Sydney J. Harris Quotes

Ideas are one thing and what happens is another.

Theories are patterns without value. What counts is action.

Ideas do not count for much unless they change the lives of men.

It's the execution that matters, never the idea.

Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.

It is not good enough for things to be planned - they still have to be done; for the intention to become a reality, energy has to be launched into operation.

Without knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile.

Theory is splendid but until put into practice, it is valueless.

It is by acts and not by ideas that people live.

It's deeds we need, not words.

The thing that transforms something from being an idea to being a physical reality is work.

When you try something, it either works, or it does not.

Talk is talk; action on the field is action on the field.

Theory looks well on paper, but does not amount to anything without practice.

A man of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting.

Every indication of wisdom, taken from the effect, is equally an indication of power to execute what wisdom planned.

Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.

One experiments and has to choose always the best results.

In the real world, words don't automatically translate into deeds.

We have to deal with the world as we find it. The world of what it takes to get this done.

As you get out and try to do things, you always find that in order to make an idea a reality, it goes through some changes. It doesn't always come out exactly like you envisioned it.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.

To understand the theory which underlies all things is not sufficient. Theory is but the preparation for practice.

Ideas must be put to the test. That's why we make things, otherwise they would be no more than ideas. There is often a huge difference between an idea and its realisation. I've had what I thought were great ideas that just didn't work.

Words mean nothing. Action is the only thing. Doing. That's the only thing.