Francis Quarles Quotes

Character is the impulse reined down into steady continuance.

You can learn not to want what you want, to recognize desires but not be controlled by them.

The most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of your own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs.

When you feel the desire for power, you should stay in solitude for some time

Self-awareness is a key to self-mastery

Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation of good relationships with others.

While expressing your desires, you would need to exercise control in order to prevent them from doing harm to you or to others.

In vain he seeketh others to suppress, Who hath not learn'd himself first to subdue.

Be an earnest student of yourself. Study your leading desires and tendencies.

It is with our passions as it is with fire and water, they are good servants, but bad masters.

The intimate contest for self-command never ends, and lifetime happiness requires finding the right balance between present impulses and future well-being.

The discipline of desire is the background of character.

I had to learn, really, how to rein in my energies and discipline myself. And I found it very very useful. I rebelled against it at first, but it's a good thing to have.

I have to reign myself in a lot.

I learned early in my career, where you get so wrapped up and so excited, that all of a sudden you don't think. So I worked very hard to keep myself suppressed. And that's one of the reasons I wasn't gregarious with the gallery.

We say no to lots of things that would please us. I would like to punch people every now and then, but I don't. I would like to have something for free rather than pay for it. I would like to skip to the front of the line... I don't mean to brush aside the taste of meat, which is a powerful attraction. But its power is not without limit.

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.

I used to have terrible tantrums. I was temperamental when I was younger. Actually, what I needed was a swift kick in the pants. What a brat!

Temper is a weapon that we hold by the blade.

Know yourself to improve yourself.

They who overcome their desires once can overcome them always.

Discipline is wisdom and vice versa.

If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.

I wasn't blessed with the natural ability to rein myself in.

I know I've had an attitude that can explode, but I'm trying my best to not step out of bounds.