Jean de la Bruyere Quotes

Who has a harder fight than he who is striving to overcome himself.

Well, any time you do anything good, it's man versus himself, right? That's the art, the challenge.

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.

You cannot lead others until you have first learned to lead yourself.

Men need knowledge in order to overpower their passions and master their prejudices.

He who overcomes others has force; he who overcomes himself is strong.

The hardest victory is the victory over self.

The lion who breaks the enemy's ranks is a minor hero compared to the lion who overcomes himself.

When we are foolish, we want to conquer the world. When we are wise, we want to conquer ourselves. That begins when we do what we should no matter how we feel about it.

Examine from time to time what are the dominant passions of your soul, and having ascertained this, mold your life, so that in thought, word, and deed you may as far as possible counteract them.

The human race is challenged more than ever before to demonstrate our mastery, not over nature but of ourselves.

The highest strength is acquired not in overcoming the world, but in overcoming one's self. Learn to be cruel to thyself, to withstand thy appetites, to bear thy sufferings, and thou shalt become free and able.

Even those who have the weakest souls could acquire absolute mastery over all their passions if we employed sufficient ingenuity in training and guiding them.

Though he should conquer a thousand men in the battlefield a thousand times, yet he, indeed, who would conquer himself is the noblest victor.

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

It is always more difficult to fight one's own failings than the power of an adversary.

If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself.

Vain indeed is all overweening pride in the conquest even of the entire universe if one has not conquered one's own passions.

It is much easier to conquer a country than to conquer ourselves.

He who knows much about others may be learned, but he who understands himself is more intelligent. He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.

In the matter of learning, the difference between the earnest and the careless student stands out clearly. The same holds true in the mastering of passion and the weaknesses to which our nature is subject, as in the acquiring of virtue.

In the end, it's a mental maturity to let your best come out.

Victory in physical battles requires strength, muscles, and skill; but the fight is never tougher and victory is never sweeter than in the battles over self.

You can never control other people. You can only control yourself. I have definitely learned that.