Purpose Quotes

• The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.

  Pablo Picasso

  Inspirational, Life, Inspiring

  308 Copy quote

• It is not the purpose of a juryman's office to give justice as a favor to whoever seems good to him, but to judge according to law, and this he has sworn to do.

  Socrates

  Apology, Law, Giving

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• It is not the being seen of men that is wrong, but doing these things for the purpose of being seen of men. The problem with the hypocrite is his motivation.

  Saint Augustine

  Christian, Motivation, Hypocrite

  6 Copy quote

• People who use time wisely spend it on activities that advance their overall purpose in life.

  John C. Maxwell

  Leadership, People, Use

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• Nothing has a greater tendency to lessen the reverence which mankind ought to have for the Supreme Being, than a careless repetition of his name upon every trifling occasion . . . . To prevent this profanation, such passages are selected from scripture, as contain some important precepts of morality and religion, in which that sacred name is seldom mentioned. Let sacred things be appropriated to sacred purposes.

  Noah Webster

  Names, Religion, Important

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• I trust that the proposed Constitution afford a genuine specimen of representative government and republican government; and that it will answer, in an eminent degree, all the beneficial purposes of society.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Degrees, Answers

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• My fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe; who presides in the councils of nations; and whose providential aid can supply every human defect; that his benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the People of the United States, a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes, and may enable every instrument employed in its administration to execute with success the functions allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the Great Author of every public and private good.

  George Washington

  God, Government, People

  First Inaugural Address on April 30, 1789. "The Writings of George Washington", edited by John C. Fitzpatrick, Volume 30, pp. 292-293,

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• [A]ll power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people. That government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people; which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty and the right of acquiring property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. That the people have an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform or change their government whenever it be found adverse or inadequate to the purpose of its institution.

  James Madison

  Government, People, Safety

  James Madison (1999). “Writings”

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• I am now . . . on a subject, which fills me with inexpressible concern . . . . But as it has been a kind of destiny, that has thrown me upon this service, I shall hope that my undertaking it is designed to answer some good purpose.

  George Washington

  Destiny, Answers, Revolution

  George Washington (1852). “The life of General Washington: first president of the United States”, p.123

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• There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.

  Oprah Winfrey

  Teacher, Passion, Giving

  24 Copy quote

• To answer the purpose of the adversaries of the Constitution, they ought to prove, not merely that particular provisions in it are not the best, which might have been imagined; but that the plan upon the whole is bad and pernicious.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Answers, Might, Constitution

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.322, Coventry House Publishing

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• Grief is accepting the reality of what is. That is grief's job and purpose-to allow us to come to terms with the way things really are, so that we can move on. Grief is a gift of God. Without it, we would all be condemned to a life of continually denying reality, arguing or protesting against reality, and never growing from the realities we experience.

  Henry Cloud

  Jobs, Grief, Moving

  Henry Cloud, John Townsend (2006). “God Will Make a Way: What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do”, p.210, Thomas Nelson Inc

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• Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.

  John F. Kennedy

  Inspirational, Leadership, Basketball

  John F. Kennedy's Speech at the Coliseum, Raleigh, North Carolina, September 17, 1960.

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• Great minds have purposes; others have wishes.

  Washington Irving

  Inspirational, Positive, Meaningful

  157 Copy quote

• I believe that nothing that happens to me is meaningless and that it is good for us all that it should be so, even if it runs counter to our own wishes. As I see it, I'm here for some purpose, and I only hope I may fulfill it.

  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

  Running, Believe, Destiny

  Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2011). “Letters Papers from Prison”, p.123, Simon and Schuster

  34 Copy quote

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• Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.

  Dalai Lama

  Inspirational, Life, Motivational

  947 Copy quote

• If you can't figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.

  T. D. Jakes

  Inspirational, Motivation, Passion

  Twitter post from Jan 18, 2017

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• See first that the design is wise and just: that ascertained, pursue it resolutely; do not for one repulse forego the purpose that you resolved to effect.

  William Shakespeare

  Wise, Memorable, Design

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• No one has yet been found so firm of mind and purpose as resolutely to compel himself to sweep away all theories and common notions, and to apply the understanding, thus made fair and even, to a fresh examination of particulars. Thus it happens that human knowledge, as we have it, is a mere medley and ill-digested mass, made up of much credulity and much accident, and also of the childish notions which we at first imbibed.

  Francis Bacon

  Knowledge, Science, Understanding

  Francis Bacon (2012). “The Great Instauration”, p.63, Simon and Schuster

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• The only failure one should fear, is not hugging to the purpose they see as best.

  George Eliot

  Inspirational, Failure, Hug

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• The purpose of paragraphing is to give the reader a rest. The writer is saying . . . : Have you got that? If so, I'll go to the next point.

  Henry Watson Fowler

  Writing, Giving, Next

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• ...the statement, "The purpose of the law is to cause justice to reign," is not a rigorously accurate statement. It ought to be stated that the purpose of the law is to prevent injustice from reigning. In fact, it is injustice, instead of justice, that has an existence of its own. Justice is achieved only when injustice is absent.

  Frederic Bastiat

  Law, Justice, Liberty

  Frederic Bastiat (2006). “The Law”, p.23, Cosimo, Inc.

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• I'm doing what I think I was put on this earth to do. And I'm really grateful to have something that I'm passionate about and that I think is profoundly important.

  Marian Wright Edelman

  Work, Grateful, Thinking

  15 Copy quote

• If you want to feel connected to your own purpose, know this for certain: Your purpose will only be found in service to others, and in being connected to the something far greater than your mind/body/ego.

  Wayne Dyer

  Ego, Mind, Body

  21 Copy quote

• So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish, shrewd plodders, full of distrust and sneers.

  W. E. B. Du Bois

  Selfish, Learning, Watches

  15 Copy quote