He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions.
Interpretation
To master external circumstances, one must first overcome internal desires and emotions.
This quote by Samuel Johnson highlights the importance of self-control and personal mastery in achieving a state of superiority over external influences. It suggests that before one can navigate the challenges and pressures of the outside world, they must first understand and regulate their own inner passions and desires, indicating that true strength comes from within.
In practice
During a leadership seminar, I referenced a wise quote about self-control to inspire participants.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
The first step is to measure whatever can easily be measured. This is OK as far as it goes. The second step is to disregard that which can't be easily measured or to give it an arbitrary quantitative value. This is artificial and misleading. The third step is to presume that what can't be measured easily really isn't important. This is blindness. The fourth step is to say that what can't be easily measured really doesn't exist. This is suicide.
Choices lead to habits. Habits become talents. Talents are labeled gifts. Youβre not born this way, you get this way.
The past is a stepping stone, not a millstone.
An exchange of empathy provides an entry point for a lot of people to see what healing feels like.
When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.
Fear always springs from ignorance.
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