He knows the universe and does not know himself.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
There’s a period of life when we swallow a knowledge of ourselves and it becomes either good or sour inside.
—Pearl Bailey (1918–1990) American Jazz Singer, Actress, Writer
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
If people can be educated to see the lowly side of their own natures, it may be hoped that they will also learn to understand and to love their fellow men better. A little less hypocrisy and a little more tolerance towards oneself can only have good results in respect for our neighbor; for we are all too prone to transfer to our fellows the injustice and violence we inflict upon our own natures.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Other men’s sins are before our eyes; our own are behind our backs.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
No one who has not a complete knowledge of himself will ever have a true understanding of another.
—Novalis (1772–1801) German Romantic Poet, Novelist
Analysis and synthesis ordinarily clarify matters for us about as much as taking a Swiss watch apart and dumping its wheels, springs, hands, threads, pivots, screws and gears into a layman’s hands for reassembling, clarifies a watch to a layman.
—Unknown
Ninety per cent of the world’s woe comes from people not knowing themselves, their abilities, their frailties, and even their real virtues. Most of us go almost all the way through life as complete strangers to ourselves—so how can we know anyone else?
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
Getting in touch with your true self must be your first priority.
—Tom Hopkins (b.1911) English Sportsperson
When a man realizes his littleness,
his greatness can appear.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
I love people. I love my family, my children… but inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that’s where you renew your springs that never dry up.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
Man can starve from a lack of self-realization as much as… from a lack of bread.
—Richard Wright (1908–1960) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer
Know thyself? If I knew myself I would run away.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Our own opinion of ourselves should be lower than that formed by others, for we have a better chance at our imperfections.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Know thyself.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
We forge gradually our greatest instrument for understanding the world—introspection. We discover that humanity may resemble us very considerably—that the best way of knowing the inwardness of our neighbors is to know ourselves.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
No sooner is it a little calmer with me than it is almost too calm, as though I have the true feeling of myself only when I am unbearably unhappy.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
Know thyself, was counted one of the oracles of the Greeks. It was inscribed as one of their three great precepts, in letters of gold, on the temple at Delphos, and regarded as divine.
—Diogenes Laertius (f.3rd Century CE) Biographer of the Greek Philosophers
Self knowers always dwell in El Dorado; they drink from the fountain of youth, and at all times owners of all they wish to enjoy.
—Claude M. Bristol (1891–1951) American Journalist, Self-Help Author
Learn what you are and be such.
—Pindar (c.518–c.438 BCE) Greek Lyric Poet
The happy man is he who knows his limitations, yet bows to no false gods.
—Robert W. Service (1874–1958) Scottish Poet, Author
He who knows others is clever; He who knows himself has discernment.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
He who comes up to his own idea of greatness, must always have had a very low standard of it in his mind.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
A human being has so many skins inside, covering the depths of the heart. We know so many things, but we don’t know ourselves! Why, thirty or forty skins or hides, as thick and hard as an ox’s or bear’s, cover the soul. Go into your own ground and learn to know yourself there.
—Meister Eckhart (c.1260–1327) German Christian Mystic
I want, by understanding myself, to understand others. I want to be all that I am capable of becoming.
—Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923) New Zealand-born British Author
Great men never feel great; small men never feel small.
—Chinese Proverb
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan,
The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A being darkly wise and rudely great.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Before a man can wake up and find himself famous he has to wake up and find himself.
—Unknown
Learn God, and thou shalt know thyself.
—Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810–89) English Poet, Writer
The highest and most profitable learning is the knowledge of ourselves. To have a low opinion of our own merits, and to think highly of others, is an evidence of wisdom. All men are frail, but thou shouldst reckon none so frail as thyself.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
A man who knows he is a fool is not a great fool.
—Zhuang Zhou (c.369–c.286 BCE) Chinese Taoist Philosopher
It’s not only the most difficult thing to know one’s self, but the most inconvenient.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
‘Tis not need we know our every thought or see the work shop where each mask is wrought wherefrom we view the world of box and pit, careless of wear, just so the mask shall fit and serve our jape’s turn for a night or two.
—Ezra Pound (1885-1972) American Poet, Translator, Critic
I know myself, but that is all.
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
In other living creatures the ignorance of themselves is nature, but in men it is a vice.
—Boethius (c.480–524 CE) Roman Statesman, Philosopher
Sum up at night what thou hast done by day, and in the morning what thou hast to do.—Dress and undress thy soul; mark the decay and growth of it.—If with thy watch, that too be down, then wind up both; since we shall be most surely judged, make thine accounts agree.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
Many people today don’t want honest answers insofar as honest means unpleasant or disturbing. They want a soft answer that turneth away anxiety.
—Louis Kronenberger (1904–80) American Drama, Literary Critic
Know yourself, master yourself, conquest of self is most gratifying.
—Unknown
The precept, “Know yourself,” was not solely intended to obviate the pride of mankind; but likewise that we might understand our own worth.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Of all knowledge the wise and good seek most to know themselves.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
To reach perfection, we must be made sensible of our failings, either by the admonitions of friends, or the invectives of enemies.
—Diogenes Laertius (f.3rd Century CE) Biographer of the Greek Philosophers
No man ever made an ill figure who understood his own talents, nor a good one, who mistook them.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
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
It is part of our pedagogy to teach the operations of thinking, feeling, and willing so that they may be made conscious. For if we do not know the difference between an emotion and a thought, we will know very little. We need to understand the components (of emotions) at work… in order to free their hold.
—M. C. Richards (1916–99) American Poet, Potter, Writer
No one remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself.
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955) German Novelist, Short Story Writer, Social Critic, Philanthropist, Essayist
When one is a stranger to oneself then one is estranged from others too.
—Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1906–2001) American Aviator, Author
One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet