Quotes about motivation

The motives of mankind are plainer than the motions they produce.

Nothing degraded morale like the sense that the potential for excellence was being denied.

Your actions reveal how badly you want something. If you keep saying something is a priority but you never act on it, then you don’t really want it. It’s time to have an honest conversation with yourself. Your actions reveal your true motivations.

We both know that actions taken from internal conviction are far better motivated than any external commands.

The motivations of men. They never make sense. And they always make sense.

'Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and lay open the soul of the doer.

Some became Crusaders for the love of change; some, in the hope of plunder; some, because they had nothing to do at home; some, because they did what the priests told them; some, because they liked to see foreign countries; some, because they were fond of knocking men about, and would as soon knock a Turk about as a Christian.

Every act you have ever performed since the day you were born was performed because you wanted something. How about the time you gave a large contribution to the Red Cross? Yes, that is no exception to the rule. You gave the Red Cross the donation because you wanted to lend a helping hand; you wanted to do a beautiful, unselfish, divine act.

If you had no higher motive than the approval of your fellow mortal, it would do you little good.

One cannot live without motives. I have no motives left, and I am living.

Present interest, that is the motive power, the only motive power that takes us far and safely.