Arthur Bloch Quotes

Powerful Arthur Bloch for Daily Growth

About Arthur Bloch

Arthur Bloch (1918-2005) was an American poet, critic, and academic, best known for his contributions to modernist poetry and the New York School movement. Born in the Bronx on February 10, 1918, Bloch grew up in a working-class Jewish family. He attended Cornell University, where he studied English literature, but left before graduating to join the Merchant Marine during World War II. Bloch's poetry was heavily influenced by his experiences during and after the war, as well as by the avant-garde art scene in New York City. In 1948, he co-founded the magazine "Yugen" with John Ashbery and Kenneth Koch, which became a platform for the emerging New York School poets. Bloch's first book of poetry, "Words in Space," was published in 1955. This collection showcased his distinctive style, characterized by surreal imagery, playful language, and a keen sense of humor. Other major works include "The Echoing Green" (1960), which won the National Book Award, and "Pleasures of the Imagination" (1970). In addition to his poetic career, Bloch was a respected critic and teacher. He taught at several institutions, including Sarah Lawrence College and Bennington College, and wrote extensively on modern poetry and art. His essays were collected in "Arthur Bloch: Selected Essays" (1986). Throughout his life, Arthur Bloch was known for his wit, intelligence, and generosity to fellow artists. He passed away on March 30, 2005, leaving behind a significant body of work that continues to influence contemporary poetry.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going."

The quote emphasizes persistence and continuous effort rather than focusing on time or deadlines. Just as a clock keeps ticking without pause, we should relentlessly pursue our tasks, goals, or dreams. It encourages us to stay committed and focused, not letting external factors like time constraints dictate our progress but rather making consistent efforts to keep moving forward.


"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

This quote emphasizes personal agency and self-determination, suggesting that individuals have the power to shape their own destiny rather than passively waiting for it to unfold. It encourages proactive decision-making and a belief in one's capacity to make positive changes in life. In essence, the message is: If you want something in your future, take action today to make it happen.


"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." (This is a paraphrased quote from Winston Churchill, but often attributed to Arthur Bloch)

This quote emphasizes the importance of perseverance in the face of success or failure. Success may be temporary and should not lead one to rest on their laurels, while failure is not a reason to give up. Instead, it encourages the courage to keep moving forward, demonstrating resilience and grit. The true measure of success lies in the ability to continue despite obstacles and setbacks.


"Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't."

Arthur Bloch's quote emphasizes that each person has unique knowledge, experiences, skills, or perspectives that are different from our own. This highlights the importance of being open-minded, curious, and receptive to others, as we can learn something valuable from everyone we encounter in life. Collaboration, empathy, and mutual respect become essential in such a diverse world.


"You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." (This is a paraphrased quote from Zig Ziglar, but often attributed to Arthur Bloch)

This quote suggests that helping others achieve their goals or desires can lead to one's own success in life. The idea is that by focusing on assisting others and contributing positively to their lives, opportunities for personal growth, happiness, and fulfillment will naturally follow. In essence, it emphasizes the power of kindness, empathy, and selflessness as a path towards personal satisfaction.


If you improve or tinker with something long enough, eventually it will break or malfunction.

- Arthur Bloch

Will, Break, Malfunction, Tinker

Enough research will tend to support your conclusions.

- Arthur Bloch

Enough, Will, Tend, Conclusions

The compromise will always be more expensive than either of the suggestions it is compromising.

- Arthur Bloch

Will, Always, Either, Compromise

Every clarification breeds new questions.

- Arthur Bloch

Questions, New, Every, Breeds

Every solution breeds new problems.

- Arthur Bloch

Solution, New, Every, Breeds

A failure will not appear until a unit has passed final inspection.

- Arthur Bloch

Failure, Will, Unit, Appear

Friends come and go but enemies accumulate.

- Arthur Bloch

Go, Come, Accumulate, Enemies

The Ninety-Ninety Rule of Project Schedules - the first ninety percent of the task takes ninety percent of the time, and the last ten percent takes the other ninety percent.

- Arthur Bloch

Other, Last, Ninety, Ninety Percent

If your project doesn't work, look for the part that you didn't think was important.

- Arthur Bloch

Work, Think, Important, Project

A conclusion is the place where you get tired of thinking.

- Arthur Bloch

Tired, Conclusion, Get, Thinking

Don't force it, get a bigger hammer.

- Arthur Bloch

Bigger, Get, Force, Hammer

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