Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever.
Samuel SmilesRead
For want of self-restraint many men are engaged all their lives in fighting with difficulties of their own making.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Self-restraint is crucial to avoid unnecessary struggles in life.
This quote by Samuel Smiles emphasizes the importance of exercising self-restraint to prevent creating avoidable problems. It suggests that many difficulties people face are often the result of their own lack of discipline and control over their actions, leading them to engage in lifelong struggles that could have been avoided.
Themes
Self-RestraintDifficultiesControlDisciplineProblems
In practice
Example use cases
A speaker at a personal development seminar might share this quote to illustrate the importance of self-discipline.
More from Samuel Smiles
All quotes βHope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.
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The career of a great man remains an enduring monument of human energy. The man dies and disappears, but his thoughts and acts survive and leave an indelible stamp upon his race.
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Wisdom and understanding can only become the possession of individual men by travelling the old road of observation, attention, perseverance, and industry.
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An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.
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If we opened our minds to enjoyment, we might find tranquil pleasures spread about us on every side. We might live with the angels that visit us on every sunbeam, and sit with the fairies who wait on every flower.
Samuel SmilesRead
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I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.
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Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
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Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.
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I don't believe that the world is that crazy that they have nothing to better to do with their time than send me emails and tell me these outlandish stories. So I've started to plot the communities that have come to me on a map.
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Bear in mind, my children, that only cowards and those who are weak commit sin and tell lies. The brave are always moral. Try to be moral, try to be brave, try to be sympathising.
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Whatever terrible things may have happened to you, only one thing allows them to damage your core self, and that is continued belief in them.
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