Initiative Quotes
“He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
-Confucius
“Half the things that people do not succeed in are through fear of making the attempt.”
-James Northcote
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
“You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”
-Abraham Lincoln
“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.”
-Don Marquis
“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”
-Conrad Hilton, Hilton Hotels
“Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one’s thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world,”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
-William Jennings Bryan
“The one thing all famous authors, world-class athletes, business tycoons, singers, actors, and celebrated achievers in any field have in common is that they all began their journeys when they were none of these things.”
—Mike Dooley
“The explanation for triumph is in its first syllable.”
-Zig Ziglar
“Leaders are those who make the most of very moment, of every opportunity, and of every available resource.”
-Theodore Roosevelt
“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”
-Tony Robbins
“Procrastination is the thief of time.”
-Edward Young
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”
-Mark Twain
“Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then…do something. Don’t just stand there, make it happen.”
-Lee Lacocca
“Things may come to those who wait, but only things left by those who hustle.”
-Abraham Lincoln
“Change starts with you but it doesn’t start until you do.”
-Tom Ziglar
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.”
—Amelia Earhart
“Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope.”
—Bradley Whitford
“Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.”
-Henry Bergson
“A job well begun is half done.”
-Proverb
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
-Will Rogers
“There comes a moment when you have to stop revving up the car and shove it into gear.”
-David Mahoney
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t been in bed with a mosquito.”
-Anita Roddick
“For every person who climbs the ladder of success, there are a dozen waiting for the elevator.”
-Kathy Griffith
“If you want to change your destiny, you have to be active. If you just sit down, life will be imposed on you.”
-Madonna, in Le Figaro
“An idea is worthless unless you use it.”
-John Maxwell
“Well done is better than well said.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it.”
-Jonathan Winters
“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.”
—William Arthur Ward
How can you use Quotes?
- Start a discussion: Quotes can start a discussion about a character trait at the beginning of a meeting or the dinner table. You can ask questions about what it means, how they have seen the trait demonstrated in their own lives, or how they can develop it themselves.
- Provide a model: Quotes can provide a model of good character. When you read a quote from a famous person or historical figure, you show that people they admire also value the same character traits.
- Use quotes as writing/journal prompts: Ask them to write a short essay about a quote to help them think more deeply about its implications for their lives.
- Post quotes: You can post quotes where they will be seen/heard often – classroom, breakroom, lobby, dining room, email signatures, video bulletin boards, morning announcements, social media, etc.
- Read quotes aloud: You can read quotes aloud to your children during mealtimes, bedtime, or any other time you spend together.
- Make it fun: You can make it even more fun by incorporating games, activities, or crafts. Let children decorate signs with the quotes to hang in the classroom or a bedroom door. Record children saying it and post it on social media.
Do you have any favorite quotes about Initiative? Share them below!