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
Love yourself unconditionally, just as you love those closest to you despite their faults.
—Les Brown
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
While we are indifferent to our good qualities, we keep on deceiving ourselves in regard to our faults, until we come to look on them as virtues.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
The less a man thinks or knows about his virtues, the better we like him.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, 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
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
We are valued in this world at the rate we desire to be valued.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
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
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
Whatever good things we build end up building us.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Respect yourself if you would have others respect you. – Gracian, Baltasar
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
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
It is easy to live for others, everybody does. I call on you to live for yourselves.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
We feel good about ourselves to the exact degree we feel in control of our lives.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
All the extraordinary men I have known were extraordinary in their own estimation.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
We do not deal much in facts when we are contemplating ourselves.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
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
Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.
—Buddhist Teaching
Seriously, I do not think I fit for the presidency.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Before everyone stands a image of what he ought to be. So long as he is not that his peace is not complete.
—Friedrich Ruckert (1788–1866) German Poet, Translator
Self-love is not opposed to the love of other people. You cannot really love yourself and do yourself a favor without doing other people a favor, and vice versa.
—Karl Menninger (1893–1990) American Psychiatrist
A person’s worth in this world is estimated according to the value they put on themselves.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
The most silent people are generally those who think most highly of themselves.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
The ablest man I ever met is the man you think you are.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer
Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes.
—Lucan (Marcus Annaeus Lucanus) (39–65 CE) Roman Statesman, Latin Poet
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