Benjamin Franklin Quotes

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

He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.

No one is free who has not obtained the empire of himself.

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

Discipline is wisdom and vice versa.

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.

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.

For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore curb thyself as the merchant curbs a good horse.

What is needed is not the removal of the trouble but the conquest of self.

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

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

The greatest possession is self-possession.

Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way.

How can I govern others, who can't even govern myself?

I am not driven.

Little hearts, little souls give little lusts big power. Big hearts give little lusts little power.

My ego every day is more and more polite. I tame it.

The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life. If you don't, life controls you.

Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.

The man who has sufficient power over himself to wait until his nature has recovered its even balance is the truly wise man, but such beings are seldom met with.

You can have no dominion greater or less than that over yourself.

I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them.

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

Character is the impulse reined down into steady continuance.

Who then is free? The wise man who can command himself.