Inspirational and Motivational Quotes by Benjamin Franklin

Here are some inspiring and motivating quotes by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). A noted polymath, he was leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat (source: Wikipedia). That will be one of the reasons he has so many interesting quotes attributed to his name. Below are the quotes related to personal development (and a few others).

Action/Movement
“He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner.”
“Diligence is the mother of good luck.”
“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
“He that lives upon hope will die fasting.”
“Never confuse motion with action.”
“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.”
“Words may show a man’s wit but actions his meaning.”

Anger
“Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.”
“Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.”

Communication
“He that speaks much, is much mistaken.”
“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Failure
“Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.”
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Habits
“Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.”
“Each year one vicious habit discarded, in time might make the worst of us good.”
“It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”
“It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.”

Life
“I should have no objection to go over the same life from its beginning to the end: requesting only the advantage authors have, of correcting in a second edition the faults of the first.”
“Life’s Tragedy is that we get old to soon and wise too late.”

Love
“Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.”
“He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals.”
“If you would be loved, love, and be loveable.”

Success
“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”
“Well done is better than well said.”
“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do things worth writing.”
“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.”

Time
“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”
“Lost time is never found again.”
“Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste.”
“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”
“One today is worth two tomorrows.”
“Since thou are not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.”
“He that can have patience can have what he will.”

Wealth
“Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.”
“It is only when the rich are sick that they fully feel the impotence of wealth.”
“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”
“If you desire many things, many things will seem few.”
“Buy what thou hast no need of and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessities.”
“Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.”
“Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.”

Wisdom
“The doors of wisdom are never shut.”
“The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.”
“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”
“Observe all men, thyself most.”
“There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.”

And a Few More
“A small leak can sink a great ship.”
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
“Honesty is the best policy.”
“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”
“If a man could have half of his wishes, he would double his troubles.”
“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.”
“Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody.”
“If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.”
“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.”
“Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75.”
“Those that won’t be counseled can’t be helped.”
“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

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