Where one person shapes their life by precept and example, there are a thousand who have shaped it by impulse and circumstances.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
The man who masters his own soul will forever be called conqueror of conquerors.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
The great end of education is to discipline rather than to furnish the mind; to train it to the use of its own powers, rather than fill it with the accumulations of others.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Only the man who can impose discipline on himself is fit to discipline others or can impose discipline on others.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
When you discipline yourself to do what is hard, you gain access to a realm of results that are denied everyone else. The willingness to do what is difficult is like having a key to a special private treasure room.
—Steve Pavlina (b.1971) American Motivational Speaker
If we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Practice yourself, for heaven’s sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
He is strong who conquers others; He who conquers himself is mighty.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
He who reins within himself and rules passions, desires, and fears is more than a king.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
The discipline of desire is the background of character.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
No horse gets anywhere until he is harnessed. No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.
—Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878–1969) American Baptist Minister
The strong man is the one who is able to intercept at will the communication between the senses and the mind.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Lack of discipline leads to frustration and self-loathing.
—Marie Chapian (b.1938) American Christian Writer, Psychotherapist
Without discipline, there’s no life at all.
—Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) American Actor, TV Personality
He conquers twice who conquers himself in victory.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
Man can learn self-discipline without becoming ascetic; he can be wise without waiting to be old; he can be influential without waiting for status. Man can sharpen his ability to distinguish between matters of principle and matters of preference, but only if we have a wise interplay between time and truth, between minutes and morality.
—Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) American Mormon Religious Leader
Something in human nature causes us to start slacking off at our moment of greatest accomplishment. As you become successful, you will need a great deal of self-discipline not to lose your sense of balance, humility, and commitment.
—Ross Perot (1930–2019) American Businessman
Don’t think you can attain total awareness and whole enlightenment without proper discipline and practice. This is egomania. Appropriate rituals channel your emotions and life energy toward the light. Without the discipline to practice them, you will tumble constantly backward into darkness.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline, the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.
—Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907–72) American Jewish Rabbi
Everybody starts at the top, and then has the problem of staying there. Lasting accomplishment, however, is still achieved through a long, slow climb and self-discipline.
—Helen Hayes (1900–93) American Actor, Philanthropist
It takes tremendous discipline to control the influence, the power you have over other people’s lives.
—Clint Eastwood (b.1930) American Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor
I forget who it was that recommended men for their soul’s good to do each day two things they disliked… . It is a precept I have followed scrupulously: for every day I have got up and I have gone to bed.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Discipline is based on pride, on meticulous attention to details, and on mutual respect and confidence. Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of the goal or the fear of failure.
—Gary Ryan Blair
A colt is worth little if it does not break its halter.
—Common Proverb
The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
Get to know yourself. Know your own failings, passions, and prejudices so you can separate them from what you see. Know also when you actually have thought through to the nature of the thing with which you are dealing and when you are not thinking at all… Knowing yourself and knowing the facts, you can judge whether you can change the situation so it is more to your liking. If you cannot—or if you do not know how to improve on things—then discipline yourself to the adjustments that will be necessary.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Most of us spend our lives as if we had another one in the bank.
—Unknown
Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.
—Julie Andrews (b.1935) British Actress, Singer
One discipline always leads to another discipline.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
A man in old age is like a sword in a shop window. Men that look upon the perfect blade do not imagine the process by which it was completed. Man is a sword; daily life is the workshop; and God is the artificer; and those cares which beat upon the anvil, and file the edge, and eat in, acid-like, the inscription on the hilt—those are the very things that fashion the man.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Nothing of importance is ever achieved without discipline. I feel myself sometimes not wholly in sympathy with some modern educational theorists, because I think that they underestimate the part that discipline plays. But the discipline you have in your life should be one determined by your own desires and your own needs, not put upon you by society or authority.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.
—George Horace Lorimer (1867–1937) American Editor, Publisher, Philanthropist
Man must be disciplined, for he is by nature raw and wild.
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Make your educational laws strict and your criminal ones can be gentle; but if you leave youth its liberty you will have to dig dungeons for ages.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Tired mothers find that spanking takes less time than reasoning and penetrates sooner to the seat of the memory.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
There are always two choices. Two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that it’s easy.
—Unknown
Develop the winning edge; small differences in your performance can lead to large differences in your results.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
If thou wouldst conquer thy weakness thou must never gratify it.—No man is compelled to evil; only his consent makes it his.—It is no sin to be tempted; it is to yield and be overcome.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
Self-conquest is really self-surrender. Yet before we can surrender ourselves we must become ourselves. For no one can give up what he does not possess.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them!
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
Nothing can be more hurtful to the service, than the neglect of discipline; for that discipline, more than numbers, gives one army the superiority over another.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
A person who is trained to consider his actions, to undertake them deliberately, is in so far forth disciplined. Add to this ability a power to endure in an intelligently chosen course in the face of distraction, confusion, and difficulty, and you have the essence of discipline.
—John Dewey (1859–1952) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Educator
Not being able to govern events, I govern myself, and apply myself to them, if they will not apply themselves to me.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist