Prudent, cautious self-control, is wisdom’s root.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
What are numbers knit
By force or custom? Man who man would be,
Must rule the empire of himself; in it
Must be supreme, establishing his throne
On vanquished will, quelling the anarchy
Of hopes and fears, being himself alone.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
To rule self and subdue our passions is the more praiseworthy because so few know how to do it.
—Francesco Guicciardini (1483–1540) Italian Historian, Political leader
The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you’re in control of your life. If you don’t, life controls you.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
You can’t always control the wind, but you can control your sails.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
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
I will not be a slave to myself, for it is a perpetual, a shameful, and the most heavy of all servitudes; and this end I may gain by moderate desires.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
What man’s mind can create, man’s character can control.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
Better conquest never canst thou make, than warn thy constant and thy nobler parts against giddy, loose suggestions.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Rule your mind or it will rule you.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Without discipline, there’s no life at all.
—Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) American Actor, TV Personality
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
About the only time losing is more fun than winning is when you’re fighting temptation.
—Tom Wilson (1931–2011) American Cartoonist
It is the man who is cool and collected, who is master of his countenance, his voice, his actions, his gestures, of every part, who can work upon others at his pleasure.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
No man is free who is not master of himself.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
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
He that lays down precepts for the government of our lives and moderating our passions, obliges human nature not only in the present but in all succeeding generations.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
For every man there exists a bait which he cannot resist swallowing.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbow’d.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Lies but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
—William Ernest Henley (1849–1903) English Poet, Critic, Editor
Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.
—Deepak Chopra (b.1946) Indian-born American Physician, Public Speaker, Writer
Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
When the fight begins within himself, a man’s worth something.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
The constancy of sages is nothing but the art of locking up their agitation in their hearts.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Wouldst thou have thy flesh obey thy spirit? Then let thy spirit obey thy God. Thou must be governed, that thou may’st govern.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
Who to himself is law, no law doth need.
—George Chapman (c.1560–1634) English Poet, Playwright
I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.
—Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) Italian Poet, Dramatist, Satirist
Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till you know there is no hook beneath it.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The first attribute that characterizes the greater man from the moron is his thicker layer of inhibition.
—Martin H. Fischer
Self-command is the main elegance.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
What government is the best? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is…. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
He that would govern others, first should be the master of himself, richly endued with depth of understanding and height of knowledge.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Playwright
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
The cyclone derives its powers from a calm center. So does a person.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
A little kingdom I possess,
Where thoughts and feelings dwell;
And very hard the task I find
Of governing it well.
—Louisa May Alcott (1832–88) American Novelist
The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.
—Charles Darwin (1809–82) English Naturalist
He is a fool who cannot be angry; but he is a wise man who will not.
—English Proverb
One of the most important, but one of the most difficult things for a powerful mind is, to be its own master. A pond may lie quiet in a plain; but a lake wants mountains to compass and hold it in.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Self-government is, indeed, the noblest rule on earth; the obj ect of a loftier ambition than the possession of crowns or sceptres. The truest conquest is where the soul is bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. The monarch of his own mind is the only real potentate.
—John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator
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
When we direct our thoughts properly, we can control our emotions…
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Govern thyself then you will be able to govern the world.
—Unknown
The control centre of your life is your attitude.
—Anonymous
He is strong who conquers others; He who conquers himself is mighty.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Heaven is on the other side of that feeling you get when you’re sitting on the couch and you get up and make a triple-decker sandwich. It’s on the other side of that, when you don’t make the sandwich. It’s about sacrifice…. It’s about giving up the things that basically keep you from feeling. That’s what I believe, anyway. I’m always asking, “What am I going to give up next?” Because I want to feel.
—Jim Carrey (b.1962) Canadian Actor, Comedian