Joyce Carol Oates Quotes

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.

Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the warrior. Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

There is no finer sensations in life that which comes with victory over one's self. Go forward to a goal of inward achievement, brushing aside all your old internal enemies as you advance.

We conquer ourselves by learning patience, for she gives to us our longed for victory only in the surrender of self.

The discipline of desire is the background of character.

There is something good in men that really yearn for discipline.

The point is to change one's life. The point is not to give some vent to the emotions that have been destroying one; the point is so to act that one can master them now.

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

Strength instead of being the lusty child of passion, grows by grappling with and subduing them.

There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself.

I practice martial arts not to win over other people but to win over my own heart.

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first.

It is not enough to have great qualities; We should also have the management of them.

I believe that the plight of life and all existence is to master one's self, you know, one day at a time.

Will power is only the tensile strength of one's own disposition. One cannot increase it by a single ounce.

We improve ourselves by victories over ourselves. There must be contest, and we must win.

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

Discipline is wisdom and vice versa.

The forthputting of willpower is a means of strengthening willpower. The will becomes strong by exercise. To stick to a thing till you are master is a test of intellectual discipline and power.

A man who has not passed through the inferno of his passions has never overcome them.

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

I can't change my personality. I'll always smile, but I'll be more focused.

I'm a perfectionist and I've always been interested in growing and I think that has given me the mental fortitude to continue.

True victory is self-victory; let that day arrive quickly!

Get the better of yourself - this is the best kind of victory.