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Progress Quotes

Words on moving forward, one step at a time.

This page gathers quotes on progress in its widest sense - from the slow, hard-won steps of social reform to the ambitions of politicians who say they champion it. Some voices here are hopeful; others question whether it is happening at all. Readers who like this theme often check out Change as well.

One day's delay is another day's lack of progress.

Quotes by Stuart Bowen

If, in our haste to 'progress,' the economics of ecology are disregarded by citizens and policy makers alike, the result will be an ugly America. We cannot afford an America where expedience tramples upon esthetics and development decisions are made...

Quotes by Stewart Udall

I am incredibly proud of Chipotle and our people - and grateful to our loyal customers - and while we are continuing to make progress, it is clear that we need to move faster to make improvements.

Quotes by Steve Ells

White Americans believe we've made more progress since the end of slavery in 1865 than do black Americans for whom '12 Years a Slave' documents a collective memory, passed down in the genes and by the lore of generations.

Quotes by Steve Erickson

You've gotta find a way to get out of your own way, so you can progress in life.

Quotes by Steve Carlton

The business model is both the starting point and the scorecard for Customer Development progress.

Quotes by Steve Blank

There are folks out there, especially during the political season, that'll try to twist and turn economic statistics for their own personal benefit, to pick and choose talking points in order to tear Montana's progress down.

Quotes by Steve Bullock

The thing that got me started on the science that I've been building now for about 20 years or so was the question of okay, if mathematical equations can't make progress in understanding complex phenomena in the natural world, how...

Quotes by Stephen Wolfram

In fairness, Latin America's elected civilian leaders have made progress in some areas. They have brought their countries back to international respectability, curbed flagrant human rights violations, and sought to build democratic political institutions.

Quotes by Stephen Kinzer

The good thing is that life is sometimes a work in progress.

Quotes by Stephen Adly Guirgis

Winning the Revolutionary War, or the Civil War, or World War II were the turning points in our history, the sine qua non of our forward progress.

Quotes by Stephen Ambrose

One thing standing in the way of further progress for many men is the same obstacle that held women back for so long: overinvestment in their gender identity instead of their individual personhood.

Quotes by Stephanie Coontz

There is no denying that we have made great progress toward gender equality.

Quotes by Stephanie Coontz

Is it progress if a cannibal uses a fork?

Quotes by Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

It is not yet too late for the Indian people to decide on rapid, ordered progress. I can assure them that the British people are as determined upon self-government for India as they are themselves.

Quotes by Stafford Cripps

So much research has been done showing that the woman is the most vulnerable but also the biggest strength leading to economic progress.

Quotes by Sri Mulyani Indrawati

Nothing can have as its destination anything other than its origin. The contrary idea, the idea of progress, is poison.

Quotes by Simone Weil

Mass application of technological innovations, which constitutes much of the distinctive substance of modern economic growth, is closely connected with the further progress of science, in its turn the basis for additional advance in technology.

Quotes by Simon Kuznets

What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.

Quotes by Sigmund Freud

The Democrats need to remind people of where were, in terms of our progress, as markers against where we are, and where we've fallen, and how we've declined under Bush.

Quotes by Sidney Blumenthal

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the "progress" quotes on this page focus on?
These quotes look at progress from several different angles - from a historical, high-cost view ("Every step of progress the world has made has been from scaffold to scaffold, and from stake to stake") to political ambition and personal belief. It's not one narrow theme; it spans history, national politics, and personal conviction.
Does the page include quotes about political progress?
Yes. One quote is a politician's personal reflection on their father, "one of the leaders of the Iraqi Democratic Party, who believed in progress." Another sample post shares a speaker's own critical assessment of how much progress was being made in Iraq at the time - that assessment is presented in the quote as the speaker's opinion, not as an established fact.
Is there a quote about bringing "progressive" issues to a national stage?
Yes, one sample quote comes from a speaker discussing progress and progressive issues they were tackling locally, in Miramar, with the stated ambition of taking those issues nationally - presented as that speaker's own political goal, not a neutral fact.
What's a well-known standalone line about progress from this collection?
One of the most quotable lines here is "Every step of progress the world has made has been from scaffold to scaffold, and from stake to stake" - a stark way of framing how much progress has often cost throughout history.
Where can I find more quotes related to progress and change?
If you enjoyed these, you may also like our Change and New quotes pages, which explore related ideas about moving forward and starting fresh.

Because progress means something different depending on who is speaking - a reformer, a candidate, or a skeptic watching a distant conflict unfold - this set stays broad rather than picking one definition. For related reading, browse Good or More.