger, and fear by developing a true love for all humanity,
because I know that a negative attitude towards others will never bring me success.
I cause others to believe in me because I believe in them and believe in myself.
This is my creed, my quest.
To never stop striving for the top.
To always keep moving forward.
To always be the very best I can be.
I am the power. I am the magic. I cannot be stopped. I am a winner.
I promise to always be true to myself because I am the creator and master of my universe
and I am responsible for making a positive difference in the world
and to the quality of life in it.
I live in constant and never-ending improvement.

Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens,) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake; since history and experience prove, that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican Government. But that jealousy, to be useful, must be impartial; else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided, instead of a defense against it. Excessive partiality for one foreign nation, and excessive dislike of another, cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side, and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence on the other. Real patriots, who may resist the intrigues of the favorite, are liable to become suspected and odious; while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people, to surrender their interests.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

I’ve something to say to you older folks, and you young folks listen too,
For what I’m about to say, will some day apply to you.

I know that some of you older folks are happily retired,
And have no ties to bind you, and work is no longer required.

So you’re sitting around in idleness, each day becomes a bore,
You’re beginning to start thinking, there’s nothing worth living for.

You’d like to be in some business, but think it’s too late to begin,
Well, I’ll tell you about a business, that all of you can be in.

Be in the business of staying young, make staying young a career,
Don’t live in the past; plan a future: look forward to each added year.

Don’t sit around and sigh, and let the world pass you by,
Get with it, and stay with it, all you have to do is to try.

Be willing to forget yourself, for at least once in awhile,
Place yourself second, and cause someone else to smile.

Kindness pays a thousand fold, this fact is more than true,
Try doing a favor here and there, and it will work for you.

Be willing to admit mistakes, humility is always grand,
The humble people are the ones that need a helping hand.

It’s a matter of ABC: When we encounter ADVERSITY, we react by thinking about it. Our thoughts rapidly congeal into BELIEFS. These beliefs may become so habitual we don’t even realize we have them unless we stop to focus on them. And they don’t just sit there idly; they have CONSEQUENCES. The beliefs are the direct cause of what we feel and what we do next. They can spell the difference between dejection and giving up, on the one hand, and well-being and constructive action on the other. The first step is to see the connection between adversity, belief, and consequence. The second step is to see how the ABCs operate every day in your own life.

The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.

It doesn't take a majority to make a rebellion; it takes only a few determined leaders and a sound cause.

Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad.