Norman Vincent Peale was an American minister and author known for his work in popularizing the concept of positive thinking, especially through his best-selling book The Power of Positive Thinking. Profoundly inspirational Norman Vincent Peale quotes will encourage growth in life, make you wiser and broaden your perspective.
Famous Norman Vincent Peale Quotes
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. – Norman Vincent Peale
Change your thoughts and you change your world. – Norman Vincent Peale
Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something special in them. Look at the sunny side of everything. Think only the best, be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile. Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others. Be too big for worry and too noble for anger. – Norman Vincent Peale
The way to happiness: Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry. Live simply, expect little, give much. Scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others. Try this for a week and you will be surprised. – Norman Vincent Peale
Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities. Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. But with self-confidence you can succeed. A sense of inferiority and inadequacy interferes with the attainment of your hopes, but self-confidence leads to self-realization and successful achievement. – Norman Vincent Peale
Often we have no choice about doing things, but we can always choose how to do them. – Norman Vincent Peale
The tests of life are not to break you but to make you. – Norman Vincent Peale
Happiness will never come if it’s a goal in itself; happiness is a by-product of a commitment of worthy causes. – Norman Vincent Peale
A very real barrier to faith is this feeling of self-sufficiency, this unrealistic idea that one can accomplish everything by his or her own self. Some people have the conviction they must do it all alone. They have no faith in others. . . they are convinced that there is no one able to do the job as well as themselves. They refuse to admit that they may need the help of friends, doctor, minister, or even God. – Norman Vincent Peale
A vital part of the happiness formula is self-discipline. Whoever conquers himself knows deep happiness that fills the heart with joy. – Norman Vincent Peale
Faith supplies staying power. Anyone can keep going when the going is good, but some extra ingredient is needed to keep you fighting when it seems that everything is against you – Norman Vincent Peale
I place this day, my life, my loved ones, my work in the Lord’s hands. There is no harm in the Lord’s hands, only good. Whatever happens, whatever results, if I am in the Lord’s hands it is the Lord’s will and it is good. – Norman Vincent Peale
You must feed your mind even as you feed your body, and to make your mind healthy, you must feed it nourishing, wholesome thoughts. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you put off everything till you’re sure of it, you’ll never get anything done. – Norman Vincent Peale
Even if you may be down to the worst, the best is potentially within you. You only have to find it, release it, and rise up with it. This requires courage and character, to be sure, but the main requirement is faith. Cultivate faith and you will have the necessary courage and character. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you can only believe! If you will only believe! Then nothing, nothing, will be impossible for you! That is the truth and the Gospel, and it is wonderful. It’s the good news. – Norman Vincent Peale
There are two primary forces in this world, fear and faith. Fear can move you to destructiveness or sickness or failure. Only in rare instances will it motivate you to accomplishment. But faith is a greater force. Faith can drive itself into your consciousness and set you free from fear forever. – Norman Vincent Peale
Let a series of happy thoughts run through your mind. They will show on your face. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you want a quality, act as if you already have it. If you want to be courageous, act as if you were – and as you act and persevere in acting, so you tend to become. – Norman Vincent Peale
The Bible – the wisest document ever known in human existence, which defies the ravages of time and change because it contains the truth that cannot be changed or invalidated. – Norman Vincent Peale
Think joy, talk joy, practice joy, share joy, saturate your mind with joy, and you will have the time of your life today and every day all your life. – Norman Vincent Peale
The really happy people are those who have broken the chains of procrastination, those who find satisfaction in doing the job at hand. They’re full of eagerness, zest, productivity. You can be, too. – Norman Vincent Peale
Religion does not blithely promise some sort of no-trouble, no-problem, no-poverty world; but rather a spirit, a power, an enthusiasm that endows everyone with the ability to overcome any and all of it. – Norman Vincent Peale
We may live victoriously, not because we have any power within ourselves, but because when we give ourselves to God, He gives himself to us. – Norman Vincent Peale
Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself. – Norman Vincent Peale
Your enthusiasm will be infectious, stimulating and attractive to others. They will love you for it They will go for you and with you – Norman Vincent Peale
Christmas is the season of joy, of holiday greetings exchanged, of gift-giving,and of families united. – Norman Vincent Peale
Do not exclusively say your prayers in the form of asking God for something. The prayer of thanksgiving is much more powerful. – Norman Vincent Peale
