These Albert Einstein quotes take you inside the mind of a true genius
26 Brilliant Albert Einstein Quotes to Inspire You to Greatness
Updated on Nov. 21, 2024
You may know Albert Einstein as the physicist who taught us the theory of relativity. Or maybe you know him as that guy who created that formula E=mc² that proved matter can be turned into energy. Or perhaps you’re familiar with some of his wisdom in the form of Albert Einstein quotes.
Einstein wasn’t always considered a genius. He actually felt quite isolated growing up, partly due to his speech challenges. But in 1905, when he was in his mid-20s, Einstein published papers that began his famous theory of relativity. His theory was confirmed after a solar eclipse in 1919, and he went on to win the Nobel Prize in physics in 1921.
As Hitler rose to power and the Nazis took over in his homeland of Germany, Einstein immigrated to the United States in 1933 after accepting a position at Princeton’s Institute of Advanced Study. Einstein was both Jewish and German-born—he used his voice throughout his career to speak out against racism and nationalism.
Einstein was offered the presidency position of Israel in 1952 as he neared the end of his life, but he declined due to his lack of people skills. He died just a few years later in 1955 but remains one of the most known scientists to date. Ironically, after struggling with his speech and social skills, he also became one of the most quoted figures of all time in all areas: imagination, life skills, science and creativity.
Read on to discover some of Albert Einstein’s most beloved quotes.
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Albert Einstein quotes about life
1. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
2. “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.”
3. “I believe in one thing—that only a life lived for others is a life worth living.”
4. “Where the world ceases to be the scene of our personal hopes and wishes, where we face it as free beings admiring, asking, observing, there we enter the realm of art and science.”
5. “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.”
6. “He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”
7. “A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.”
8. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
9. “I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university.”
Albert Einstein imagination quotes
10. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
11. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
12. “The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.”
13. “Sometimes, surrounded by all this good cheer, I’m puzzled by some of the things that I hear, and wonder, my mind for a moment not hazy, if I and not they could really be crazy.”
14. “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.”
Inspirational Albert Einstein quotes
15. “Small is the number of them that see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.”
16. “A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.”
17. “I am by heritage a Jew, by citizenship a Swiss and by disposition a human being, and only a human being, without any special attachment to any state or national entity whatsoever.”
18. “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
19. “I believe in intuitions and inspirations. I sometimes feel that I am right. I do not know that I am.”
Albert Einstein famous quotes
20. “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
21. “The greatest scientists are artists as well.”
22. “Science can flourish only in an atmosphere of free speech.”
23. “It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception.”
24. “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”
25. “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. … I cannot tell if I would have done any creative work of importance in music, but I do know that I get most joy in life out of my violin.”
26. “One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike—and yet it is the most precious thing we have.”
Next, check out more of the best quotes from famous people you certainly won’t forget.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite quotes for over 100 years. The sayings and quips that appear in the magazine’s “Quotable Quotes” (formerly “Remarkable Remarks”) are curated from interviews and essays originally published in the magazine, reprints from trusted titles and other verified sources. For this piece on Albert Einstein quotes, Emma Taubenfeld tapped her experience as a lifestyle editor for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate. We’ve gone the extra step and had Ambrose Martose, a fact-checker with 20-plus years of experience researching for national publications including National Geographic Adventure and Popular Mechanics, verify that all quotes are attributed correctly and have credible sourcing. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
