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Skill and confidence are an unconquered army.

George Herbert

A contemporary of William Shakespeare, George Herbert was a 17th-century poet and English clergyman known for both his wit and his principles. Perhaps due to his religious position, the verbiage of work was simpler and more straightforward than the flowery, passionate language used by the popular classical poets of his day. The metaphor he uses here reminds us that with undeterred self-assurance and commitment, we can reach any goal we set for ourselves.

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

John Wooden

Possessing an unparalleled humility, legendary college basketball coach John Wooden used his patented "Pyramid of Success" to give his young, impressionable players the tools to succeed at both basketball and life. Wooden turned a fledgling UCLA athletics program into a powerhouse that won 10 NCAA national titles, and all the while he maintained that true success wasn't based on accolades, but rather on being your best self. This quote speaks to Wooden's ideology; he lived life by what he called a "Seven Point Creed," which shunned egoism and prioritized helping others. It's a reminder that the greatest reward isn't necessarily wealth or fame, but being there for others, regardless of whether you receive anything in return.

Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time.

Hermann Hesse

A German novelist and poet, Hermann Hesse often focused on the unique spirit and identity each of us can cultivate outside of cultural norms. This may have been influenced by his own schooling: Hesse attended a traditional seminary for less than a year before transitioning to more informal apprenticeships in factories and bookstores. His writing, much of which explored artistic introspection and the search for enlightenment, became very popular around the time of World War II, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1946. This quote comes from arguably his most famous novel, “Siddhartha,” which follows the titular character’s journey to self-discovery and spiritual fulfillment. Siddhartha points out that when we’re overwhelmed, we can always return to our own instincts and foundations. If we can find an internal place of quiet and listen to ourselves, we might find more answers than we expect.

Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.

Mary Shelley

“Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” was published in 1818. Its author, Mary Shelley, was just 19 years old when she finished writing the novel — an impressive feat for someone so young, especially given the enormous literary and cultural impact the book would go on to have. Equally impressive is the nuanced nature of the novel, especially when it comes to the figure of Frankenstein’s monster. Depending on one’s perspective, the monster can be viewed as both protagonist and antagonist: a complex, sensitive, and articulate creation who yearns to share his life with another being such as himself. Rejected and abhorred by everyone — including his creator, the scientist Victor Frankenstein — he seeks revenge. The monster tells Frankenstein he has become fearless, with nothing left to lose, and that this fearlessness makes him strong. Although our personal obstacles may not be as daunting as those faced by Frankenstein’s monster, we can still unearth boundless strength and agency within ourselves when we learn to live beyond the borders of our fears.

The truth is the light and light is the truth.

Ralph Ellison

In his groundbreaking 1952 book “Invisible Man,” Ralph Ellison introduces us to an unnamed African American narrator who relates his story from a basement dwelling lit with 1,369 light bulbs. This room filled with light represents the man’s choice to see his life more clearly, to seek truth through enlightenment. Although “Invisible Man” was Ellison’s only novel published in his lifetime, more manuscripts were discovered in the award-winning author’s home after his death in 1994. This discovery resulted in the posthumous publication of a second novel, 1999’s “Juneteenth.” Even today, Ellison’s work continues to point us toward finding our truth from a place of quietly defiant illumination.

Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

Martin Luther King Jr.

In the closing words of his 1967 speech about the impact of the Vietnam War on the progress of Black Americans, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded his audience that true leadership does not come from the search for power, control, or approval. Instead, leadership is about teamwork, compromise, and the ability to listen to others. A steadfast advocate for nonviolence, King used his words to unite the civil rights movement under the banner of peace. He insisted on educating his followers, holding dialogue with dissenters, and striving to create a new, harmonious consensus among his supporters — all in order to lay out a path toward progress.

Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.

Henry David Thoreau

Best known for his book “Walden,” a series of essays about his time living alone in nature, American writer Henry David Thoreau prioritized personal values above societal expectations. Following his transcendentalist belief in spirituality and simple virtues, Thoreau often advocated living life in a way that is both fulfilling and impactful. In these words from an 1848 letter to his friend Harrison Blake, the writer implores us to endeavor to find a reason to be good people beyond just knowing that we should be. Having some sort of solid motivation to back us up increases our chances of becoming the kind of people we’d be proud of.

'Tis never too late to be wise.

Daniel Defoe

Hindsight, it’s often said, is 20/20. In Daniel Defoe’s 18th-century literary classic “Robinson Crusoe,” the titular protagonist struggles to survive while shipwrecked on a deserted island. As Crusoe learns to adapt to his wild surroundings, he also experiences regret for the choices that led to the circumstances in which he finds himself. But the past, of course, is in the past and cannot be changed. So in the throes of isolation, Crusoe forges ahead, progressing mentally and physically and keeping himself alive for 28 long years. It’s a story of resilience, but, as this quote demonstrates, it’s also a testament to independence, personal accountability, and the capacity for change.