May Sarton Quotes

One can be the master of what one does, but never of what one feels.

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.

You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.

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.

In that power of self-control lies the seed of eternal freedom.

Self-control is the only possible road to character development

I had no chance of controlling a ball game until I first controlled myself.

Some men, who begin by saying that the world is a hell, often end by saying that it is a heaven when they succeed in the practice of self-control.

I have learnt through bitter experience the one supreme lesson to conserve my anger, and as heat conserved is transmuted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be transmuted into a power which can move the world.

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.

He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions.

By understanding the nuances of the world around you and how to survive the temptations, you can rule anything. Even yourself

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

The undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites and passions

If you set out to seek freedom, then learn above all things to govern your soul and your senses . . . only through discipline may a man learn to be free.

Emotional self-control is the result of hard work, not an inherent skill.

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

The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.

They who overcome their desires once can overcome them always.

Control thy passions lest they take vengence on thee.

Strength of character does not consist solely in having powerful feelings, but in maintaining one’s balance in spite of them

Self-control is true power.

I have never been offended. I don't know what it means. It's not that I disagree with it. I don't understand it. I've never had that feeling. I don't let feelings control my life. I'm more disciplined than other people.

Discipline yourself. Be conscious of what you think, and what you like. What gets you mad? What gets you in your feelings? Figure that stuff out and take control of it so nobody else can control you.

Why do they always teach us that it's easy and evil to do what we want and that we need discipline to restrain ourselves? It's the hardest thing in the world--to do what we want. And it takes the greatest kind of courage. I mean, what we really want.