Quotes by William Arthur Ward

William Arthur Ward (1921-1994), author of Fountains of Faith, is one of America's most quoted writers of inspirational maxims.

More than 100 articles, poems and meditations written by Ward have been published in such magazines as Reader's Digest, This Week, The Upper Room, Together, The Christian Advocate, The Adult Student, The Adult Teacher, The Christian Home, The Phi Delta Kappan, Science of Mind, The Methodist Layman, Sunshine, and Ideals.

His column Pertinent Proverbs has been featured in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and in numerous service club publications throughout the United States and abroad. He is one of the most frequently quoted writers in the pages of Quote, the international weekly digest for public speakers.

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” 

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”

“It is wise to direct your anger towards problems -- not people; to focus your energies on answers -- not excuses.”

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.”

“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.”

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say thank you? ”

“The adventure of life is to learn. 

The purpose of life is to grow. 

The nature of life is to change. 

The challenge of life is to overcome. 

The essence of life is to care. 

The opportunity of like is to serve. 

The secret of life is to dare. 

The spice of life is to befriend. 

The beauty of life is to give.
The joy of life is to love."

“Every person has the power to make others happy.
Some do it simply by entering a room
others by leaving the room.
Some individuals leave trails of gloom;
others, trails of joy.
Some leave trails of hate and bitterness;
others, trails of love and harmony.
Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism;
others trails of faith and optimism.
Some leave trails of criticism and resignation;
others trails of gratitude and hope.
What kind of trails do you leave?”

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

“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.”

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

“To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To hope is to risk pain.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”

“A life lived without forgiveness is a prison.”

“Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records. ”

“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”

“Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give.”

“Before you act, listen.
Before you react, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.”

“We can choose to throw stones, to stumble on them, to climb over them, or to build with them.”

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” 

“Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have.”

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it.”

“The optimist lives on the peninsula of infinite possibilities; the pessimist is stranded on the island of perpetual indecision.”

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.”

“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.”

“A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.”

“Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.”

“Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.”

“Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.”

“We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn. We must learn before we can prepare. We must prepare before we can serve. We must serve before we can lead.”

“Wise are those who learn that the bottom line doesn't always have to be their top priority.”

“Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible.”

“We can learn much from wise words, little from wisecracks, and less from wise guys.”

“The greatest hazard in life is to risk NOTHING.”

“Happiness is an inside job.”