Whatever you are doing in the game of life, give it all you’ve got – Norman Vincent Peale
Fear can infect us early in life until eventually it cuts a deep groove of apprehension in all our thinking. To counteract it, let faith, hope and courage enter your thinking. Fear is strong, but faith is stronger yet. – Norman Vincent Peale
Yesterday ended last night. Every day is a new beginning. Learn the skill of forgetting. And move on. – Norman Vincent Peale
Every person, if he is to have mental health and live successfully, must move away from past failures and mistakes and go forward without letting them be a weight upon him. The art of forgetting is absolutely necessary. – Norman Vincent Peale
Make a mental list of happy thoughts and pass them through your mind several times every day. – Norman Vincent Peale
Don’t take tomorrow to bed with you. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you think lack you tend to create a condition of lack. Shift your thought pattern to one of abundance and believe that God is now in the process of giving you the abundance you need. – Norman Vincent Peale
Trouble is here. It is for a purpose. Use it for the purpose for which it was intended – to help you grow. Thank God for your troubles. – Norman Vincent Peale
Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are. – Norman Vincent Peale
Fill the day with enthusiasm. Give the day all you’ve got and it will give you all it’s got, which will be plenty. – Norman Vincent Peale
The greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing and becomes nothing. – Norman Vincent Peale
Think excitement, talk excitement, act out excitement, and you are bound to become an excited person. Life will take on a new nest, deeper interest and greater meaning. You can think, talk and act yourself into dullness or into monotony or into unhappiness. By the same process you can build up inspiration, excitement and surging depth of joy. – Norman Vincent Peale
Have great hopes and dare to go all out for them. Have great dreams and dare to live them. Have tremendous expectations and believe in them. – Norman Vincent Peale
Jesus is not a memory. He is an actual, contemporary, reachable Person. He is the living Christ, who has the power to enter into people’s lives and change and lift them up. – Norman Vincent Peale
Faith is the most powerful of all forces operating in humanity and when you have it in depth nothing can get you down. – Norman Vincent Peale
We tend to get what we expect. – Norman Vincent Peale
Deep within the individual is a vast reservoir of untapped power awaiting to be used. no person can have the use of all this potential until he learns to know his or her own self. the trouble with many people is that they got through life thinking and writing themselves off as ordinary commonplace persons. having no proper belief in themselves they live aimless and erratic lives largely because they never realize what their lives really can be or what they can become – Norman Vincent Peale
It is of practical value to learn to like yourself. Since you must spend so much time with yourself you might as well get some satisfaction out of the relationship. – Norman Vincent Peale
Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind and spirit. Inner peace begins with a relaxed body. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you are not getting as much from life as you want to, then examine the state of your enthusiasm. – Norman Vincent Peale
Believe you can, and you can. Belief is one of the most powerful of all problem dissolvers. When you believe that a difficulty can be overcome, you are more than halfway to victory over it already. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you want things to be different, perhaps the answer is to become different yourself. – Norman Vincent Peale
You have a choice everyday… You can choose every morning whether you will be depressed and miserable, or whether you will be happy. – Norman Vincent Peale
Be an all-out, not a hold-out. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you expect the best, you will be the best. Learn to use one of the most powerful laws in this world; change your mental habits to belief instead of disbelief. Learn to expect, not to doubt. In so doing, you bring everything into the realm of possibility. – Norman Vincent Peale
Promise yourself success at the beginning of each day, and you’ll be surprised how often things will turn out that way. – Norman Vincent Peale
To cure worry, spend fifteen minutes daily filling your mind full of God. Worry is just a very bad mental habit. You can change any habit with God’s help. – Norman Vincent Peale
Dwelling on negative thoughts is like fertilizing weeds. – Norman Vincent Peale
Life is a blend of laughter and tears, a combination of rain and sunshine. – Norman Vincent Peale
Nothing is more confusing than people who give good advice but set a bad example. – Norman Vincent Peale
Never let any mistake cause you to stop believing in yourself. Learn from it and go on. – Norman Vincent Peale
Faith is the one power against which fear cannot stand. Day by day, as you fill your mind with faith, there will ultimately be no more room left for fear. This is the one great fact that no one should forget. Master faith and you will automatically master fear. – Norman Vincent Peale
Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory. – Norman Vincent Peale
A positive thinker does not refuse to recognize the negative; he refuses to dwell on it. – Norman Vincent Peale
When you affirm big, believe big and pray big, big things happen. – Norman Vincent Peale
Throw back the shoulders, let the heart sing, let the eyes flash, let the mind be lifted up, look upward and say to yourself … nothing is impossible! – Norman Vincent Peale
