You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe.

Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.

When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.

"On the surface, I was calm: in secret, without really admitting it, I was waiting for something. Her return? How could I have been waiting for that? We all know that we are material creatures, subject to the laws of physiology and physics, and not even the power of all our feelings combined can defeat those laws. All we can do is detest them. The age-old faith of lovers and poets in the power of love, stronger than death, that finis vitae sed non amoris, is a lie, useless and not even funny. So must one be resigned to being a clock that measures the passage of time, now out of order, now repaired, and whose mechanism generates despair and love as soon as its maker sets it going? Are we to grow used to the idea that every man relives ancient torments, which are all the more profound because they grow comic with repetition? That human existence should repeat itself, well and good, but that it should repeat itself like a hackneyed tune, or a record a drunkard keeps playing as he feeds coins into the jukebox...

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.

In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them.... I destroy them.

Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom if you listen.

We must expect reverses even defeats. They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence to call forth greater energies and to prevent our falling into greater disasters.

Truth cannot be defeated.

In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time.

There is no better than adversity. Every defeat every heartbreak every loss contains its own seed its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.

Nothing fails like success nothing is so defeated as yesterday's triumphant Cause.

Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.

Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling as in all careers of importance victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats.

Something called 'the Oklahoma Standard' became known throughout the world. It means resilience in the face of adversity. It means a strength and compassion that will not be defeated.

Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world you must make that attempt. That's morality that's religion. That's art. That's life.

Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.

I was now resolved to do everything in my power to defeat the system.

The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress with its trials and its errors its successes and its setbacks can never be relaxed and never abandoned.

I know people who grow old and bitter. I want to keep making a fresh start. I don't want them to defeat me. That would be suicidal.

I trust that your readers will not construe my words to mean that I would not have gone to a 3 o'clock in the morning session for the sake of defeating the Nebraska bill.

I don't believe we are supposed to go through life defeated and not having enough money to pay our bills or send our kids to college.

The 'morality of compromise' sounds contradictory. Compromise is usually a sign of weakness or an admission of defeat. Strong men don't compromise it is said and principles should never be compromised.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.