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
Like an old gold-panning prospector, you must resign yourself to digging up a lot of sand from which you will later patiently wash out a few minute particles of gold ore.
—Dorothy Bryant (b.1930) American Novelist, Playwright, Essayist, Feminist
I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
To be too conscious is an illness – a real thoroughgoing illness.
—Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–81) Russian Novelist, Essayist, Writer
I was right not to be afraid of any thief but myself, who will end by leaving me nothing.
—Katherine Anne Porter (1890–1980) American Short-Story Writer, Novelist
We are all mortals, and each is for himself.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
Resolve to be thyself: and know, that he who finds himself, loses his misery.
—Matthew Arnold (1822–88) English Poet, Critic
Let every man mind his own business.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
Endurance is frequently a form of indecision.
—Elizabeth Bibesco (1897–1945) English Poet, Short Story Writer, Novelist
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
Who in the world am I?. Ah, that’s the great puzzle.
—Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) (1832–98) British Author, Mathematician, Clergyman, Logician
He who asks of life nothing but the improvement of his own nature is less liable than anyone else to miss and waste life.
—Henri Frederic Amiel (1821–81) Swiss Moral Philosopher, Poet, Critic
Every man is two men; one is awake in the darkness, the other asleep in the light.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-American Philosopher, Poet, Sculptor
Nor knowest thou what argument
Thy life to thy neighbor’s creed has lent.
All are needed by each one;
Nothing is fair or good alone.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
What is best for people is what they do for themselves.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Probably the most neglected friend you have is you.
—L. Ron Hubbard (1911–86) American Author, Religious Leader
Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us to see oursel’s as ithers see us.
—Robert Burns (1759–96) Scottish Poet, Songwriter
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
I am my own heaven and hell.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
We are happy when for everything inside us there is a corresponding something outside us.
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) Irish Poet, Dramatist
We reproach people for talking about themselves, but it is the subject they treat best.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
The greatest service we can perform for others is to help them to help themselves.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
Misfortunes one can endure—they come from outside, they are accidents. But to suffer for one’s own faults—Ah! there is the sting of life.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
In search of my mother’s garden, I found my own.
—Alice Walker (b.1944) American Novelist, Activist
No man is free who is not master of himself.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Do what you must,
And your friends will adjust.
—Robert Brault
Everything that I bear within me bound, is to be found somewhere else free.
—Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Poet
God hides things by putting them all around us.
—Unknown
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