Quotes About Influence

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us. —John Dryden, seventeenth-century English poet and dramatist

Años poderosos les gustan los sicofantes, los iguales les estaban agradecidos por su amabilidad y los inferiores no deseaban otra cosa que servir a personas mas nobles y excepcionales.

What we do now echoes in eternity.

De multe ori am fost uimit de faptul ca fiecare, desi se iubeste pe sine insusi mai mult decat pe toti ceilalti, pune totusi mai putin pret pe propria parere despre sine decat pe parerea celorlalti despre el.

recognize the malice, cunning, and hypocrisy that power produces, and the peculiar ruthlessness often shown by people from "good families.

Constantly observe who those are whose approval you wish to have, and what ruling principles they possess. For then you will neither blame those who offend involuntarily, nor will you want their approval, if you look to the sources of their opinions and appetites.

A very ridiculous thing it is, that any man should dispense with vice and wickedness in himself, which is in his power to restrain; and should go about to suppress it in others, which is altogether impossible.

How can I either be hurt by any of those, since it is not in their power to make me incur anything that is truly reproachful?

Wherein Antoninus recordeth, What and of whom, whether Parents, Friends, or Masters; by their good examples, or good advice and counsel, he had learned:

One is a careful distinction between things which are in our power and things which are not. Desire and dislike, opinion and affection, are within the power of the will; whereas health, wealth, honour, and other such are generally not so.

According to this theory, man is like a dog tied to a moving wagon. If the dog refuses to run along with the wagon he will be dragged by it, yet the choice remains his: to run or be dragged.

To the jaundiced honey tastes bitter, and to those bitten by mad dogs water causes fear; and to little children the ball is a fine thing. Why then am I angry? Do you think that a false opinion has less power than the bile in the jaundiced or the poison in someone bitten by a mad dog?

18. The way people behave. They refuse to admire their contemporaries, the people whose lives they share. No, but to be admired by Posterity—people they've never met and never will—that's what they set their hearts on. You might as well be upset at not being a hero to your great-grandfather.

It is in our power to have no opinion about a thing, and not to be disturbed in our soul; for things themselves have no natural power to form our judgements

For whatsoever it be, it is in thy power either to do it, or to say it, and therefore seek not any pretences, as though thou wert hindered.

Now it is in our power, not to print them; and if they creep in and lurk in some corner, it is in our power to wipe them off.

obsequious courting of the mob

Two points in the Stoic system deserve special mention. One is a careful distinction between things which are in our power and things which are not. Desire and dislike, opinion and affection, are within the power of the will; whereas health, wealth, honour, and other such are generally not so.

It was my tutor who dissuaded me from patronizing Green or Blue at the races, or Light or Heavy in the ring;

In themselves, the things of the world have no effect on the mind; they can't get through to it, they can't sway it, and they can't stir it.

LII. To them that are sick of the jaundice, honey seems bitter; and to them that are bitten by a mad dog, the water terrible; and to children, a little ball seems a fine thing. And why then should I be angry? or do I think that error and false opinion is less powerful to make men transgress, than either choler, being immoderate and excessive, to cause the jaundice; or poison, to cause rage?

why one should pray to a power whose decisions one can hardly hope to influence

O que depende de nós é, por natureza, livre, sem impedimento, sem contrariedade, enquanto o que não depende de nós é fraco, escravo, sujeito a impedimento, estranho

That I had the kind of brother I did. One whose character challenged me to improve my own. One whose love and affection enriched my life.