To know oneself, one should assert oneself. Psychology is action, not thinking about oneself. 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
So you are lean and mean and resourceful and you continue to walk on the edge of the precipice because over the years you have become fascinated by how close you can walk without losing your balance.
—Richard Nixon (1913–94) American Head of State, Lawyer
Where you’re from only matters in relation to where you are.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The outward man is the swinging door; the inner man is the still hinge.
—Meister Eckhart (c.1260–1327) German Christian Mystic
The cause of all the blunders committed by man arises from excessive self-love. He who intends to be a great man ought to love neither himself nor his own things, but only what is just, whether it happens to be done by himself or by another.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us to see oursel’s as ithers see us.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
Self-defense is Nature’s oldest law.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
It is the hardest thing in the world to be a good thinker without being a good self-examiner.
—Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury (1621–83) British Statesman
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
—Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909) American Unitarian Clergyman, Writer
It is often hard to bear the tears that we ourselves have caused.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
We can secure other people’s approval if we do right and try hard; but our own is worth a hundred of it, and no way has been found out of securing that.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Idleness is an inlet to disorder, and makes way for licentiousness.—People who have nothing to do are quickly tired of their own company.
—Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman
I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart: I am, I am, I am.
—Sylvia Plath (1932–63) American Poet, Novelist
We catch frightful glimpses of ourselves in the hostile eyes of others.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
Endurance is frequently a form of indecision.
—Elizabeth Bibesco (1897–1945) English Poet, Short Story Writer, Novelist
Resolve to be thyself: and know, that he who finds himself, loses his misery.
—Matthew Arnold (1822–88) English Poet, Critic
Few people know so clearly what they want. Most people can’t even think what to hope for when they throw a penny in a fountain.
—Barbara Kingsolver (b.1955) American Novelist, Essayist, Poet
One’s own self is well hidden from one’s own self; of all mines of treasure, one’s own is the last to be dug up.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Look into the depths of your own soul and learn first to know yourself, then you will understand why this illness was bound to come upon you and perhaps you will thenceforth avoid falling ill.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Every man is of importance to himself.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Every man is two men; one is awake in the darkness, the other asleep in the light.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
One must know oneself. If this does not serve to discover truth, it at least serves as a rule of life and there is nothing better.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Self-approbation, when founded in truth and a good conscience, is a source of some of the purest joys known to man.
—Charles Simmons (1924–2017) American Editor, Novelist
Who will adhere to him that abandons himself?
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
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
When I look for my existence I do not look for it in myself.
—Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Poet
Think positively about yourself…. ask God who made you to keep on remaking you.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
No man would, I think, exchange his existence with any other man, however fortunate. We had as lief not be, as not be ourselves.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Who’s not sat tense before his own heart’s curtain?
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
It is necessary to try to surpass one’s self always; this occupation ought to last as long as life.
—Christina, Queen of Sweden (1626–89) Swedish Monarch
The difficult part in an argument is not to defend one’s opinion, but rather to know it.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
When you are alone you are all your own.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Inventor, Architect
A man is a lion for his own cause.
—Scottish Proverb
The man who is bigger than his job keeps cool. He does not lose his head, he refuses to become rattled, to fly off in a temper. The man who would control others must be able to control himself. There is something admirable, something inspiring, something soul-stirring about a man who displays coolness and courage under extremely trying circumstances. A good temper is not only a business asset. It is the secret of health. The longer you live, the more you will learn that a disordered temper breeds a disordered body.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
My library is my kingdom, and here I try to make my rule absolute-shutting off this single nook from wife, daughter and society. Elsewhere I have only a verbal authority, and vague. Unhappy is the man, in my opinion, who has no spot at home where he can be at home to himself-to court himself and hide away.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
It is not only the most difficult thing to know oneself, but the most inconvenient, too.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
In every part and corner of our life, to lose oneself is to be the gainer; to forget oneself is to be happy.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
The only man we have any respect for, is he who uses all the endowment he has, and uses it until he bleeds.
—Martin H. Fischer
Self-denial is not a virtue, it is only the effect of prudence on rascality.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Those whom you can make like themselves better will, I promise you, like you very well.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Self-love is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A man’s growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Oh! that you could turn your eyes towards the napes of your necks, and make but an interior survey of your good selves.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Your levelers wish to level down as far as themselves.—But they cannot bear leveling up to themselves.—They would all have some people under them.—Why not then have some people above them?
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life.
—Muhammad Ali (1942–2016) American Sportsperson
Self-laudation abounds among the unpolished, but nothing can stamp a man more sharply as ill-bred.
—Charles Buxton (1823–71) British Politician, Writer
A man’s mind is the man himself.
—Latin Proverb
If you can go through life without ever experiencing pain you probably haven’t been born yet. And if you’ve gone through pain and think you know exactly why, you haven’t examined all the options.
—Neil Simon (1927–2018) American Playwright