No one should feel pride in anything that is not his own.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, “This is what I need”. It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment—not discouragement—you will find the strength there. Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege!! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow. Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures, followed by wreckage, were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see this is really true. Nothing can happen to you that is not positive. Even though it looks and feels at the moment like a negative crisis, it is not. The crisis throws you back, and when you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.
—Joseph Campbell (1904–87) American Mythologist, Writer, Lecturer
Talent develops in tranquillity, character in the full current of human life.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The law of the harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
—George Boardman the Younger (1801–31) American Baptist Minister
A good name lost is seldom regained.—When character is gone, all is gone, and one of the richest jewels of life is lost forever.
—Joel Hawes (1789–1867) American Clergyman
In this world a man must either be anvil or hammer.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Every man’s work, whether it be literature or music or pictures or anything else, is always a portrait of himself, and the more he tries to conceal himself the more clearly will his character appear in spite of him.
—Samuel Butler
Anyone must be mainly ignorant or thoughtless, who is surprised at everything he sees; or wonderfully conceited who expects everything to conform to his standard of propriety.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
How difficult it is to save the bark of reputation from the rocks of ignorance.
—Petrarch (1304–74) Italian Scholar, Poet, Humanist
Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.
—Ask Ann Landers (1918–2002) American Advice Columnist
Character is what you are in the dark.
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
If you would not be known to do anything, never do it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Character is the salesperson.
—George Madison Adams (1837–1920) American Politician, Military Leader
The wrinkles of the heart are more indelible than those of the brow.
—Dorothee Luzy Dotinville (1747–1830) French Dancer, Actress
All men are alike in their lower natures; it is in their higher characters that they differ.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
I have often thought the best way to define a man’s character would be to seek out the particular mental or moral attitude in which, when it comes upon him, he felt himself most deeply and intensely active and alive. At such moments there is a voice inside which speaks and says: “This is the real me!”.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Men best show their character in trifles, where they are not on their guard.—It is in insignificant matters, and in the simplest habits, that we often see the boundless egotism which pays no regard to the feelings of others, and denies nothing to itself.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
Property may be destroyed and money may lose its purchasing power; but, character, health, knowledge and good judgment will always be in demand under all conditions.
—Roger Babson (1875–1967) American Economist
One man cannot do right in one department of life whilst he is occupied in doing wrong in any other department. Life is one indivisible whole.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change, like your fingerprints. It’s something you weren’t born with and must take responsibility for forming.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
A talent can be cultivated in tranquility; a character only in the rushing stream of life.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Wealth stays with us a little moment if at all: only our characters are steadfast, not our gold.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Perfection of means and confusion of goals seem, in my opinion, to characterize our age.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
The purpose of life for man is growth, just as the purpose of life for trees and plants is growth. Trees and plants grow automatically and along fixed lines; man can grow as he will. Trees and plants can only develop certain possibilities and characteristics; man can develop any power which is or has been shown by any person anywhere. Nothing that is possible in spirit is impossible in flesh and blood. Nothing that man can think is impossible. Nothing that man can imagine is impossible of realization.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed, to be simple is to be great.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
The most effective way I know to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal mission statement or philosophy or creed. It focused on what you want to be (character) and to do (contributions and achievements) and on the values or principles upon which being and doing are based.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.
—German Proverb
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