“If you don't walk today, you will have to run tomorrow.” (Dostoevsky)

“If you don’t walk today, you’ll have to run tomorrow."

(Fyodor Dostoevsky, 1821–1881)

Dostoevsky is one of Russia’s greatest literary figures, alongside Tolstoy and Pushkin. His literary works explore the human psyche against the backdrop of Russia’s turbulent political and social atmosphere in the 19th century, while dealing with a range of realistic philosophical and religious themes. Not only did his works have a profound influence on writers worldwide, but they also impacted renowned philosophers and scientists such as Nietzsche, Freud, and Einstein.

While Dostoevsky wrote many books, “Crime and Punishment” and “The Brothers Karamazov” are his most famous and often considered masterpieces of Russian literature and continue to captivate readers worldwide. 

Dostoevsky's novels are also renowned for their length, often featuring characters with long names, making them challenging to complete for many readers. It is said that since writers in Russia were paid based on word count at that time, Dostoevsky, who could barely make a living from writing, had to extend the length of his works.

His life, however, was as dramatic as his novels. He suffered from poverty throughout his life, his father was murdered by serfs, he was sentenced to death, and although a royal pardon spared him at the last moment, he was exiled to Siberia. He also battled a severe gambling addiction.

He was sentenced to death for collaborating in setting up a secret printing press for anti-government propaganda and for reading banned subversive literature during a meeting. Along with twenty others, Dostoevsky received a death sentence and was imprisoned for eight months. Just as he was about to be executed by guillotine, a pardon from the emperor halted the execution. Dostoevsky was only 28 at the time, and this experience of imprisonment and the extreme fear of death just before execution likely influenced the creation of his great works.

Here are more famous quotes from Dostoevsky that I like:

"To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's."

"Happiness does not lie in happiness, but in the achievement of it."

"To love someone means to see him as God intended him."

In a similar vein to the quote in the title, here is another saying that emphasizes the importance of starting today:

“When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When is the next best time? Now.” (Chinese Proverb)

"Procrastination is the grave of dreams." (Unknown but often linked to Stephen Covey.

"Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is yet to come. We only have today. Let us begin." (Mother Teresa)

Thanks for reading. Wish you grow rich slowly and surely!