Silence and reserve suggest latent power. What some men think has more effect than what others say.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Think of your own faults the first part of the night when you are awake, and of the faults of others the latter part of the night when you are asleep.
—Chinese Proverb
The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get to the office.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
The brain that bubbles with phrases has hard work to collect its thoughts.
—Unknown
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
Thought once awakened does not again slumber; unfolds itself into a System of Thought; grows, in man after man, generation after generation,—till its full stature is reached, and such System of Thought can grow no farther, but must give place to another.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Guard well thy thoughts; our thoughts are heard in Heaven.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power.
—Rene Descartes (1596–1650) French Mathematician, Philosopher
Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Nothing is impossible for those who act after wise counsel and careful thought.
—The Thirukkural (c.5th cent. CE) Tamil Sacred Couplets
A man thinks as well through his legs and arms as this brain.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Man—being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of his thoughts, since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public and his own present and future benefit in all respects.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
You need not aspire for or get any new state. Get rid of your present thoughts, that is all.
—Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) Indian Hindu Mystic
The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Those who have finished by making all others think with them, have usually been those who began by daring to think for themselves.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Everything that is beautiful and noble is the product of reason and calculation.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
The old thoughts never die; immortal dreams outlive their dreamers and are ours for aye; no thought once formed and uttered ever can expire.
—Charles Mackay (1814–89) Scottish Poet, Journalist, Songwriter
If a man sits down to think, he is immediately asked if has a headache.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The reason there are so few good talkers in public is that there are so few thinkers in private.
—Indian Proverb
One thought fills immensity.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
In reality, there is no such thing as a “should” or a “shouldn’t”. These are only thoughts that we impose onto reality. The mind is like a carpenter’s level. When the bubble is off to one side—“It shouldn’t be raining”—we can know that the mind is caught in its thinking. When the bubble is right in the middle—“It’s raining”—we can know that the surface level and the mind is accepting reality as it is. Without the “should” and “shouldn’t,” we can see reality as it is, and this leaves us free to act efficiently, clearly, and sanely. Asking “What’s the reality of it?” can help bring the mind out of its story, back into the real world.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
They are never alone who are accompanied by noble thoughts.
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
Thinking is only a process of talking to yourself.
—Indian Proverb
The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think—rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.
—James Beattie
Truth uttered before its time is dangerous.
—Mencius (c.371–c.289 BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
What your heart thinks is great, is great. The soul’s emphasis is always right.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
All thought must, directly or indirectly, by way of certain characters, relate ultimately to intuitions, and therefore, with us, to sensibility, because in no other way can an object be given to us.
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician