Dan Pena Quotes

"Life without dreams is like a bird with a broken wing - it can't fly."

"Constantine 'Costa' Gratsos had made his fortune as a lifelong associate of shipping icon Aristotle Onassis. He took a liking to me, became my first mentor, and showed me how to swim in the deep, dangerous waters of business."

"The road to success is always under construction... there are lots of pot holes but no traffic jams."

"I may be wrong, but I am never in doubt! And anyone who has been around me for even a minute understands that my self-confidence and self-esteem is sometimes overwhelming!"

"Fear of failure is caused by lack of self-esteem and confidence. Dealing with fear is the key to super success."

"We're all self-made, but only successful people admit it."

"When I volunteered for the draft as a 20-year-old, mischievous guy at the height of the Vietnam War, most thought I was destined to pass from this earth early!"

"We cannot change the past, only recover from it. And perhaps learn its cruel lessons."

"Jim Newman, the business visionary who created the term 'comfort zone,' showed me how to expand my horizons. Thanks to Jim, after I attended one of his PACE Seminars in 1978; I moved out of my comfort zone at Bear Stearns and became a super successful oilman."

"My time is much too precious to be wasted on people who merely want to talk about being a high performance person and can't or won't take action!"

"Don't set time limits for achieving goals. They should transcend time."

"If you want to make more money, you'll have to do things differently. You will have to do things you never even thought of doing in the past. You will have to do things out of your comfort zone."

"The truth is, successful people are not ten times smarter than you. They don't really work ten times harder than you. So why are they successful? Because their dreams are so much bigger than yours!"

"High performance people take action quickly and change their mind slowly!"

"Progress often masquerades as trouble."

"Jerry Ormand was already a legendary Texas oilman when I met him. Yet he took the time to introduce me to the fine points of the oil business and how to survive and prosper amid the chaos of a rough-and-tumble industry."

"Entrepreneurship is enduring pain for a long time without relinquishing."

"I can work 5-10 hrs. straight with no problem, though I do take towards the end of a 6-8 hr. work stint some time out to beat myself severely in the gym with weights/aerobics, including intervals!"

"There's no seminar in the world that will give you multi million-dollar advice on building a business from scratch!"

"Super-success is not for everyone, and you will endure weeks and months and years of hard work, obstacles, failures, victories, pain, and any manner of 'negative' experiences to reap the rewards of success, drink from the golden goblet, own the brass ring."

"I know what it's like to have a house repossessed... I've been there."

"Good lawyers win so-so lawsuits. Great lawyers can win lawsuits in which you have little or no chance to win."

"The more emotional distractions you have the harder it is to accomplish your goals - especially at the extreme levels!"

"Remarkably successful people habitually do what other people won't do. They go where others won't go because there's a lot less competition and a much greater chance for success."

"As I have often said, I would rather be lucky than smart! But it is even better to be lucky and super smart!"

"We are only as emotionally strong as our deepest/biggest secret!"

"High-performance people have larger, more expanded comfort zones than most!"

"When you truly believe in your idea or your company or yourself, then you don't need to have a huge ego or a huge personality."

"All you need is the desire, passion, and will to fulfil your dreams!"

"When I came back from the military and completed a 4-year degree in 2 1/2 years, I developed the extraordinary habits needed to get a lot done in a very short period of time!"