To be successful is to be helpful, caring and constructive, to make everything and everyone you touch a little bit better. – Norman Vincent Peale
Whatever your problem, no matter how difficult, you can release spiritual power sufficient to solve your problem. The secret is–pray and believe. – Norman Vincent Peale
God never made anyone else exactly like you, and he never will again. Thank him for yourself and then for all the rest of his glorious handiwork. – Norman Vincent Peale
The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. – Norman Vincent Peale
The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have. – Norman Vincent Peale
Watch your manner of speech if you wish to develop a peaceful state of mind. Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful. – Norman Vincent Peale
We’ve all heard that we have to learn from our mistakes, but I think it’s more important to learn from successes. If you learn only from your mistakes, you are inclined to learn only errors. – Norman Vincent Peale
There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment. – Norman Vincent Peale
The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is the easiest type of existence. – Norman Vincent Peale
Getting people to like you is merely the other side of liking them. – Norman Vincent Peale
Promises are like crying babies in a theater, they should be carried out at once. – Norman Vincent Peale
Four things for success: work and pray, think and believe. – Norman Vincent Peale
When every physical and mental resources is focused, one’s power to solve a problem multiplies tremendously. – Norman Vincent Peale
Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have. – Norman Vincent Peale
Be interesting, be enthusiastic… and don’t talk too much. – Norman Vincent Peale
Part of the happiness of life consists not in fighting battles, but in avoiding them. A masterly retreat is in itself a victory. – Norman Vincent Peale
Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture… Do not build up obstacles in your imagination. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you have zest and enthusiasm you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind. – Norman Vincent Peale
You will soon break the bow if you keep it always stretched. – Norman Vincent Peale
Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex. – Norman Vincent Peale
Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds. – Norman Vincent Peale
When you pray for anyone you tend to modify your personal attitude toward him. – Norman Vincent Peale
Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that. – Norman Vincent Peale
Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. – Norman Vincent Peale
If you paint in your mind a picture of bright and happy expectations, you put yourself into a condition conducive to your goal. – Norman Vincent Peale
Drop the idea that you are Atlas carrying the world on your shoulders. The world would go on even without you. Don’t take yourself so seriously. – Norman Vincent Peale
Understanding can overcome any situation, however mysterious or insurmountable it may appear to be. – Norman Vincent Peale
The Gateway to Christianity is not through an intricate labyrinth of dogma, but by a simple belief in the person of Christ. – Norman Vincent Peale
Change yourself and your work will seem different. – Norman Vincent Peale
One of the greatest moments in anybody’s developing experience is when he no longer tries to hide from himself but determines to get acquainted with himself as he really is. – Norman Vincent Peale
We struggle with the complexities and avoid the simplicities. – Norman Vincent Peale
Help us to be thankful for this day and every day and treat each one as a preciousgem to be filled to the full with meaning and with love. – Norman Vincent Peale
Whenever a negative thought concerning your personal power comes to mind,deliberately voice a positive one to cancel it out. – Norman Vincent Peale
Don’t duck the most difficult problems. That just insures that the hardest part will be left when you’re most tired. Get the big one done – it’s downhill from then on. – Norman Vincent Peale
First thing every morning before you arise say out loud, ”I believe,” three times. – Norman Vincent Peale
principle. Act as if, and that which you practice will tend to be. – Norman Vincent Peale
No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilites-always see them- for they are always there. – Norman Vincent Peale
A person with a hundred interests is twice as alive as one with only fifty and four times as alive as the man who has only twenty-five – Norman Vincent Peale
You would think that economy would be one of the easiest habits in the world to break but it isn’t. – Norman Vincent Peale
Never say anything to hurt anyone. Moreover… refrain from double talk, from shrewd and canny remarks that are designed to advance our interests at someone’s disadvantage. We are to turn our back upon evil, and in every way possible, do good, help people and bring blessings into their lives. – Norman Vincent Peale
I really believe kids want to do well. It’s a coach’s job to create an environment for them to be successful. – Norman Vincent Peale
The ‘how’ thinker gets problems solved effectively because he wastes no time with futile ‘ifs’. – Norman Vincent Peale
People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success. – Norman Vincent Peale
Realize that there are not hopeless situations; there are only people who take hopeless attitudes. – Norman Vincent Peale
We live in the midst of the greatest scientific civilization in the history of the world. But the greatest wisdom walking our streets is not in any laboratory scientist, but the wisdom of Jesus Christ. – Norman Vincent Peale
