The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.

More quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson

View all
"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Compassion

"What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Integrity

"What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Self-awareness

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Awareness

"The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Creativity

More Transformation Quotes

View all
"Love has the power to transform even the most hideous of creatures."

- Beauty and the Beast

Transformation

"Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Transformation

"Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time."

- Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Transformation

"It is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change."

- Queen Elizabeth II

Transformation

"Today is not just Tuesday, it is Transformation Tuesday. That means that success does not just come to you, you have to go out and get it. So what are you waiting for?"

Transformation