Idries Shah Quotes

Toil, says the proverb, is the sire of fame.

I'm not a genius; I'm a worker.

I'm a very humble young man. I've always had to work for everything that I had.

Many of the greatest men have owed their success to industry rather than to cleverness.

A man will work and slave in obscurity for ten years and then become famous in ten minutes.

One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and accomplishments that no one sees or appreciates.

I've been lucky in the sense that I haven't become famous.

If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.

I was called the greatest director in Europe, but I was just a hard worker.

He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor.

My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.

Should you be so unfortunate as to suppose you are a genius, and that 'things will come to you,' it would be well to undeceive yourself as soon as possible. Make up your mind that industry must be the price of all you obtain, and at once begin to pay down.

Everything yields to diligence.

Success comes to those who dedicate everything to their passion in life. To be successful, it is also very important to be humble and never let fame or money travel to your head.

I don't expect anybody to know who I am.

Work hard, no matter how much recognition you get.

Everyone's like, 'overnight sensation.' It's not overnight. It's years of hard work.

The secret of success lies in that old word, 'Drudgery,' in doing one thing long after it ceases to be amusing; and it is 'this one thing I do' that gathers me together from my chaos, that concentrates me from possibilities to powers, and turns powers into achievements.

I don't talk about success. I don't know what it is. Wait until I'm dead.

Success is the child of drudgery and perseverance. It cannot be coaxed or bribed; pay the price and it is yours.

Fame is something that is bestowed upon you because of success. Success is something you have to chase.

I'm not that smart. I work very hard.

I'm probably the least famous of any guy who's worked as much as I have.

Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.

I have struggled hard to attain this fame.