The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results. – Norman Vincent Peale
You become a worrier by practicing worry. You become free of worry by practicing the opposite… – Norman Vincent Peale
The greatest secret for eliminating the infirmity complex, which is another term for deep and profound self-doubt, is to fill your mind to overflowing faith. Develop a tremendous faith in God and that will give you a humble yet soundly realistic faith in yourself. – Norman Vincent Peale
Do not be awe struck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as you can. – Norman Vincent Peale
Faced with the election of a Catholic, our culture is at stake. – Norman Vincent Peale
The man who lives for himself is a failure; the man who lives for others has achieved true success. – Norman Vincent Peale
America has become so tense and nervous it has been years since I have seen anyone sleep in church – and that is a sad situation. – Norman Vincent Peale
To change your circumstances, first start thinking differently. Do not passively accept unsatisfactory circumstances, but form a picture in your mind of circumstances as they should be. Believe and succeed. – Norman Vincent Peale
Plan your work – work your plan. Lack of system produces that ‘I’m swamped’ feeling. – Norman Vincent Peale
Religious faith may very well be considered a science, for it responds invariably to certain formulae. Perform the technique of faith according to the laws which have been proved workable in human experience and you will always get a result of power. – Norman Vincent Peale
Families, like individuals, are unique. – Norman Vincent Peale
Become a possibilitarian. – Norman Vincent Peale
The how thinker gets problems solved effectively because he wastes no time with futile ifs but goes right to work on the creative how. – Norman Vincent Peale
You’ll always get an idea if you think and don’t panic. – Norman Vincent Peale
It is always to early to quit. – Norman Vincent Peale
The individual who knows the score about life sees difficulties as opportunities – Norman Vincent Peale
In a large congregation, while there is a wide diversification of interest, it is also true that there are only a few basic human problems. It must also be taken into consideration that people are people regardless of who they are or what their backgrounds may be. There are certain deep universal appeals to human interest and to these human nature always responds. – Norman Vincent Peale
Remember: what you think you will become – good or bad, weak or strong, defeated or victorious. – Norman Vincent Peale
What seems impossible one minute becomes, through faith, possible the next. – Norman Vincent Peale
When you become detached mentally from yourself and concentrate on helping other people with their difficulties, you will be able to cope with your own more effectively. Somehow, the act of self – giving is a personal power – releasing factor. – Norman Vincent Peale
Americans used to roar like lions for liberty; now we bleat like sheep for security. – Norman Vincent Peale
A war fitness conference some time ago declared that the highest form of recreation is to go to church. The word recreation should be written re-creation. More real rest can be gained from an hour and a quarter of worship under these circumstances than by eighteen holes of golf. – Norman Vincent Peale
Expect the best, not the worst, and you will attain your heart’s desire. – Norman Vincent Peale
Our problem is to become acquainted with our own selves, letting our personalities loose upon the world for the sheer adventure of their full development and in the positive hope that they may in their own way lift the level of humanity. – Norman Vincent Peale
Prayer is more than words. It’s listening, seeing and feeling. – Norman Vincent Peale
Do not always ask when you pray, but instead affirm that God’s blessings are being given, and spend most of your prayers giving thanks. – Norman Vincent Peale
By success, of course, I do not mean that you may become rich, famous, or powerful for that does not, of necessity, represent achievement. Indeed, not infrequently, such individuals represent pathetic failure as persons. – Norman Vincent Peale
When fate throws a dagger at you, there are ways to catch it. If you catch it by the blade, you can harm yourself. But if you catch it by the handle, you can use it to help you fight through the obstacles ahead. – Norman Vincent Peale
The best way to forget your own problems is to help someone else solve theirs. The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live. The best way to respond to wrong is to do what’s right. The better we know ourselves the less we’ll criticize others. The bigger your problems, the bigger your prayer should be. – Norman Vincent Peale
Believe that you are bigger than your difficulties, for you are, indeed. – Norman Vincent Peale
Though one may acquire much in wealth, fame, or honor, the real joy of life does not lie there but, rather, in keeping the romance of living going. Nothing gives such complete and profound happiness as the perpetually fresh wonder and mystery of exciting life. – Norman Vincent Peale
Put God to work for you and maximize your potential in our divinely ordered capitalist system. – Norman Vincent Peale
Negative thinking definitely attracts negative results. – Norman Vincent Peale
When learning stops, decay sets in. – Norman Vincent Peale
Hold the thought of all elements of the body working together in perfect rhythm. – Norman Vincent Peale
To have a mind full of peace, merely fill it full of peace. It’s as simple as that. – Norman Vincent Peale
By acting as you wish yourself to be, in due course you will become as you act. – Norman Vincent Peale