"I have been desperate to escape for so many years now, it is routine for me to try to escape."

Motivation

Create & Download Quote Graphic

Customize Image

1. Canvas Aspect Ratio

2. Palette Theme

Thematic Reflection

This quotation examines the core nature of Motivation as articulated by Jack Henry Abbott. Within historical and literary traditions, reflections on Motivation provide actionable mental models, challenging individuals to evaluate personal ethics, self-discipline, and daily actions.

Explore all Motivation quotes → Browse all wisdom by Jack Henry Abbott →

About Jack Henry Abbott

Jack Henry Abbott was an American murderer and author. With a long history of criminal convictions, Abbott's writing concerning his life and experiences was lauded by author Norman Mailer. Due partly to lobbying by Mailer and others on Abbott's behalf, Abbott was released from prison in 1981 where he was serving sentences for forgery, manslaughter, and bank robbery. Abbott's memoir In the Belly of the Beast was published with positive reviews soon after his release.

View all quotes by Jack Henry Abbott →
Editorial Integrity: Curated and fact-checked under our Editorial Standards to eliminate misattributions and preserve historical authenticity.
Learn about our methodology →

More by Jack Henry Abbott

"One morning I woke up and was plunged into psychological shock. I had forgotten I was free."

— Jack Henry Abbott
Read more →

"To be in prison so long, it's difficult to remember exactly what you did to get there."

— Jack Henry Abbott
Read more →

"When I'm forced by circumstances to be in a crowd of prisoners, it's all I can do to refrain from attack."

— Jack Henry Abbott
Read more →

"I find it painful and angering to look in a mirror."

— Jack Henry Abbott
Read more →

More about Motivation

"I was a wild, mischievous kid, and I had tremendous imagination. Any experience I had, I'd try to reenact it."

— Adrien Brody
Read more →

"Being a good teammate is when you try to sprint down a ball that everyone thinks is going out of bounds. But you go after it anyways and you get it."

— Mia Hamm
Read more →

"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."

— Vince Lombardi
Read more →

"What I try to do as an actor is constantly find that, find ways to risk, find opportunities to fall on my face if it's going to be worth it, and then maybe I'll surprise myself."

— Jeremy Irons
Read more →
Browse all Motivation quotes →