WIST Quotations

Montaigne, Michel de -- Essays, Book 2, ch. 1 (2.1), “Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions [De l’inconstance de nos actions]” (1572) [tr. Zeitlin (1934)]

Dave — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:17:47 +0000

No wind serves him who has no port of destination.

[Nul vent fait pour celuy qui n’a point de port destiné. ]

Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 2, ch. 1 (2.1), “Of the Inconsistency of Our Actions [De l’inconstance de nos actions]” (1572) [tr. Zeitlin (1934)]

This passage was in the essays initial 1580 printing. Likely from a quotation of Seneca the Younger (1st C AD).

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

No winde makes for him, that hath no intended port to saile-unto.
[tr. Florio (1603)]

No helpe serves him that runnes uncertain courses (or knows not where to end them).
[tr. Cotgrave (1611)]

No wind serves him who is bound to no certain port.
[tr. Cotton (1686)]

No wind serves him who addresses his voyage to no certain port.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877)]

No wind is fair for him who has no purposed port.
[tr. Ives (1925)]

No wind works for the man who has no port of destination.
[tr. Frame (1943)]

No wind is right for a seaman who has no predetermined harbour.
[tr. Screech (1987)]

L'Engle, Madeleine -- Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Dave — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:09:52 +0000

We find what we are looking for. If we are looking for life and love and openness and growth, we are likely to find them. If we are looking for witchcraft and evil, we’ll likely find them, and we may get taken over by them.

Madeleine L'Engle (1918–2007) American writer
Speech (1983-11-16), “Dare To Be Creative,” Lecture, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler -- Poem (1879), “Advice,” st. 8, Maurine and Other Poems (1888 ed.)

Dave — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:27:40 +0000

I must live my life, not yours, my friend,
For so it was written down;
We must follow our given paths to the end,
But I trust we shall meet — in town.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919) American author, poet, temperance advocate, spiritualist
Poem (1879), “Advice,” st. 8, Maurine and Other Poems (1888 ed.)

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler -- Poem (1879), “Advice,” st. 4, Maurine and Other Poems (1882 ed.)

Dave — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:37:37 +0000

’T were a dull old world, methinks, my friend,
If we all just went one way;
Yet our paths will meet no doubt at the end,
Though they lead apart today.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919) American author, poet, temperance advocate, spiritualist
Poem (1879), “Advice,” st. 4, Maurine and Other Poems (1882 ed.)

Taylor, Barbara Brown -- An Altar in the World, ch. 4 (2009)

Dave — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 21:18:05 +0000

Most of us spend so much time thinking about where we have been or where we are supposed to be going that we have a hard time recognizing where we actually are.

Barbara Brown Taylor (b. 1951) American minister, academic, author
An Altar in the World, ch. 4 (2009)

Campbell, Joseph -- In Diane K. Osbon, ed., Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion, “In the Field” (1991)

Dave — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:29:47 +0000

It is by going down into the abyss
that we recover the treasures of life.

Where you stumble,
there lies your treasure.

The very cave you are afraid to enter
turns out to be the source of
what you are looking for.
The damned thing in the cave
that was so dreaded
has become the center.

Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) American writer, professor of literature
In Diane K. Osbon, ed., Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion, “In the Field” (1991)

Quoted extensively, and mis-cited to a variety of Campbell's published works. I have not been able to confirm a primary source for it.

Baudelaire, Charles -- Le Spleen de Paris (Petits Poèmes en Prose), No. 24 “Projects [Les Projets],” final words (1869) [tr. Varèse (1970)]

Dave — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 23:38:31 +0000

And why carry out one’s projects, since the project is sufficient pleasure in itself?

[Et à quoi bon exécuter des projets, puisque le projet est en lui-même une jouissance suffisante?]

Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867) French poet, essayist, art critic
Le Spleen de Paris (Petits Poèmes en Prose), No. 24 “Projects [Les Projets],” final words (1869) [tr. Varèse (1970)]

(Source (French)). Other translations:

And what is the good of carrying out a project, when the project itself gives me pleasure enough?
[tr. Hamburger (1946)]

And what good is it to carry out plans, since planning itself is a sufficient delight?
[tr. Kaplan (1989)]

And what good would it do to execute such plans, since planning is in itself sufficient enjoyment?
[tr. Waldrop (2009)]

What good is it to accomplish projects, when the project itself is enjoyment enough?
[Various]

Taylor, Barbara Brown -- Interview (2014-11-09), “Why Life Is Like a Sailboat Ride,” by Oprah Winfrey, Super Soul Sunday, 05×522, Oprah Winfrey Network

Dave — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 21:03:31 +0000

I think we’d like life to be a train. And you get on and pick a destination and get off. And it turns out to be a sailboat. And everyday, you have to see where the wind is and check the currents and see if there’s anybody else on the boat you can help out. But it is a sailboat ride. And the weather changes, and the currents change, and the wind changes. It’s not a train ride. That’s the hardest thing I’ve had to accept in my life. I just thought I had to pick the right train.

Barbara Brown Taylor (b. 1951) American minister, academic, author
Interview (2014-11-09), “Why Life Is Like a Sailboat Ride,” by Oprah Winfrey, Super Soul Sunday, 05×522, Oprah Winfrey Network

Starts at 0:48 in the linked video. Usually just rendered to as "I think we'd like life to be a train ... but it turns out to be a sailboat."

Le Guin, Ursula K. -- The Left Hand of Darkness, ch. 15 (1969)

Dave — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 23:03:20 +0000

It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018) American writer
The Left Hand of Darkness, ch. 15 (1969)

More info: It Is Good To Have an End To Journey Towards; But It Is the Journey That Matters, in the End – Quote Investigator.

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- “The Adventure of the Hansom Cabs” (1878)

Dave — Sat, 17 Aug 2019 04:26:42 +0000

Is there anything in life so disenchanting as attainment?

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
“The Adventure of the Hansom Cabs” (1878)

Berra, Yogi -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 19:34:46 +0000

You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.

Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American baseball player, coach, manager [b. Lawrence Peter Berra]
(Attributed)

Variants:

"If you don't know where you're going, you might not get there."
"If you don't know where you're going, you'll wind up somewhere else."

Murad, Abdal Hakim -- “Contentions 2,” # 7

Dave — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 13:58:34 +0000

The companion before the road, and the road before the destination. But without the destination there is no road, and without the road there is no companion.

Abdal Hakim Murad (b. 1960) British Muslim shaykh, researcher, writer, academic [b. Timothy John Winter]
“Contentions 2,” # 7

Chesterfield (Lord) -- Letter to his son, #203 (24 Nov 1749)

Dave — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:53:31 +0000

Caesar, when embarking in a storm, said that it was not necessary he should live, but that it was absolutely necessary he should get to the place to which he was going.

Lord Chesterfield (1694–1773) English statesman, wit [Philip Dormer Stanhope]
Letter to his son, #203 (24 Nov 1749)

Peter, Lawrence J. -- The Peter Principle (1969)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:00:00 +0000

If you don’t know where you’re going, you will probably end up somewhere else.

Lawrence J. Peter (1919–1990) American educator, management theorist
The Peter Principle (1969)

Nietzsche, Friedrich -- Human, All Too Human [Menschliches, Allzummenschliches], Part 1, ch. 9 “Man Alone with Himself [Der Mensch mit sich allein],” ¶ 494 (1878)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.

[Viele sind hartnäckig in Bezug auf den einmal eingeschlagenen Weg, Wenige in Bezug auf das Ziel.]

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German philosopher and poet
Human, All Too Human [Menschliches, Allzummenschliches], Part 1, ch. 9 “Man Alone with Himself [Der Mensch mit sich allein],” ¶ 494 (1878)

This is a frequent translation of this passage, but I cannot find the original translator.

(Source (German)). Other translations:

Many are obstinate with regard to the once-chosen path, few with regard to the goal.
[tr. Zimmern (1909)]

Many people are obstinate about the path once it is taken, few people about the destination.
(tr. Faber/Lehmann (1984)]

Many are obstinate with regard to the path once they have entered upon it, few with regard to the goal.
[tr. Hollingdale (1986)]