34 Positive Thinking Quotes from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Here are 34 favorite sayings from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking and founder of Guideposts.

May 31 was the 122nd anniversary of Norman Vincent Peale’s birth.  Author, minister, and founder of Guideposts, Dr. Peale, is best known as the father of positive thinking. Here are 34 of our favorite sayings from Dr. Peale. His timeless message of how changing your thoughts can change your life still inspires us today. We hope this collection of some of his most stirring, uplifting quotes will help you live your best life.

Love life and it will love you right back.

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Love life and it will love you right back.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself, so always think positively.

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How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself, so always think positively.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

It's always too early to quit.

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It’s always too early to quit.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Keep thinking, keep interested, keep praying, keep dreaming.

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Keep thinking, keep interested, keep praying, keep dreaming.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Feel God's presence within you, lifting you up, and filling your heart with the deep abiding assurance that all is well.

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Feel God’s presence within you, lifting you up, and filling your heart with the deep abiding assurance that all is well.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Do your best and leave the results to God.

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Do your best and leave the results to God.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Life is either a great experience, or a small one, dependent on the quality and character of the thoughts we think.

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Life is either a great experience, or a small one, dependent on the quality and character of the thoughts we think.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Sing at least one song every day.

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Sing at least one song every day.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


If you change your thoughts you will change your life.

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If you change your thoughts you will change your life.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Dare to be what your best self knows you ought to be; dare to be a bigger human being than you ever been.

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Dare to be what your best self knows you ought to be; dare to be a bigger human being than you ever been.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Go out of your way to talk optimisitically about everything.

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Go out of your way to talk optimisitically about everything.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Don't be satisified with a half life. God never said, "I'll give you a half life, I'll give you a desultory life." He said, "I give you life!"

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Don’t be satisified with a half life. God never said, “I’ll give you a half life, I’ll give you a desultory life.” He said, “I give you life!”

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Ask for what you want, but be willing to take what God gives you. It may be better than what you ask for.

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Ask for what you want, but be willing to take what God gives you. It may be better than what you ask for.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Live your life and forget your age.

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Live your life and forget your age.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Get your mind so eager, so zestful, so filled with interests that you just cannot be tired.

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Get your mind so eager, so zestful, so filled with interests that you just cannot be tired.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


The best thing you have to give is yourself.

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The best thing you have to give is yourself.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


A wish is an attitude of mind to which wings have been attached. You wish and you dream, and your whole nature focuses to bring your wishes and dreams to pass.

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A wish is an attitude of mind to which wings have been attached. You wish and you dream, and your whole nature focuses to bring your wishes and dreams to pass.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Forget yourself. Think courage.

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Forget yourself. Think courage.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


I'll tell you a secret: The way to handle the little things is to bring God into them, for nothing is so small that it is beneath His notice.

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I’ll tell you a secret: The way to handle the little things is to bring God into them, for nothing is so small that it is beneath His notice.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Start and end every day, and in between times, too, by thanking God for everything.

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Start and end every day, and in between times, too, by thanking God for everything.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Start and end every day, and in between times, too, by thanking God for everything.

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There is health-giving power in the universe. It flows into human beings when they open themselves to recieve it, and it stiumlates a new and wonderful life within them.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Change your thoughts and you change the world.

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Change your thoughts and you change the world.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

If you have zest and enthusiasm, you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind.

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If you have zest and enthusiasm, you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


We may live victoriously, not because we have any power within ourselves, but because when we give ourselves to God, He Gives himself to us.

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We may live victoriously, not because we have any power within ourselves, but because when we give ourselves to God, He Gives himself to us.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Drop the three Ls—lack, loss, limitation—from your vocabulary.

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Drop the three Ls—lack, loss, limitation—from your vocabulary.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


To be successful is to be helpful, caring, constructive, to make everything and everyone touch you a little bit.

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To be successful is to be helpful, caring, constructive, to make everything and everyone touch you a little bit.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Go at life with abandon; give it all you got. And life will give all it has to you.

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Go at life with abandon; give it all you got. And life will give all it has to you.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Jesus is the greatest teacher of happiness the world ever knew. Take Him into your heart, into your mind, and you will sing a song of joy always.

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Jesus is the greatest teacher of happiness the world ever knew. Take Him into your heart, into your mind, and you will sing a song of joy always.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Take God as your partner in every enterprise.

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Take God as your partner in every enterprise.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


What difference does chronological age make as long as your mind is alive, as long as you read, as long as you think, as long as you are part of it? If you really live, you are young, you are vital.

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What difference does chronological age make as long as your mind is alive, as long as you read, as long as you think, as long as you are part of it? If you really live, you are young, you are vital.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Put your trust in God and just calmly go your way.

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Put your trust in God and just calmly go your way.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


If you live in constant communication with God you recieve of His power, His health, His well being, His zest, His energy.

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If you live in constant communication with God you recieve of His power, His health, His well being, His zest, His energy.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Always be on the lookout for the big idea that can change your life.

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Always be on the lookout for the big idea that can change your life.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale


Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have.

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Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.

—Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

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