To have thought far too little, we shall find in the review of life, among our capital faults.
—John Foster Dulles (1888–1959) American Republican Public Official, Lawyer
The TRUTH: It may not lead you to where you thought you were going, but it will always lead you somewhere better. When ignored, it will eventually show itself. The closeness of your relationships is directly proportional to the degree to which you have revealed the truth about yourself. It can be painful.
—Unknown
Thinking is only a process of talking to yourself.
—Indian Proverb
Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The old believe everything; the middle-aged suspect everything; the young know everything.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.
—Buddhist Teaching
The more abstract the truth you want to teach, the more thoroughly you must seduce the senses to accept it.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Tell your boss what you think of him and the truth shall set you free.
—Unknown
We find it hard to believe that other people’s thoughts are as silly as our own, but they probably are.
—James Harvey Robinson (1863–1936) American Historian
When we talk in company we lose our unique tone of voice, and this leads us to make statements which is no way correspond to our real thoughts.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
In reality, there is no such thing as a “should” or a “shouldn’t”. These are only thoughts that we impose onto reality. The mind is like a carpenter’s level. When the bubble is off to one side—“It shouldn’t be raining”—we can know that the mind is caught in its thinking. When the bubble is right in the middle—“It’s raining”—we can know that the surface level and the mind is accepting reality as it is. Without the “should” and “shouldn’t,” we can see reality as it is, and this leaves us free to act efficiently, clearly, and sanely. Asking “What’s the reality of it?” can help bring the mind out of its story, back into the real world.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
We may divide thinkers into those who think for themselves, and those who think through others.—The latter are the rule, and the former the exception.—The first are original thinkers in a double sense, and egotists in the noblest meaning of the word.—It is from them only that the world learns wisdom—For only the light which we have kindled in ourselves can illuminate others.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
The only way to give finality to the world is to give it consciousness.
—Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) Spanish Educator, Philosopher, Author
Few people think more than two or three times a year. I’ve made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
There exist certain individuals who are, by nature, given purely to contemplation and are utterly unsuited to action, and who, nevertheless, under a mysterious and unknown impulse, sometimes act with a speed which they themselves would have thought beyond them.
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) French Poet, Art Critic, Essayist, Translator
Of Consciousness, her awful Mate. The Soul cannot be rid—as easy the secreting her behind the Eyes of God.
—Emily Dickinson (1830–86) American Poet
It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter lies in the depth, where few are willing to search for it.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Make a decision that from now on, your thoughts do not run you, you run your thoughts. From now on, your mind is not the captain of your ship, you are the captain of the ship, and your mind works for you.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.
—Chinese Proverb
Far more numerous are those as such; who think to little and talk to much.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Mankind have a great aversion to intellectual labor; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
When a nation gives birth to a man who is able to produce a great thought, another is born who is able to understand and admire it.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.
—The Dhammapada Buddhist Anthology of Verses
When someone you greatly admire and respect appears to be thinking deep thoughts, they are probably thinking about lunch.
—Indian Proverb
Thinking leads man to knowledge. He may see and hear, and read and learn whatever he pleases, and as much as he pleases; he will never know anything of it, except that which he has thought over, that which by thinking he has made the property of his own mind. Is it then saying too much if I say that man, by thinking only, becomes truly man? Take away thought from man’s life, and what remains?
—Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746–1827) Swiss Educator
The brain that bubbles with phrases has hard work to collect its thoughts.
—Unknown
Think then act safely.
—Unknown
The minute a phrase, becomes current, it becomes an apology for not thinking accurately to the end of the sentence.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author