Quotes About Willpower

but they were frightened at his survivant will, once a will to live, now become a will to die.

I've never met a man who led a rotten life and didn't have a weak will.

They stood an uncomfortable little group weighted down by Abe's gigantic presence: he lay athwart them like the wreck of a galleon, dominating with his presence his own weakness and self-indulgence, his narrowness and bitterness. All of them were conscious of the solemn dignity that flowed from him, of his achievement, fragmentary, suggestive and surpassed. But they were frightened at his surviving will, once a will to love, now become a will to die.

I've never met a man who led a rotten life and didn't have a weak will.

My dear boy, there's your big mistake. This has nothing to do with will-power; that's a crazy, useless word, anyway; you lack judgement--the judgement to decide at once when you know your imagination will play you false, given half a chance.

I tried very hard to die, but I seemed to bear an enchanted life.

It's the whole thing,' he asserted. 'It's the one dividing line between good and evil. I've never met a man who led a rotten life and didn't have a weak will.

Why would anyone in their right mind continue as I

I'm astounded whenever I finish something. Astounded and distressed. My perfectionist instinct should inhibit me from finishing: it should inhibit me from even beginning. But I get distracted and start doing something. What I achieve is not the product of an act of my will but of my will's surrender. I begin because I don't have the strength to think; I finish because I don't have the courage to quit. This book is my cowardice.

We live by action—by acting on desire. Those of us who don't know how to want—whether geniuses or beggars—are related by impotence.

I'm astounded whenever I finish something. Astounded and distressed. My perfectionist instinct should inhibit me from finishing; it should inhibit me from even beginning. But I get distracted and start doing something. What I achieve is not the product of an act of my will but of my will's surrender. I begin because I don't have the strength to think; I finish because I don't have the courage to quit. This book is my cowardice.

Pasmo sempre quando acabo qualquer coisa. Pasmo e desolo-me. O meu instinto de perfeição deveria inibir-me de acabar; deveria inibir-me até de dar começo. Mas distraio-me e faço. O que consigo é um produto, em mim, não de uma aplicação de vontade, mas de uma cedência dela. Começo porque não tenho força para pensar; acabo porque não tenho alma para suspender. Este livro é a minha cobardia.

Só esta liberdade nos concedem Os deuses: submetermo-nos Ao seu domínio por vontade nossa. Mais vale assim fazermos Porque só na ilusão da liberdade A liberdade existe.

Três vezes do leme as mãos ergueu, Três vezes ao leme as reprendeu, E disse no fim de tremer três vezes: «Aqui ao leme sou mais do que eu: Sou um Povo que quer o que é teu; E mais que o mostrengo, que me a alma teme E roda nas trevas do fim do mundo, Manda a vontade, que me ata ao leme, De El-rei D. João Segundo!»

Agir, eis a inteligência verdadeira. Serei o que quiser. Mas tenho que querer o que for.

Agir, eis a inteligência verdadeira. Serei o que quiser. Mas tenho que querer o que for. O êxito está em ter êxito, e não em ter condições de êxito. Condições de palácio tem qualquer terra larga, mas onde estará o palácio se o não fizerem ali?

Hacer, he ahí la inteligencia verdadera. Seré lo que quiera. Pero tengo que querer lo que sea. El éxito está en tener éxito, y no en tener condiciones para el éxito.

Mi sono capitate solo un'intelligenza di natura lucida e una buona forza di volontà. Ma questi erano doni naturali, che la mia bassa condizione di nascita non mi poteva togliere.

Children, who want at all costs to have their way, are closest to God, for they want to exist.

Una cosa es el heroísmo y otra cosa el suicidio por inanición

Aunque no podamos elegir lo que nos pasa, podemos en cambio elegir lo que hacer frente a lo que nos pasa.

Believe me, circumstances are never favorable. We should not depend on them. What is important is what one feels, what one wants, what one knows. We have to live despite reality and even against it, without waiting for it to be conducive as do the deluded, or the cowards.

He knew that he was the stuff of which fanatics and madmen are made and that he had turned his destiny as if with his bare will. He kept himself upright on a very narrow line between madness and emptiness and when the time came for him to lose his balance he intended to lurch toward emptiness and fall on the side of his choice.

I'm kind of fascist with myself, you know.