Self Restraint Quotes

• The best executive is one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.

  Theodore Roosevelt

  Inspirational, Relationship, Leadership

  Theodore Roosevelt (2015). “Theodore Roosevelt on Bravery: Lessons from the Most Courageous Leader of the Twentieth Century”, p.75, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

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• A man without self-restraint is like a barrel without hoops, and tumbles to pieces.

  Henry Ward Beecher

  Men, Self, Pieces

  Henry Ward Beecher, William Drysdale (1887). “Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit”

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• He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.

  Confucius

  War, Self Control, Confucianism

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• Leadership consists not in degrees of technique but in traits of character; it requires moral rather than athletic or intellectual effort, and it imposes on both leader and follower alike the burdens of self-restraint.

  Lewis H. Lapham

  Leadership, Integrity, Character

  Lewis H. Lapham (1985). “High Technology and Human Freedom”

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• For want of self-restraint many men are engaged all their lives in fighting with difficulties of their own making.

  Samuel Smiles

  Fighting, Men, Self

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.239

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• He that would govern others, first should be the master of himself.

  Philip Massinger

  Success, War, Positivity

  1623 The Bondman, act1, sc.3.

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• A little kingdom I possess, where thoughts and feelings dwell; And very hard the task I find of governing it well.

  Louisa May Alcott

  Wise, Wisdom, Freedom

  Louisa May Alcott, “My Kingdom”

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• For want of self-restraint many men are engaged all their lives in fighting with difficulties of their own making, and rendering success impossible by their own cross-grained ungentleness; whilst others, it may be much less gifted, make their way and achieve success by simple patience, equanimity, and self-control.

  Samuel Smiles

  Life, Success, Fighting

  Samuel Smiles (1910). “Character. Repr”

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• Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control; these three alone lead one to sovereign power.

  Alfred Lord Tennyson

  Positive, Leadership, Knowledge

  Alfred Lord Tennyson, “Œnone”

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• No, when the fight begins within himself, / A man's worth something.

  Robert Browning

  Motivational, Struggle, Fighting

  'Bishop Blougram's Apology' (1855) l. 693

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• Such power there is in clear-eyed self-restraint.

  James Russell Lowell

  Power, Self, Restraint

  James Russell Lowell (1891). “The Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell”

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• Sexual self-restraint was only a preliminary stage in the ego's evolution.

  Muhammad Iqbal

  Self, Ego, Evolution

  "Stories and Biographies from Iqbal".

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• Not to have control over the senses is like sailing in a rudderless ship, bound to break to pieces on coming in contact with the very first rock.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Inspirational, Funny, Power

  Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore (1968). “Wit and Wisdom of Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore: Being a Treasury of Over Ten Thousand Invaluable and Inspiring Thoughts, Views, and Obervations on about Eight Hundred Subjects of Popular Interest, Collected from the Speeches and Writings of These Three Great Leaders of Modern India”

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• Discipline enables you to think first and act second.

  Joyce Meyer

  Thinking, Discipline, Self Control

  Twitter post from Jan 7, 2013

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• Leadership consists not in degrees of technique but in traits of character.

  Lewis H. Lapham

  Leadership, Character, Technique

  Lewis H. Lapham (1985). “High Technology and Human Freedom”

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• Prudent, cautious self-control is wisdom's root.

  Robert Burns

  Motivational, Wisdom, Power

  Robert Burns (2009). “Poems and Songs of Robert Burns”, p.358, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• There is always a limit to self-indulgence, but none to self-restraint.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Inspirational, Self, Limits

  Mahatma Gandhi (1928). “Young India”

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• Self-disciplined begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.

  Napoleon Hill

  Motivational, Change, Bad Ass

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• He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.

  Laozi

  Positive, Encouragement, Powerful

  Laozi, Archie J. Bahm (1996). “Tao Teh King”, p.36, Jain Publishing Company

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• I do not see any beauty in self-restraint.

  Mary MacLane

  Self, Restraint

  Mary MacLane (2014). “I Await the Devil's Coming: Annotated & Unexpurgated”, p.128, Petrarca Press

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• Until we lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.

  Henry Miller

  Self Control, Conformity, No Hope

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• Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.

  Henry Miller

  Fear, Inspiration, Giving

  Henry Miller (1972). “The Henry Miller reader”, Ayer Co Pub

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• The one condition for fighting for peace and liberty is to acquire self-restraint.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Fighting, Self, Liberty

  Mahatma Gandhi (1984). “The Quintessence of Gandhi in His Own Words”

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• Self-restraint may be alien to the human temperament, but humanity without restraint will dig its own grave.

  Marya Mannes

  Self, Humanity, May

  Marya Mannes (1964). “But Will it Sell?”

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• When the heat and motion of blind impulses and passions distract it on all sides, we can neither give nor receive anything truly. But when we find our centre in our soul by the power of self-restraint, by the force that harmonizes all warring element

  Rabindranath Tagore

  Passion, Self, Giving

  Rabindranath Tagore (2017). “Sadhana: The Realization of Life”, p.30, BookRix

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