Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotations on Despair

I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright

What is courage? This courage will not be the opposite of despair. We shall often be faced with despair, as indeed every sensitive person has been during the last several decades in this country. Hence Kierkegaard and Nietzsche and Camus and Sartre have proclaimed that courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair.
Rollo May (1909–94) American Philosopher

O God, O God, how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world!
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright

But what we call our despair is often only the painful eagerness of unfed hope.
George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist

In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.
Aeschylus (525–456 BCE) Greek Playwright

Fatalism is the lazy man’s way of accepting the inevitable.
Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972) American Playwright, Poet, Novelist

Despair is typical of those who do not understand the causes of evil, see no way out, and are incapable of struggle. The modern industrial proletariat does not belong to the category of such classes.
Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) Russian Revolutionary Leader

Despair is the only genuine atheism.
Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist

He who despairs wants love and faith, for faith, hope, and love are three torches which blend their light together, nor does the one shine without the other.
Metastasio (1698–1782) Italian Poet, Librettist

Because I remember, I despair. Because I remember, I have the duty to reject despair.
Elie Wiesel (1928–2016) Romanian-born American Writer, Professor, Political Activist

Let judges secretly despair of justice: their verdicts will be more acute. Let generals secretly despair of triumph; killing will be defamed. Let priests secretly despair of faith: their compassion will be true.
Leonard Cohen (1934–2016) Canadian Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Novelist

All my life I believed I knew something. But then one strange day came when I realized that I knew nothing; yes, I knew nothing. And so words became void of meaning. I have arrived too late at ultimate uncertainty.
Ezra Pound (1885-1972) American Poet, Translator, Critic

He that despairs measures Providence by his own little contracted model and limits infinite power to finite apprehensions.
Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher

It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent.
Jeremy Taylor

Despair gives courage to a coward.
Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian

Voluptuaries, consumed by their senses, always begin by flinging themselves with a great display of frenzy into an abyss. But they survive, they come to the surface again. And they develop a routine of the abyss: “It’s four o clock. At five I have my abyss… “
Colette (1873–1954) French Novelist, Performer

Religion converts despair, which destroys, into resignation, which submits.
Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington (1789–1849) Irish Novelist, Writer

Life begins on the other side of despair.
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80) French Philosopher, Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter, Political Activist

Depression is the inability to construct a future.
Rollo May (1909–94) American Philosopher

The depth of our despair measures what capability and height of claim we have to hope.
Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist

He that despairs degrades the Deity, and seems to intimate that He is insufficient, or not just to his word; in vain hath he read the Scriptures, the world, and man.
Owen Feltham (1602–1668) English Essayist

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach for another is to risk involvement.
To expose your feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To believe is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes they are slaves; they have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
Anonymous

Despair is the offspring of fear, of laziness, and impatience; it argues a delect of spirit and resolution, and often of honesty too. I would not despair unless I saw my misfortune recorded in the book of fate, and signed and sealed by necessity.
Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman

To those who despair of everything reason cannot provide a faith, but only passion, and in this case it must be the same passion that lay at the root of the despair, namely humiliation and hatred.
Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author

Beware of desperate steps.—The darkest day, live till tomorrow, will have passed away.
William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer

Whether or not we have hope depends on two dimensions of our explanatory style; pervasiveness and permanence. Finding temporary and specific causes for misfortune is the art of hope: Temporary causes limit helplessness in time, and specific causes limit helplessness to the original situation. On the other hand, permanent causes produce helplessness far into the future, and universal causes spread helplessness through all your endeavors. Finding permanent and universal causes for misfortune is the practice of despair… The optimistic style of explaining good events is the opposite of that used for bad events: It’s internal rather than external. People who believe they cause good things tend to like themselves better than people who believe good things come from other people or circumstances.
Martin Seligman (b.1942) American Psychologist, Author

Action is the antidote to despair.
Joan Baez (b.1941) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician

Despair is the damp of hell, as joy is the serenity of heaven.
John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric

All experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer

Through our sunless lanes creeps Poverty with her hungry eyes, and Sin with his sodden face follows close behind her. Misery wakes us in the morning and Shame sits with us at night.
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright

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