The curse of every ancient civilization was that its men in the end became unable to fight. Materialism, luxury, safety, even sometimes an almost modern sentimentality, weakened the fibre of each civilized race in turn; each became in the end a nation of pacifists, and then each was trodden under foot by some ruder people that had kept that virile fighting power the lack of which makes all other virtues useless and sometimes even harmful.

Unless a man is master of his soul all other kinds of mastery amount to little.

With self-discipline most anything is possible.

Love of peace is common among weak, short-sighted, timid, and lazy persons; and on the other hand courage is found among many men of evil temper and bad character. Neither quality shall by itself avail.

life is a great adventure, and the worst of all fears is the fear of living.

In order to rally people, governments need enemies. They want us to be afraid, to hate, so we will rally behind them. And if they do not have a real enemy, they will invent one in order to mobilize us

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.

The good devout man first makes inner preparation for the actions he has later to perform. His outward actions do not draw him into lust and vice; rather it is he who bends them into the shape of reason and right judgement. Who has a stiffer battle to fight than the man who is striving to conquer himself.

Fight like a man. Habit is overcome by habit.

It is not really a small thing when in small things we resist self.

Who hath a harder battle to fight than he who striveth for self-mastery?

Conquest of the self demands the hardest of struggles