Frank Herbert Quotes

Ambition leads me not only farther than any other man has been before me, but as far as I think it possible for man to go.

We could raise prodigious cities and create nations, and explore the universe.

From now on we live in a world where man has walked on the Moon. It's not a miracle; we just decided to go.

By striving to do the impossible, man has always achieved what is possible. Those who have cautiously done no more than they believed possible have never taken a single step forward

… discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure.

I think it's in our nature to try to get beyond that next horizon. I think that when we, as a species, are scratching that itch, we're actually following an evolutionary compulsion that is wired into us. I think good things come of it.

I think the curiosity of mankind, that we want something unknown. Like, 500 years ago, humankind wanted to know what the other side of the ocean is, and it was a very risky project, and then we decided that probably we can fly; let's fly higher. And now we're flying space station, and still it's not enough for us: we want to know what's beyond.

The secret of success is an absolute ungovernable curiosity.

Ambition wants us to improve our lot, basically, but I can't help thinking we're pursuing a return to a technological Eden. We do try to create a paradise on Earth, because we are hubristic and we want to surpass this notion of God and then ourselves become gods.

The world's not going to wait for you. If you have an idea, put some effort behind it and get it out there.

I just want to keep pushing things and growing, and we'll see what happens.

Ah, in every age there is always some new wonder to astound mankind until they grow accustomed to it and lose interest.

When the air balloon was first discovered, some one flippantly asked Dr. Franklin what was the use of it. The doctor answered this question by asking another: "What is the use of a new-born infant? It may become a man."

Man's restlessness makes him strive.

The urge to discover, to invent, to know the unknown, seems so deeply human that we cannot imagine our history without it.

The most advanced nations are always those who navigate the most.

What makes you grind? You have to always be chasing something.

The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.

Humanity is always looking for the next great world, the next frontier. I wonder how different this world would be if we were content with where we were.

I've wanted to do things; I wanted to build things, to get something going.

When we’re passionate about something, we innovate, create, and continue on with our dreams.

Success only breeds a new goal

There are no drive-thru breakthroughs. Breakthroughs take time.

Ever since there have been people, there have been explorers, looking in places where other hadn't been before. Not everyone does it, but we are part of a species where some members of the species do, to the benefit of us all.

Many people have tried to define science fiction. I like to call it the literature of exploration and change. While other genres obsess upon so-called eternal verities, SF deals with the possibility that our children may have different problems. They may, indeed, be different than we have been.