“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.”
- July 24, 1897 – July 2, 1937
- American
- Air pilot
- First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and set many aviation records
table of contents
Quote
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.”
Explanation
In this powerful quote, Amelia Earhart emphasizes that the biggest obstacle to achieving one’s goals is often the decision to take action. Once that initial choice is made, the rest of the journey is a matter of determination and perseverance—qualities she calls “tenacity.” By labeling fears as “paper tigers”, Earhart suggests that most of the fears we face are exaggerated and far less threatening than we perceive them to be. This metaphor conveys the idea that fear is often an illusion, something that can be overcome by simply facing it head-on, and by committing to action.
Earhart’s personal life, marked by groundbreaking flights and bold ventures into unknown territories, embodies this philosophy. She had to make a choice to act in a world that often doubted her abilities as a woman. Once she made that decision, she confronted numerous challenges, but her ability to persist, regardless of obstacles or fears, was what allowed her to achieve the extraordinary. The quote also highlights that the true reward of any endeavor is found in the process itself—the journey of confronting difficulties, growing through them, and seeing how action transforms both the self and the world around us.
In contemporary life, this quote resonates deeply with anyone pursuing significant change or challenging goals. Whether in career pursuits, personal growth, or creative endeavors, the hardest part is often the decision to begin, to take that first step despite uncertainty. Once we commit to action, the process of moving forward becomes a source of its own fulfillment. It encourages a mindset where we focus on persistence rather than perfection, and embrace the rewards of action—which are often far more enriching than any specific outcome. The message is clear: once we decide to act, the fears that hold us back begin to lose their power, and the very act of pushing through becomes a victory in itself.
