Self Mastery Quotes

The character, therefore, will depend upon the thoughts. I am what I think. I am what I think even more than what I do, for it is the thought that interprets the action. An act in itself good may become even bad by the thought that inspired it.

~ Basil W. Maturin

We solely choose how we interpret something said, a behavior or action of another. No one can make us feel anything we don’t choose for ourselves.

~ Renee Cefalu

Self-knowledge is the foundation stone of every principled person, and any changes of a person’s mutable character commences with an extensive course of self-evaluation. Personal evolution is a product of the independent choices we make. Progress in the development of oneself depends upon how honestly a person judges oneself, and what corrections a person makes to align their character with an ideal version of a self.

~ Kilroy J. Oldster

Think of the most discouraging thing that you are currently carrying or the biggest project you can’t seem to tackle. Forget about how it happened, forget about how you got there, just look at the clock, and before that number changes, do one little thing to make it better. After you do, enjoy your moment of victory, and then do it again. In less than the time it takes you to blink, the past will burden you no more.

~ Dan Pearce

Master Yourself and you master your environment! Such is the nature of wisdom.

~ D. Nicole Williams

People who love themselves, don’t hurt other people. People who love themselves have no reason to ever judge another person on looks. There is simply no need. People who love themselves no longer look at beauty on a sliding scale or as a competition. There is nobody more beautiful or less beautiful than anyone else, including themselves. People who love themselves no longer see fat or skinny, tall or short, fair or dark skin, gay or straight, strong or weak. They only see people. Beautiful, beautiful people.

~ Dan Pearce

Do you love yourself? The test is simple. Do you look at others and see anything besides another beautiful human being? Do you see somebody who is more beautiful or less beautiful than you? If so, look down a little deeper and ask yourself why. It may be painful. The whys usually are. Do it anyway.

~ Dan Pearce

Personal mastery begins by increasing our awareness about who we truly are, our strengths, limitations... Personal mastery can be achieved not only by being aware but also by controlling what is happening inside and around ourselves...

~ Assegid Habtewold

Many of the confusions, conflicts, and disarrays that are rampant in today’s organizations, communities, and nations could have been avoided if leaders have solid self-awareness...

~ Assegid Habtewold

You are your master. Only you have the master keys to open the inner locks.

~ Amit Ray

When leaders lack self-awareness, they doubt themselves; uncertain about their abilities; unclear about the direction to take on each turn, and more...

~ Assegid Habtewold

We cannot replicate other people’s lives. We must each institute and broker a personalized meaning to our exclusive existence. We must each serve as our own Zen master, awaken to our inviolate personal truth, and strive to fulfill our sui generis (unique) nature.

~ Kilroy J. Oldster

Life has a tendency to provide a person with what they need in order to grow. Our beliefs, what we value in life, provide the roadmap for the type of life that we experience. A period of personal unhappiness reveals that our values are misplaced and we are on the wrong path. Unless a person changes their values and ideas, they will continue to experience discontentment.

~ Kilroy J. Oldster

Self-mastery involves a studious account of all aspects of human life and developing a comprehensive philosophy for living without fear or anxiety throughout the remaining years of a person’s life. A person must live within the limits of the human condition, which does not justify giving into all of our destructive impulses or living a pleasurable and guiltless life. Self-mastery does not require a person to live a life without passion; rather, it entails channeling vibrant personal passions into living in a virtuous manner of created beings.

~ Kilroy J. Oldster

Every person is the master of his or her own destiny. What we think about alters our character. Our character organizes our personality, and our personality scripts how successfully we interact with other people and respond to a changing environment.

~ Kilroy J. Oldster

...The happy Warrior... is he... who, doomed to go in company with pain, and fear, and bloodshed, miserable train turns his necessity to glorious gain; in face of these doth exercise a power which is our human nature's highest dower: controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves of their bad influence, and their good receives: by objects, which might force the soul to abate her feeling, rendered more compassionate; is placable— because occasions rise so often that demand such sacrifice; more skillful in self-knowledge, even more pure, as tempted more; more able to endure, as more exposed to suffering and distress; thence, also, more alive to tenderness.

~ William Wordsworth

All negative emotion originates from FEAR and all positive emotion originates from LOVE.

~ Renee Cefalu

Do you wish to take control of your life? Begin by focusing on steering the storm, rather than where the lightening strikes.

~ Gary Hopkins

Irrespective of what religious or intellectual philosophy guides an enlightened person’s life plan, self-mastery plays an important, if not quintessential role.

~ Kilroy J. Oldster

Patience is real self-mastery.

~ Richelle E. Goodrich

The highest aim was never to master Jiu Jitsu, it was to master myself.

~ Chris Matakas

Self Mastery is the ability to maneuver through life without the mind or emotional attachment. It is being a mindfully present observer instead of the mind identified perceiver.

~ Renee Cefalu

No one can make us feel anything. We always have the authority over how we choose to feel about something. Never give anyone that much power over yourself.

~ Renee Cefalu

Living the good life as created beings depends on living within the limits and according to the truths of the human condition. Purity of heart and the capacity to channel desires toward personal self-mastery in holiness are part of the high calling of the Christian life. These remain necessities, despite the promises of a false humanism that claims that human nature has neither limits nor boundaries, being infinitely plastic and malleable -- a vain and counterproductive attempt to liberate humans from guilt.

~ George Cardinal Pell

You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself...the height of a man's success is gauged by his self-mastery, the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. ...And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others.

~ Leonardo Da Vinci