The first and most important

“The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion… It is the man who carefully advances step by step, with his mind becoming wider and wider - and progressively better able to grasp any theme or situation - persevering in what he knows to be practical, and concentrating his thought upon it, who is bound to succeed in the greatest degree.”     Alexander Graham Bell

“I will persist until I succeed. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult…. I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.”

“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”     Mark Caine

“Making a success of the job at hand is the best step toward the kind you want.”     Bernard Mannes Baruch

“Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed.”      Emily Elizabeth Dickinson