John Donne Quotes

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

What a man does defiles him, not what is done by others.

Whenever you do a thing, tho' it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you and act accordingly.

What, pray, does it profit a man to teach others, and to be prating always about virtue, in high-sounding words, if he fails to give heed to his own instructions?

My power for good, whatever it may, would be gone if I didn’t try to live up to the doctrines I have tried to preach.

I don't believe that a piece of paper will excuse my actions. In the end, only my actions will.

I have to be honest with myself, and make sure I am doing things the right way.

Make it a rule and pray to God to help you keep it . . . never, if possible, to lie down at night without being able to say "I have made one human being at least a little wiser, a little happier, or a little better this day."

I don't think saying "I was wrong here, I was wrong there" absolves you of anything particularly, nor does it get you into heaven.

Freedom is for honest people. No man who is not himself honest can be free – he is his own trap.

Forgive many things in others; nothing in yourself.

I try to be a good person. I know what my downfalls are, so that's a good thing.

A man should be upright, not be kept upright.

I try to work hard. I try to set a good example. I don't look at it as though I've got to be a leader. I just try to behave the way I think I should behave. If that results in a leadership role, great.

It would be dangerous territory if I wasn't practising what I preach which is to always accept responsibility, always accept the consequences of your actions.

My life motto is 'Do my best, so that I can't blame myself for anything.'

Strive to attain to the greater virtues, but do not neglect the lesser ones. Do not make light of a fall even if it be the most venial of faults; rather, be quick to repair it by repentance, although many others may commit a large number of faults, slight and grievous, and remain unrepentant.

My conscience is clear.

Good actions ennoble us, and we are the sons of our deeds.

Good actions ennoble us, we are the sons of our own deeds.

Whether it's making a film or raising my children, personally I'm striving to do the right things and to learn.

I ask the people of Connecticut for their forgiveness, I should have paid more attention to people around me and people that I trusted but I am sorry for my actions and take full responsibility.

Respect for self is the beginning of cultivating virtue in men and women.

I suffer from Irish-Catholic guilt. Guilt is a good reality check. It keeps that 'do what makes you happy' thing in check.

It's bad when you fail morally. It's worse when you don't repent.