You’re not what you think you are; you’re not what others think you are; you’re what you think others think you are!
—Unknown
Think highly of yourself, for the world takes you at your own estimate.
—Unknown
A successful man is one who lays a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him.
—Swami Chinmayananda (1916–93) Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher
If you wish your merit to be known,
acknowledge that of other people.
—Eastern Proverb
We are valued in this world at the rate we desire to be valued.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
Conceited men are a harmless kind of creatures, who, by their overweening self-respect, relieve others from the duty of respecting them at all.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to, but himself.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
The less a man thinks or knows about his virtues, the better we like him.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We do not deal much in facts when we are contemplating ourselves.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
A person’s worth is contingent upon who he is, not upon what he does, or how much he has. The worth of a person, or a thing, or an idea, is in being, not in doing, not in having.
—Alice Mary Hilton (1919–2011) British-American Mathematician, Academic
Oftentimes nothing profits more than self-esteem, grounded on what is just and right and well-managed.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
A man who has been the indisputable favorite of his mother keeps for life the feeling of a conqueror.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Seriously, I do not think I fit for the presidency.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
I have often wondered how it is everyone loves himself more than the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinions of himself than the opinions of others.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Trust yourself, then you will know how to live.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Respect yourself if you would have others respect you. – Gracian, Baltasar
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not the prerogative of mindlessness, but the exact opposite: It is the reward of self-esteem.
—Nathaniel Branden (1930–2014) American Psychotherapist
Creation is a better means of self-expression than possession; it is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed.
—Vida Dutton Scudder (1861–1954) American Social Activist, Educator
If you aren’t good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you’ll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren’t even giving to yourself.
—Barbara De Angelis (b.1951) American Self-Help Author
I will give thanks to thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
He that fancies himself very enlightened, because he sees the deficiencies of others, may be very ignorant, because he has not studied his own.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Women who set a low value on themselves make life hard for all women.
—Nellie McClung (1873–1951) Canadian Suffragist, Author
It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Don’t worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward.
—Laura Schlessinger (b.1947) American Radio Talk-Show Host, Author
The confidence we have in ourselves arises in a great measure from that which we have in others.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
He that undervalues himself will undervalue others, and he that undervalues others will oppress them.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves, but deal in our privacy with the last honesty and truth.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Leave a Reply