Henry David Thoreau Quotes

It is we ourselves that we have to think about, no one else. That is the way the saints worked. They paid attention to what they were doing, and if others were attracted to them by their enterprise, why, well and good. But they looked to themselves first of all.

The safest principle through life, instead of reforming others, is to set about perfecting yourself.

The major value in life is not what you get. The major value in life is what you become.

You have to work on your own thing. You have to work on yourself, and you have to bring something to the game.

With a little more deliberation in the choice of their pursuits, all men would perhaps become essentially students and observers, for certainly their nature and destiny are interesting to all alike.

Learn to live in this world with self-respect.

You are embarking on the greatest adventure of your life - to improve your self-image, to create more meaning in your life and in the lives of others. This is your responsibility.

Improvement begins with I.

A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.

In the end, I want to be able to say, 'My life was what I made it.'

I just try to do my best and make the best judgments I can.

I wrote the book because I wanted to be able to share some things that I had learned and as pompous as that may sound, as you get to a certain point in life, you figure so what am I doing?

A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man aspires.

Life fundamentally does not change depending on work or fame or success.

A man is simple when his chief care is the wish to be what he ought to be, that is honestly and naturally human.

The real duty of man is not to extend his power or multiply his wealth beyond his needs, but to enrich and enjoy his imperishable possession: his soul.

I'm on a missionary journey to become the best version of myself.

Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discovered: it is something molded.

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.

I say that virtue is really all about enjoying yourself, living fully; but of course it is far from obvious what living fully actually means.

I would like to learn, or remember, how to live.

I dislike the word 'self-help.' Self-awareness, yes, but not self-help.

If you've done what you need to do, you need to go bury yourself, because what else are you going to do? I think that that's where life stops.

If you asked me for my New Year Resolution, it would be to find out who I am.

The ultimate goal is to be an interesting, useful, wholesome person. If you're successful on top of that, then you're way ahead of everybody.