The monk in hiding himself from the world becomes not less than himself, not less of a person, but more of a person, more truly and perfectly himself: for his personality and individuality are perfected in their true order, the spiritual, interior order.
—Thomas Merton (1915–68) American Trappist Monk
Personality is only ripe when a man has made the truth his own.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
In the progress of personality, first comes a declaration of independence, then a recognition of interdependence.
—Henry van Dyke Jr. (1852–1933) American Author, Educator, Clergyman
Personality is everything in art and poetry.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Unfortunately, there can be no doubt that man is, on the whole, less good than he imagines himself or wants to be. Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and darker it is. If an inferiority is conscious, one always has a chance to correct it
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Every person in the world may not become a personage. But every person may become a personality. The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Interesting thoughts can live only in cultivated minds. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays at the theater, good company, good conversation-what are they? They are the happiest people in the world; and they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others.
—William Lyon Phelps (1865–1943) American Author, Critic, Scholar
Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can be fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true.
—Viktor Frankl (1905–97) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist
Nobody can be exactly like me. Sometimes even I have trouble doing it.
—Tallulah Bankhead (1902–68) American Actor, TV Personality
If you have anything really valuable to contribute to the world it will come through the expression of your own personality, that single spark of divinity that sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature.
—Bruce Fairchild Barton (1886–1967) American Author, Advertising Executive, Politician
An artist is a man of action, whether he creates a personality, invents an expedient, or finds the issue of a complicated situation.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
A man’s nature is best perceived in privateness, for there is no affectation; in passion, for that putteth a man out of his precepts; and in a new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Artistic temperament is the disease that afflicts amateurs.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
A man should not strive to eliminate his complexes, but to get into accord with them; they are legitimately what directs his conduct in the world.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Ideas are, in truth, forces. Infinite, too, is the power of personality. A union of the two always makes history.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
I was a personality before I became a person. I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy and driven.
—Barbra Streisand (b.1942) American Musician, Actor, Songwriter
I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
A person’s fate is their own temper.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
He that fancies himself very enlightened, because he sees the deficiencies of others, may be very ignorant, because he has not studied his own.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Attractiveness and magnetism of man’s personality is the result of his inner radiance.
—The Vedas Sacred Books of Hinduism
Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Temperance is love surrendering itself wholly to Him who is its object; courage is love bearing all things gladly for the sake of Him who is its object; justice is love serving only Him who is its object, and therefore rightly ruling; prudence is love making wise distinction between what hinders and what helps itself.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
Hard conditions of life are indispensable to bringing out the best in human personality.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
I am what is mine. Personality is the original personal property.
—Norman O. Brown (1913–2002) American Philosopher
Great men are always of a nature originally melancholy.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
An individual’s self-concept is the core of his personality. It affects every aspect of human behavior: the ability to learn, the capacity to grow and change. A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success in life.
—Joyce Brothers (1927–2013) American Psychologist, Advice Columnist
We continue to shape our personality all our life. If we knew ourselves perfectly, we should die.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
Personality is to a man what perfume is to a flower.
—Charles M. Schwab (1862–1939) American Businessperson
Suffering is the substance of life and the root of personality, for it is only suffering that makes us persons.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
Temperament lies behind mood; behind will, lies the fate of character. Then behind both, the influence of family the tyranny of culture; and finally the power of climate and environment; and we are free, only to the extent we rise above these.
—John Burroughs (1837–1921) American Naturalist, Writer
We should take care not to make the intellect our God; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successfull personality and duplicate it.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
Man’s main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. The most important product of his effort is his own personality.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
As to virtue … it is an act of the will, a habit which increases the quantity, intensity and quality of life. It builds up, strengthens and vivifies personality.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
People’s personalities, like buildings, have various facades, some pleasant to view, some not.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
A good head and good heart are always a formidable combination. But when you add to that a literate tongue or pen, then you have something very special.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader
The cut of a garment speaks of intellect and talent and the color of temperament and heart.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Who has skill in the art of music is of good temperament and fitted for all things.
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
It is by no means certain that our individual personality is the single inhabitant of these our corporeal frames… We all do things both awake and asleep which surprise us. Perhaps we have cotenants in this house we live in.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man’s sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false, and the false with the true.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Good nature is worth more than knowledge, more than money, more than honor, to the persons who possess it.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
The artistic temperament is a disease that affects amateurs. Artists of a large and wholesome vitality get rid of their art easily, as they breathe easily or perspire easily. But in artists of less force, the thing becomes a pressure, and produces a definite pain, which is called the artistic temperament.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
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