Earl Nightingale Quotes

Powerful Earl Nightingale for Daily Growth

About Earl Nightingale

Earl Nightingale (August 12, 1921 – March 28, 1989) was an American radio host, motivational speaker, and author, best known for his influential work in the field of personal development. Born in Coalgate, Oklahoma, Nightingale grew up during the Great Depression, which significantly influenced his worldview and drove him to pursue a career aimed at helping others improve their lives. Nightingale's fascination with broadcasting began while working as a disc jockey for a radio station in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He later moved to Los Angeles where he became one of the first announcers for NBC Radio, and eventually founded his own production company, Nightingale-Conant Corporation. In 1957, Nightingale delivered a speech titled "The Strangest Secret," which became one of the most influential motivational recordings in history. The speech focused on the power of self-image and its impact on personal success. It sold over a million copies and established Nightingale as a leading figure in the field of personal development. Throughout his career, Nightingale authored several books, including "The Strangest Secret," "Lead the Field," and "Laws of Success." He also produced hundreds of audio programs on self-improvement, success, and achievement. His work continues to inspire millions worldwide and is considered foundational in the personal development genre. Nightingale's influence extended beyond his writings and recordings. He was a founding member of the National Speakers Association and served as its first president. He also coined the phrase "Law of Averages," which suggests that if you do more of what works, you will get more of what you want. Earl Nightingale passed away in 1989, but his legacy lives on through his influential works and the countless lives he has touched with his messages of self-improvement and personal achievement.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal."

This quote by Earl Nightingale signifies that success doesn't happen overnight or as a sudden event, but rather it's a continuous process of moving towards an admirable goal. The journey to success involves setting aspirational goals, planning, taking actions, learning, growing, and persisting through challenges, all while maintaining the vision of the ultimate achievement. In essence, success is about progressing toward a worthwhile objective over time.


"You can't blame gravity for falling flat on your face."

This quote emphasizes personal responsibility and accountability in life. It suggests that one cannot use external circumstances or forces as an excuse for failing to achieve their goals or aspirations. Instead, the focus should be on understanding one's role in their own success or failure and taking responsibility for their actions and outcomes. In other words, it encourages individuals to strive for their dreams, learn from their mistakes, and not blame external factors for lack of progress.


"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

This quote encourages perseverance in pursuit of one's dreams, suggesting that time is a constant regardless of our actions. Rather than letting the seemingly long duration of achieving a dream discourage us, we should persist because giving up would result in the passage of time without progress towards our goals. Essentially, the quote emphasizes the importance of staying dedicated and patient to achieve one's dreams.


"We become what we think about all day long."

This quote by Earl Nightingale emphasizes that our thoughts play a significant role in shaping our identity and determining our destiny. In essence, it suggests that consistent focus on particular ideas or concepts transforms us into the personification of those thoughts. If we constantly think about success, for instance, we are more likely to become successful individuals. Conversely, if we dwell on failure or negativity, we may find ourselves trapped in a cycle of disappointment and discouragement. This quote encourages self-awareness and the cultivation of positive thoughts as a means to achieve personal growth and fulfillment.


"If you want to be successful, you must accept 100% responsibility for your life."

This quote by Earl Nightingale emphasizes personal accountability as a key to success in life. It suggests that individuals who truly desire to achieve their goals must not blame external circumstances or others for the state of their lives, but instead, embrace full responsibility for their actions, choices, and outcomes. By doing so, they are empowered to create meaningful change and fulfill their dreams.


Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.

- Earl Nightingale

Learning, Happy, Wait, Family

A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before the change.

- Earl Nightingale

Change, More, Before, Worlds

Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.

- Earl Nightingale

Goal, Success Is, Ideal, Worthy

Ideas are elusive, slippery things. Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside, so you can stab them during the night before they get away.

- Earl Nightingale

Night, Away, Before, Pad

Your problem is to bridge the gap which exists between where you are now and the goal you intend to reach.

- Earl Nightingale

Goal, Reach, Which, Intend

All you have to do is know where you're going. The answers will come to you of their own accord.

- Earl Nightingale

Own, Will, Going, Accord

All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.

- Earl Nightingale

Inspirational, Road Map, Map

People with goals succeed because they know where they're going.

- Earl Nightingale

Succeed, Know, Going, Goals

Always keep that happy attitude. Pretend that you are holding a beautiful fragrant bouquet.

- Earl Nightingale

Beautiful, Always, Holding, Bouquet

Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.

- Earl Nightingale

Time, Doing, Will, Passing

We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.

- Earl Nightingale

Best, Engaged, Very, Everything Else

You can measure opportunity with the same yardstick that measures the risk involved. They go together.

- Earl Nightingale

Measure, Same, Measures, Yardstick

We will receive not what we idly wish for but what we justly earn. Our rewards will always be in exact proportion to our service.

- Earl Nightingale

Wish, Always, Receive, Idly

Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.

- Earl Nightingale

Mind, Will, One Day, Subconscious Mind

Whenever we're afraid, it's because we don't know enough. If we understood enough, we would never be afraid.

- Earl Nightingale

Never, Whenever, Would, Understood

Wherever there is danger, there lurks opportunity; whenever there is opportunity, there lurks danger. The two are inseparable. They go together.

- Earl Nightingale

Go, Inseparable, Whenever, Wherever

Picture yourself in your minds eye as having already achieved this goal. See yourself doing the things you'll be doing when you've reached your goal.

- Earl Nightingale

Goal, Doing, Having, Reached

You are, at this moment, standing, right in the middle of your own 'acres of diamonds.'

- Earl Nightingale

Diamonds, Middle, Standing, Acres

The big thing is that you know what you want.

- Earl Nightingale

Want, Big, Know, Big Thing

The biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are working for somebody else. Job security is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the individual. Remember: Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career!

- Earl Nightingale

Believe, Career, Own, Driving Force

Executive ability is deciding quickly and getting somebody else to do the work.

- Earl Nightingale

Executive, Getting, Else, Deciding

We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule our lives from within.

- Earl Nightingale

Circumstances, Charge, Take, Our Lives

The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.

- Earl Nightingale

Deep, Goal, Will, Intensely

Our attitude towards others determines their attitude towards us.

- Earl Nightingale

Attitude, Towards, Our, Determines

The mind moves in the direction of our currently dominant thoughts.

- Earl Nightingale

Mind, Thoughts, Dominant, Currently

Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations.

- Earl Nightingale

Attitude, Environment, Which, Expectations

We tend to live up to our expectations.

- Earl Nightingale

Up, Tend, Our, Expectations

What's going on in the inside shows on the outside.

- Earl Nightingale

Inside, Going, Shows, Outside

People are where they are because that is exactly where they really want to be - whether they will admit that or not.

- Earl Nightingale

Admit, Will, Whether, Exactly

We all walk in the dark and each of us must learn to turn on his or her own light.

- Earl Nightingale

Learn, Her, His, Walk

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