About the only time losing is more fun than winning is when you’re fighting temptation.
—Tom Wilson (1931–2011) American Cartoonist
When the fight begins within himself, a man’s worth something.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
It isn’t until you come to a spiritual understanding of who you are—not necessarily a religious feeling, but deep down, the spirit within—that you can begin to take control.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
For every man there exists a bait which he cannot resist swallowing.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
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
Conscience whispers, but interest screams aloud.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
What government is the best? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Let not any one say that he cannot govern his passions, nor hinder them from breaking out and carrying him to action; for what he can do before a prince or a great man, he can do alone, or in the presence of God if he will.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.
—Barbara De Angelis (b.1951) American Lecturer, Author, TV Personality, Motivational Speaker
All men are tempted. There is no man that lives that can’t be broken down, provided it is the right temptation, put in the right spot.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.
—Unknown
Rule your mind or it will rule you.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman 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
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
Control your destiny or somebody else will.
—Jack Welch (1935–2020) American Businessperson
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
He who reins within himself and rules passions, desires, and fears is more than a king.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
He is strong who conquers others; He who conquers himself is mighty.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression. No man is free who cannot control himself.
—Karen Horney (1885–1952) German-born American Psychoanalyst
Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; the hardest victory is over self.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, 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
What lies in our power to do, lies in our power not to do.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Abstainer: A weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Do you want to know the man against whom you have most reason to guard yourself?. Your looking-glass will give you a very fair likeness of his face.
—Richard Whately (1787–1863) English Philosopher, Theologian
No conflict is so severe as his who labors to subdue himself.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
He is a fool who cannot be angry; but he is a wise man who will not.
—English Proverb
A man must first govern himself, ere he be fit to govern a family; and his family, ere he be fit to bear the government in the commonwealth.
—Walter Raleigh (1552–1618) English Courtier, Navigator, Poet
The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.
—Charles Darwin (1809–82) English Naturalist
What makes resisting temptation difficult for many people is they don’t want to discourage it completely.
—Franklin P. Jones
He who would govern others should first be master of himself.
—Philip Massinger (1583–1640) English Playwright
Self-control is the quality that distinguishes the fittest to survive.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
—Buddhist Teaching
The control centre of your life is your attitude.
—Anonymous
The cyclone derives its powers from a calm center. So does a person.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
What man’s mind can create, man’s character can control.
—Thomas Edison (1847–1931) American Inventor, Scientist, Entrepreneur
You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.
—Chinese Proverb
I am always with myself and it is I who am my tormentor.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
Self-determination is fine but needs to be tempered with self-control.
—Anonymous
You can’t always control the wind, but you can control your sails.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically—to say “no” to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger “yes” burning inside. The enemy of the “best” is often the “good”.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
No man is free who is not master of himself.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.
—Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) Italian Poet, Dramatist, Satirist
Not to have control over the senses is like sailing in a rudderless ship, bound to break to pieces on coming in contact with the very first rock.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing-up, a sound set of values—and witnesses.
—Franklin P. Jones
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
The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence, but in the mastery, of his passions.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
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