Dilip Mukerjea writes in his book. Megha-LIONS, which is dedicated to politics, leadership, statesmanship in the Indian State of  Meghalaya:

INITIAL GLIMPSES INTO LEADERSHIP WISDOM

DIOGENES ON BEING UNBEATABLE: 

The Cynic philosopher Diogenes was once criticised by a passerby for not taking care of himself in his old age, for being too active when he should have been taking it easy and resting. As per usual, Diogenes had the perfect rejoinder: “What, if I were running in the stadium, ought I to slacken my pace when approaching the goal?” 

His point was that we should never stop getting better, never stop the work that philosophy demands of us. Right up until the end Diogenes was questioning convention, reducing his wants, challenging power, and insisting on truth. 

MAYA ANGELOU ON PERSEVERANCE AND DEFEAT:

“There is, I hope, a thesis in my work: we may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. That sounds goody-twoshoes, I know, but I believe that a diamond is the result of extreme pressure and time. Less time is crystal. Less than that is coal. Less than that is fossilised leaves. Less than that it’s just plain dirt. In all my work, in the movies I write, the lyrics, the poetry, the prose, the essays, I am saying that we may encounter many defeats—maybe it’s imperative that we encounter the defeats—but we are much stronger than we appear to be and maybe much better than we allow ourselves to be.” Source: Maya Angelou, The Art of Fiction No. 119 

NAPOLEON HILL ON ACHIEVEMENT 

“The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat. Do not wait: the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along. When your desires are strong enough, you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve. Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”