A prolific 19th-century Austrian writer, Countess Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach is best known for her psychological novels, but she also authored one-act dramatic plays and even a collection of 582 aphorisms. This quote springs from the last, which covers everything from morality and success to aging and gender roles. This particular aphorism encourages us to act on our intentions and dreams, even if we’re just taking baby steps. Words only go so far; if we only ever talk about our goals, they’ll never come to fruition.