Anton Chekhov Quotes

We are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves. The consciousness of wrong-doing makes us irritable, and our heart, in its cunning, quarrels with what is outside it, in order that it may deafen the clamor within.

Man knows himself only insofar as he knows the world, becoming aware of it if only within himself, and of himself self only within it. Each new subject, well observed, opens up within us a new organ of thought.

It's easy to blame other people when things aren't going well.

Why can't we all just get along?

... one's own faults are always a heavy chain to drag through life and one can't help groaning under the weight now and then.

Only when one is connected to one's own core is one connected to others, I am beginning to discover. And, for me, the core, the inner spring, can best be refound through solitude.

Instead of always asking yourself why so-and-so acts this or that way, learn to ask: "What's inside of me that wants to hurt itself over how anyone else acts?"

The first step towards knowing is to see that you do not know.

Wisdom lies in understanding our limitations.

He who knows himself knows others.

I call that man awake who, with conscious knowledge and understanding, can perceive the deep unreasoning powers in his soul, his whole innermost strength, desire and weakness, and knows how to reckon with himself.

You can't recover from what you do not understand.

I see what you mean. It must be a huge relief, and an easy way out, to think the devil is always outside of us. (…) we would stop looking for Sheitan outside and instead focus on ourselves. What we need is sincere self-examination. Not being on the watch for the faults of others.” (p. 257).

We read books to find out who we are.

Blame neither man, nor God, nor anyone in the world. When you find yourselves suffering, blame yourselves, and try to do better.

As we learn about each other, so we learn about ourselves.

How can we resent the life we've created for ourselves?

There's nothing wrong with not understanding yourself.

Nothing will make us so charitable and tender to the faults of others, as, by self-examination, thoroughly to know our own.

Knowing your own ignorance is the first step to enlightenment.

Most of your suffering comes from the lack of understanding of yourself and others.

How could I be so immature to think you could replace the missing elements in me. How extremely lazy of me.

I wasn’t ready to think about the other yet: that it wasn’t that I wasn’t right for Macon, but that maybe he wasn’t right for me. There was a difference. Even for someone who things didn’t come easy for, someone like me.

What you feel is wrong or missing in your relationships is an indication that something is amiss within you.