Respect for the fragility and importance of an individual life is still the mark of an educated man.
Norman CousinsRead
Progress begins with the belief that what is necessary is possible.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Believing in the possibility of change is the first step toward making progress.
This quote by Norman Cousins emphasizes the importance of having a mindset that embraces possibilities. It suggests that in order to initiate any form of progress, one must first cultivate the belief that achieving what is necessary can actually happen. This foundational belief becomes the catalyst for motivation, action, and ultimately, success in any endeavor.
Themes
ProgressBeliefPossibilityMotivationChange
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about overcoming obstacles, this quote could inspire the audience to believe in their potential.
More from Norman Cousins
All quotes βNever deny a diagnosis, but do deny the negative verdict that may go with it.
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Although a man may have no jurisdiction over the fact of his existence, he can hold supreme command over the meaning of existence for him.
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People are never more insecure than when they become obsessed with their fears at the expense of their dreams.
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Reverence for life is more than solicitude or sensitivity for life. It is a sense of the whole, a capacity for inspired response, a respect for the intricate universe of individual life. It is the supreme awareness of awareness itself.
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Drugs are not always necessary. Belief in recovery always is.
Norman CousinsRead
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If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.
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If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status quo. I want to help people, to work with institutions or create ones when they don't exist.
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