Self-respect: the secure feeling that no one, as yet, is suspicious.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power.
—Clint Eastwood (b.1930) American Film Director, Film Producer, Film Actor
There is hope for a man who is capable of being ashamed.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
When thou hast profited so much that thou respectest thyself, thou mayest let go thy tutor.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Respect yourself and others will respect you.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
To have that sense of one’s intrinsic worth which constitutes self-respect is potentially to have everything: the ability to discriminate, to love and to remain indifferent. To lack it is to be locked within oneself, paradoxically incapable of either love or indifference.
—Joan Didion (1934–2021) American Essayist, Novelist, Memoirist
Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
—Les Brown
They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
One of the very best of all earthly possessions is self-possession.
—George D. Prentice (1802–70) American Journalist, Editor, Poet
The pious and just honoring of ourselves may be thought the fountainhead from whence every laudable and worthy enterprise issues forth.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
It has been said that self-respect is the gate of heaven, and the most cursory observation shows that a degree of reserve adds vastly to the latent force of character.
—Henry Theodore Tuckerman (1813–71) American Author, Critic
It is the highest form of self-respect to admit our errors and mistakes and make amends for them. To make a mistake is only an error in judgment, but to adhere to it when it is discovered shows infirmity of character.
—Dale Turner (1917–2006) American Priest, Columnist, Epigrammist
To have a respect for ourselves guides our morals; and to have a deference for others governs our manners.
—Laurence Sterne (1713–68) Irish Anglican Novelist, Clergyman
The willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs.
—Joan Didion (1934–2021) American Essayist, Novelist, Memoirist
If we lose love and self respect for each other, this is how we finally die.
—Maya Angelou (1928–2014) American Poet
The soul that is within me no man can degrade.
—Frederick Douglass (1817–95) American Abolitionist, Author, Editor, Diplomat, Leader
Every time you suppress some part of yourself or allow others to play you small, you are in essence ignoring the owner’s manual your creator gave you and destroying your design.
—Oprah Winfrey (b.1954) American TV Personality
It may be no less dangerous to claim, on certain occasions, too little than too much. There is something captivating in spirit and intrepidity, to which we often yield as to a resistless power; nor can he reasonably expect the confidence of others who too apparently distrusts himself.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.
—Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Emperor of Rome, Stoic Philosopher
Self-respect…that corner-stone of all virtue.
—John Herschel (1792–1871) English Mathematician, Astronomer, Chemist
No man who is occupied in doing a very difficult thing, and doing it very well, ever loses his self-respect.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
One self-approving hour whole years outweighs of stupid starers, and of loud huzzas.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
Without self-respect there can be no genuine success. Success won at the cost of self-respect is not success? For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own self-respect.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
I care not so much what I am in the opinion of others as what I am in my own; I would be rich of myself and not by borrowing.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Self-respect cannot be hunted. It cannot be purchased. It is never for sale. It cannot be fabricated out of public relations. It comes to us when we are alone, in quiet moments, in quiet places, when we suddenly realize that, knowing the good, we have done it; knowing the beautiful, we have served it; knowing the truth we have spoken it.
—Alfred Whitney Griswold (1906–63) American Historian, Educator
Above all things, reverence yourself.
—Pythagoras (570–495 BCE) Greek Philosopher
Who will adhere to him that abandons himself?
—Philip Sidney (1554–86) English Soldier Poet, Courtier
We forfeit three-fourths of ourselves in order to be like other people.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
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