Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.
Henri Frederic AmielRead
I'd look at one of my stonecutters hammering away at the rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it would split in two, and I knew it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Persistence and effort lead to success, even if progress seems invisible initially.
This quote emphasizes the importance of perseverance. It illustrates how continuous effort, even when results are not immediately visible, ultimately leads to breakthrough moments. The act of hammering away represents the cumulative effort that builds towards success, suggesting that every small action contributes to a larger result, even when the progress is not apparent.
Themes
PersistenceEffortSuccessBreakthroughPatience
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech at a conference to inspire entrepreneurs.
Similar quotes
Goals. There's no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There's no telling what you can do when you believe in them. There's no telling what will happen when you act upon them.
Jim RohnRead
I always feel like it's two key ingredients when it comes to following your dreams, making something happen that the average person deems difficult. If you truly believe it, that's step one. Step two, is, you know, the hard work that goes along with it.
J. ColeRead
It is important to have determination and optimism and patience. If you lack patience, even when you face some small obstacle, you lose courage. There is a Tibetan saying, "Even if you have failed at something nine times, you have still given it effort nine times." I think that's important. Use your brain to analyze the situation. Do not rush through it, but think. Once you decide what to do about that obstacle, then there's a possibility that you will achieve your goal.
Dalai LamaRead
Longevity in this business is about being able to reinvent yourself or invent the future.
Satya NadellaRead
What simple action could you take today to produce a new momentum toward success in your life?
Tony RobbinsRead