Bernard of Clairvaux Quotes

It's a fine thing to rise above pride, but you must have pride in order to do so.

True humility is intelligent self respect which keeps us from thinking too highly or too meanly of ourselves. It makes us modest by reminding us how far we have come short of what we can be.

No truly great person ever thought themselves so.

He who knows himself best esteems himself least.

The trick is to learn to contain one's ego, not conceal it.

My ego has been in check for a long time.

Do not try to be humble: learn humility.

If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and if you shall seem to someone to be a person of importance, distrust yourself.

I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.

The awareness of our own strength makes us modest.

I have not changed much. I haven't gotten a big ego or anything.

My mother helped me to be who I am: to have strength and not to let people run all over me and yet to be humble; to realise that all of this that I have today could be gone.

Everybody needs to lower his ego.

I am someone without an ego.

He that places himself neither higher nor lower than he ought to do exercises the truest humility.

If you desire to know or learn anything to your advantage, then take delight in being unknown and unregarded. A true understanding and humble estimate of oneself is the highest and most valuable of all lessons.

If the ego is inflated it must be gradually deflated.

Be humble, or you'll stumble.

One that does not think to highly of himself is more than he thinks.

You have to think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, but you have to know that you're not.

We cannot think too highly of our nature, nor too humbly of ourselves.

How do I stay humble? Because I'm the best at being humble.

Discourses on humility are a source of pride in the vain and of humility in the humble.

I cannot raise my worth too high; Of what vast consequence am I! "Not of the importance you suppose," Replies a Flea upon his nose; "Be humble, learn thyself to scan; Know, pride was never made for man.

I don't wake up each morning saying, 'Oh, wow, it's me. I think I'm the cat's meow. I'm the best.'