It takes tremendous discipline to control the influence, the power you have over other people’s lives.
—Clint Eastwood (b.1930) American Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
Where one person shapes their life by precept and example, there are a thousand who have shaped it by impulse and circumstances.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them!
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. This is true of earthly as of heavenly things. Even the man whose object is to acquire wealth must be prepared to make great personal sacrifices before he can accomplish his object; and how much more so he who would realize a strong and well-poised life.
—James Allen (1864–1912) British Philosophical Writer
Something in human nature causes us to start slacking off at our moment of greatest accomplishment. As you become successful, you will need a great deal of self-discipline not to lose your sense of balance, humility, and commitment.
—Ross Perot (1930–2019) American Businessman
There is a certain combination of anarchy and discipline in the way I work.
—Robert De Niro (b.1943) American Actor, Film Director, Film Producer
I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.
—Hesiod (f.700 BCE) Greek Poet
Don’t think you can attain total awareness and whole enlightenment without proper discipline and practice. This is egomania. Appropriate rituals channel your emotions and life energy toward the light. Without the discipline to practice them, you will tumble constantly backward into darkness.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
When the fight begins within himself, a man’s worth something.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
Lack of discipline leads to frustration and self-loathing.
—Marie Chapian (b.1938) American Christian Writer, Psychotherapist
Discipline is based on pride, on meticulous attention to details, and on mutual respect and confidence. Discipline must be a habit so ingrained that it is stronger than the excitement of the goal or the fear of failure.
—Gary Ryan Blair
When you discipline yourself to do what is hard, you gain access to a realm of results that are denied everyone else. The willingness to do what is difficult is like having a key to a special private treasure room.
—Steve Pavlina (b.1971) American Motivational Speaker
First we form habits, then they form us. Conquer your bad habits, or they’ll eventually conquer you.
—Rob Gilbert (b.1966) American Animator, Cartoonist
Nothing can be more hurtful to the service, than the neglect of discipline; for that discipline, more than numbers, gives one army the superiority over another.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
No man is free who is not master of himself.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
A man in old age is like a sword in a shop window. Men that look upon the perfect blade do not imagine the process by which it was completed. Man is a sword; daily life is the workshop; and God is the artificer; and those cares which beat upon the anvil, and file the edge, and eat in, acid-like, the inscription on the hilt—those are the very things that fashion the man.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self. So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people. That comes afterward, when you’ve worked on your own corner.
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) English Humanist, Pacifist, Essayist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
Self-control is the quality that distinguishes the fittest to survive.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Most of us spend our lives as if we had another one in the bank.
—Unknown
I define self-control, in the beginning of life, as the choice of achieving what I really want by doing things I really don’t want to do. Once this becomes a habit, discipline becomes the choice of achieving what I really want by doing the very things I now want to do! I really believe that a disciplined life becomes a joy—but only after we have worked hard to practice it.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
No evil propensity of the human heart is so powerful that it may not be subdued by discipline.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
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
The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts: to return love for hate, to include the excluded, and to say, “I was wrong.”
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
The first and best victory is to conquer self; to be conquered by self is of all things most shameful and vile.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
If you once turn on your side after the hour at which you ought to rise, it is all over. Bolt up at once.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
One-half of life is luck; the other half is discipline – and that’s the important half, for without discipline you wouldn’t know what to do with luck.
—Carl Zuckmayer (1896–1977) German Playwright, Novelist
What lies in our power to do, lies in our power not to do.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar