A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month’s study of books.
—Chinese Proverb
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen events, meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!”
—William Hutchinson Murray (1913–96) Scottish Mountaineer
Aloneness is a wise teacher. Kierkegaard remarked that one sign of spiritual maturity was the ability to be comfortable when alone.
—Vernon Howard (1918–92) American Spiritual Teacher, Philosopher
There are many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
One cannot choose wisely for a life unless he dares to listen to himself, his own self, at each moment of his life.
—Abraham Maslow (1908–70) American Psychologist, Academic, Humanist
Consistently wise decisions can only be made by those whose wisdom is constantly challenged.
—Ted Sorensen (1928–2010) American Lawyer, Presidential Speechwriter
If you use these principles wisely and intelligently, there can be no uncertainty as to the outcome of any endeavor, and no limit to your possibilities.
—Roger McDonald (b.1941) Australian Novelist, Poet, Screenwriter, Writer
Heroism works in contradiction to the voice of mankind and in contradiction, for a time, to the voice of the great and good. Heroism is an obedience to a secret impulse of an individual’s character. Now to no other man can its wisdom appear as it does to him, for every man must be supposed to see a little farther on his own proper path than any one else. Therefore just and wise men take umbrage at his act, until after some little time be past: then they see it to be in unison with their acts. All prudent men see that the action is clean contrary to a sensual prosperity; for every heroic act measures itself by its contempt of some external good. But it finds its own success at last, and then the prudent also extol.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Even as the radiance of the sun enlightens all regions, above, below, and slantwise, so that only God, glorious and worthy of worship, rules over all His creation.
—The Vedas Sacred Books of Hinduism
Only the wisest and the stupidest of men never change.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Most of the stone a nation hammers goes toward its tomb only. It buries itself alive. As for the Pyramids, there is nothing to wander at in them so much as the fact that so many men could be found degraded enough to spend their lives constructing a tomb for some ambitious booby, whom it would have been wiser and manlier to have drowned in the Nile, and then given his body to the dogs.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Love is the wisdom of the fool and the folly of the wise.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The wise man then followed a simple way of life—which is hardly surprising when you consider how even in this modern age he seeks to be as little encumbered as he possibly can.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Men are wise in proportion, not to their experience, but to their capacity for experience.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Nothing is impossible for those who act after wise counsel and careful thought.
—The Thirukkural (c.5th cent. CE) Tamil Sacred Couplets
The man who is wise enough to know the right thing to do, who is good enough to wish to do only the right thing, and who is able and strong enough to do the right thing is a truly great man.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
The wise man … lacked nothing but needed a great number of things, whereas the fool, on the other hand, needs nothing (for he does not know how to use anything) but lacks everything.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Those who take up any subject with an open mind, willing to learn anything that will contribute to their advancement, comfort and happiness, are wise.
—Roger McDonald (b.1941) Australian Novelist, Poet, Screenwriter, Writer
When some state or other offered Alexander a part of its territory and half of all its property he told them that he hadn’t come to Asia with the intention of accepting whatever they cared to give him, but of letting them keep whatever he chose to leave them.’ Philosophy, likewise, tells all other occupations: It’s not my intention to accept whatever time is leftover from you; you shall have, instead, what I reject.’ Give your whole mind to her.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.
—Auguste Rodin (1840–1917) French Sculptor
Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm’s length behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has. Whenever he feels that everything is going wrong and he’s about to be annihilated, he can turn to his death and ask if that is so. His death will tell him that he is wrong, that nothing really matters outside its touch. His death will tell him, I haven’t touched you yet.’
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
The awakened sages call a person wise when all his undertakings are free from anxiety about results.
—The Bhagavad Gita Hindu Scripture
The purpose for the passage of time is to allow a person to become better, wiser, to express more and more of one’s beingness.
—Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author
No amount of reading or memorizing will make you successful in life. It is the understanding and application of wise thought which counts.
—Bob Proctor (1934–2022) Canadian Self-Help Author
All truly wise thoughts have been thought already thousands of times; but to make them truly ours, we must think them over again honestly, till they take firm root in our personal experience.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
As irrigators lead water where they want, as archers make their arrows straight, as carpenters carve wood, the wise shape their minds.
—Buddhist Teaching
In all your relations to men be great, just, generous, courteous, and kindly. The great are never otherwise.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Look not mournfully into the Past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the Present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy Future, without fear, and with a manly heart.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
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