# What's your mantra? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 20, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436 "2020-12-20T01:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/41 "2020-12-21T18:53:13Z")
Mine used to be my sig (hey! just noticed we no longer have sigs!) I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/42 "2020-12-21T19:11:28Z")
Every man dies, but not every man truly lives. - William Wallace The smallest good deed is better than the best intention. - John Burroughs The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success. - John Wooden The longer and more difficult the ordeal, the deeper the cleansing. - Heinrich Harrer There are many ways of moving forward, but only one way of standing still. - Franklin Roosevelt Problems you solve. Circumstances you can do nothing about. Good. Fast. Cheap. You only get to pick two. Your perception is your reality. Casinos weren’t built on ‘winners’. People want to believe. When they start to believe, they stop thinking. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/43 "2020-12-22T05:38:09Z")
Being a modern man, when I need a mantra I Google one. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/44 "2020-12-22T17:20:32Z")
This fits so well with my personal mantra: When in doubt, try it out! When it is legal that is. So many times I have hesitated to go somewhere or talk to someone and regretted my decision. However, peccavi’s mantra is extremely relevant here… ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/45 "2020-12-22T18:37:58Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success. - John Wooden Never heard this one, but I really like it. It’s a compact version of my all time favorite: [The Man in the Arena](https://fs.blog/2009/12/the-man-in-the-arena/) by Teddy Roosevelt. I also like Thomas Edison’s: “ Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/46 "2020-12-22T19:23:33Z")
“I am happy. I am peaceful. I am free.” Because every single day, at some point, if only for a moment, I am each one of those things. Whatever else comes that may try me, however intense or difficult something may be to me, right NOW, That’s exactly when I like to remind myself. I use it every day, I’d bet. It’s always soothing. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/47 "2020-12-22T20:58:05Z")
Stupidity always has a price ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/48 "2020-12-22T21:07:04Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > When in doubt, try it out! My version of this is: _Why would you not?_ j ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/49 "2020-12-22T21:11:06Z")
If it’s bad, multiply by two. If it’s good, divide by three. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/50 "2020-12-22T23:41:35Z")
If anything can go wrong, it will. Which probably explains my other mantra mentioned, upthread. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/51 "2020-12-23T02:57:13Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > The man who is afraid to risk failure seldom has to face success. - John Wooden This reminds me of another good one from iconic dogsledder [Norman D. Vaughan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_D._Vaughan): “Dream big and dare to fail.” ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/52 "2020-12-23T19:19:46Z")
I am a good man. I am a kind and loving husband. I am smart. I can handle this. ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/53 "2020-12-23T20:01:12Z")
This one seems a bit morbid but I like it: “When work feels overwhelming remember that you’re going to die.” ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/54 "2020-12-23T20:33:03Z")
“…and then they’ll be sorry!” 😄 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/55 "2020-12-23T20:33:47Z")
Good thoughts, good words, good deeds. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/56 "2020-12-23T21:06:00Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > If anything can go wrong, it will. > > Which probably explains my other mantra mentioned, upthread. > > ~VOW 😂 I’m a Murphy, I can confirm this mantra every week. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/57 "2020-12-28T03:58:23Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > This reminds me of another good one from iconic dogsledder [Norman D. Vaughan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_D._Vaughan): “Dream big and dare to fail.” Personally I like Samuel Beckett’s quote on this: > _“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/58 "2020-12-28T04:16:06Z")
I’ve always liked the Webb Wilder Credo: “Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard, grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em!” ---
**Author:** ![El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_famous_burrito/32/3954_2.png) [@El\_Famous\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Famous_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/59 "2020-12-28T05:47:05Z")
Avoid hypocrisy. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436/60 "2020-12-28T12:07:14Z")
A mantra that doubles as a useful non sequitur, from the writings of the late, great, Wesley Willis: “Fuck with me, and find out.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-mantra/928436.md?page=4)