Ralph Waldo Emerson
American · 1803–1882
Essayist, philosopher, and poet who led the Transcendentalist movement and whose call for self-reliance, intellectual independence, and communion with nature shaped American thought for generations.
Wikipedia ↗“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”
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“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”
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“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
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Not found verbatim in Emerson's published works. Likely a paraphrase of ideas from "Self-Reliance."
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
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One of the most commonly cited Emerson quotes, but not found verbatim in his essays, journals, or lectures.