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Thought Quotes

On thinking, doing, and the ideas that come before action.

One striking line here argues that uprisings of thought always come before uprisings with weapons, putting real weight behind the idea of thought as a first spark. See also About quotes.

I took thought, and invented what I conceived to be the appropriate title of 'agnostic'.

Quotes by Thomas Huxley

We met, 'twas in a crowd, and I thought he would shun me.

Quotes by Thomas Haynes Bayly

The end of man is action, and not thought, though it be of the noblest.

Quotes by Thomas Carlyle

I thought that the AIVD was there to protect citizens like me.

Quotes by Theo Van Gogh

Once the last trace of emotion has been eradicated, nothing remains of thought but absolute tautology.

Quotes by Theodor W. Adorno

Language is always burdened by thought.

Quotes by Terrance Hayes

We never thought we'd be commercially viable, and we were proved wrong.

Quotes by Ted Dwane

I have like 20 snap-up shirts in my closet, and I never, never would have thought before FNL would I have had that.

Quotes by Taylor Kitsch

When I was younger, I thought about retiring.

Quotes by Tanya Tucker

I'd thought sexuality was instinctive or natural, but it's profoundly linked to inner security and cultural context.

Quotes by Tahar Ben Jelloun

I never thought I could pretend to be someone else.

Quotes by Taapsee Pannu

This creed of the desert seemed inexpressible in words, and indeed in thought.

Quotes by T. E. Lawrence

I'm thought of as a cool, unemotional dancer, but inside I'm not.

Quotes by Suzanne Farrell

I thought I was horrible and really mean on 'Total Divas.'

Quotes by Summer Rae

No one but myself thought I could beat guys like Tommy Hearns or Roberto Duran.

Quotes by Sugar Ray Leonard

I always thought that I would just be working in obscurity in perpetuity.

Quotes by Sterling K. Brown

We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom.

Quotes by Stephen Vincent Benet

When I was thinking of casting this, I thought, What roles would Sellers be playing now?

Quotes by Stephen Hopkins

The war in Vietnam I thought a dreadful mistake.

Quotes by Stephen Ambrose

I thought Nixon was the worst President we had ever had, save only perhaps Andrew Johnson.

Quotes by Stephen Ambrose

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a quote about wanting fame gradually rather than suddenly?
Yes - one quote admits, "I wanted fame, but I thought it would be incremental, and I became afraid of the overnight-sensation thing," showing a preference for a slower rise over instant stardom.
Is there a quote contrasting thought and action?
Yes. One quote puts it plainly: "What the Puritans gave the world was not thought, but action," valuing what people actually did over what they merely believed.
Is there a quote linking thought to rebellion?
Yes - one quote makes a bold claim: "Insurrection of thought always precedes insurrection of arms," suggesting that ideas change before actions do. For more short, powerful lines like this, see Always quotes.
Is there a humble or self-aware quote about assuming you know everything?
Yes. One quote looks back with a bit of humility: "I was the network president. I thought I knew everything," acknowledging that a position of authority doesn't guarantee real understanding.
Where can I find more short, thought-provoking quotes?
Browse About quotes, Because quotes, and Just quotes for more.

Others are more personal, from fearing sudden fame to a network president's candid admission that he once thought he knew everything. Related reading: Always quotes and Just quotes.