35 Motivational John Steinbeck Quotes For Success In Life

John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American author. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception.” He has been called “a giant of American letters,” and many of his works are considered classics of Western literature. John Steinbeck quotes about love, death, the American dream, writing, and life will inspire you to achieve your goals.

Best John Steinbeck Quotes

1. “I wonder how many people I’ve looked at all my life and never seen.” ― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
2. “Maybe everybody in the whole damn world is scared of each other.” ― John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
3. “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
4. “It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.” ― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
5. “All great and precious things are lonely.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
6. “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” ― John Steinbeck
7. “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” ― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America
8. “All war is a symptom of man’s failure as a thinking animal.” ― John Steinbeck
9. “When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you’ve got two new people.” ― John Steinbeck
10. “I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” ― John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
11. “And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
12. “Try to understand men. If you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and almost always leads to love.” ― John Steinbeck

13. “My imagination will get me a passport to hell one day.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

14. “No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself.” ― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
15. “Anything that just costs money is cheap.” ― John Steinbeck
16. “And the little screaming fact that sounds through all history: repression works only to strengthen and knit the repressed.” ― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
17. “There’s more beauty in truth, even if it is dreadful beauty.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
18. “Do you take pride in your hurt? Does it make you seem large and tragic? …Well, think about it. Maybe you’re playing a part on a great stage with only yourself as audience.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
19. “I shall revenge myself in the cruelest way you can imagine. I shall forget it.” ― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
20. “It would be absurd if we did not understand both angels and devils since we invented them.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
21. “A man so painfully in love is capable of self-torture beyond belief.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
22. “Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
23. “A man without words is a man without thought.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
24. “I was born lost and take no pleasure in being found.” ― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America
25. “There ain’t no sin and there ain’t no virtue. There’s just stuff people do.” ― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
26. “A sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ.” ― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

27. “I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

28. “Don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens – The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.” ― John Steinbeck
29. “Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” ― John Steinbeck
30. “A kind of light spread out from her. And everything changed color. And the world opened out. And a day was good to awaken to. And there were no limits to anything. And the people of the world were good and handsome. And I was not afraid anymore.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
31. “If you’re in trouble, or hurt or need – go to the poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help – the only ones.” ― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath
32. “I guess there are never enough books.” ― John Steinbeck, A John Steinbeck Encyclopedia
33. “Can you honestly love a dishonest thing?” ― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
34. “To be alive at all is to have scars. ” ― John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent
35. “People like you to be something, preferably what they are.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

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