100 Quotes About Character

We’ve all heard the advice, “Be a leader and a leader should be followed.” We could all use a reminder now and then to take this literally and become the type of person we want to see ourselves as. Especially in our modern world that seems to be more focused on chaos and instability than anything else, we should demand the best from ourselves, and only the best will serve us well. Here are some inspirational quotes about character, leadership, and what it means to be a leader.

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I am not an angel, ' I asserted; 'and I will not be one till I die: I will be myself. Mr. Rochester, you must neither expect nor exact anything celestial of me - for you will not get it, any more than I shall get it of you: which I do not at all anticipate. Unknown
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Top 15 Things Money Can’t BuyTime. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity. Roy T. Bennett
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There is an emotional promiscuity we’ve noticed among many good young men and women. The young man understands something of the journey of the heart. He wants to talk, to “share the journey.” The woman is grateful to be pursued, she opens up. They share the intimacies of their lives - their wounds, their walks with God. But he never commits. He enjoys her.. then leaves. And she wonders, What did I do wrong? She failed to see his passivity. He really did not ever commit or offer assurances that he would. Like Willoughby to Marianne in Sense and Sensibility.Be careful you do not offer too much of yourself to a man until you have good, solid evidence that he is a strong man willing to commit. Look at his track record with other women. Is there anything to be concerned about there? If so, bring it up. Also, does he have any close male friends - and what are they like as men? Can he hold down a job? Is he walking with God in a real and intimate way? Is he facing the wounds of his own life, and is he also demonstrating a desire to repent of Adam’s passivity and/or violence? Is he headed somewhere with his life? A lot of questions, but your heart is a treasure, and we want you to offer it only to a man who is worthy and ready to handle it well. . Stasi Eldredge
The best index to a person's character is how he...
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The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back. Abigail Van Buren
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Character – the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life – is the source from which self-respect springs. Joan Didion
In the end you should always do the right thing...
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In the end you should always do the right thing even if it's hard. Nicholas Sparks
Real courage is when you know you're licked before you...
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Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. Harper Lee
I have a dream that my four little children will...
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I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Unknown
Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.
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Talent is a gift, but character is a choice. John C. Maxwell
Who we are in the present includes who we were...
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Who we are in the present includes who we were in the past. Fred Rogers
Real courage is doing the right thing when nobody's looking....
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Real courage is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Doing the unpopular thing because it's what you believe, and the heck with everybody. Justin Cronin
A man's true character comes out when he's drunk.
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A man's true character comes out when he's drunk. Charlie Chaplin
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A person whose desires and impulses are his own–are the expression of his own nature, as it has been developed and modified by his own culture–is said to have a character. One whose desires and impulses are not his own, has no character, no more than a steam-engine has character… John Stuart Mill
The best way to show that a stick is crooked...
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The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it Dwight L. Moody
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Trust is always a good idea. For someone else. Sherrilyn Kenyon
People are almost always better than their neighbors think they...
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People are almost always better than their neighbors think they are. George Eliot
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It has sunk him, I cannot say how much it has sunk him in my opinion. So unlike what a man should be! - None of that upright integrity, that strict adherence to truth and principle, that distain of trick and littleness, which a man should display in every transaction of his life. Jane Austen
Selflessness. Humility. Truthfulness. These are the three marks of an...
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Selflessness. Humility. Truthfulness. These are the three marks of an honorable man. Suzy Kassem
Worthy character is best forged from a life of consistent,...
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Worthy character is best forged from a life of consistent, correct choices centered in the teachings of the Master. Richard G. Scott
God doesn't act like the Church. No, instead, the Church...
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God doesn't act like the Church. No, instead, the Church must act like God. Kim Clement
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The character of Jesus is the character of God. God would never do something Jesus would find morally reprehensible, so if you can’t find it in Jesus, then you really ought to think twice before you claim you’ve found it in God. Austin Fischer
Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take...
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Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures - character. Harry Truman
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It is not what he has, nor even what he does, which directly expresses the worth of a man, but what he is. Unknown
Hundreds of wise men cannot make the world a heaven,...
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Hundreds of wise men cannot make the world a heaven, but one idiot is enough to turn it into a hell. Raheel Farooq
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The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom. Plato
We have to be honest about what we want and...
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We have to be honest about what we want and take risks rather than lie to ourselves and make excuses to stay in our comfort zone. Roy Bennett
Integrity is doing the right thing when nobody's watching, doing...
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Integrity is doing the right thing when nobody's watching, doing as you say you would do. Roy Bennett
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The Seven Social Sins are: Wealth without work. Pleasure without conscience. Knowledge without character. Commerce without morality. Science without humanity. Worship without sacrifice. Politics without principle. From a sermon given by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, London, on March 20, 1925. Frederick Lewis Donaldson
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Happiness consists not of having, but of being; not of possessing, but of enjoying. It is a warm glow of the heart at peace with itself. A martyr at the stake may have happiness that a king on his throne might envy. Man is the creator of his own happiness. It is the aroma of life, lived in harmony with high ideals. For what a man has he may be dependent upon others; what he is rests with him alone. David O. McKay
My scars tell a story. They are a reminder of...
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My scars tell a story. They are a reminder of times when life tried to break me, but failed. They are markings of where the structure of my character was welded. Steve Maraboli
One resolution I have made, and try always to keep,...
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One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: ‘To rise above little things’. John Burroughs
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Magic comes from the heart, from your feelings, your deepest expressions of desire. That's why black magic is so easy–it comes from lust, from fear and anger, from things that are easy to feed and make grow. The sort I do is harder. It comes from something deeper than that, a truer and purer source–harder to tap, harder to keep, but ultimately more elegant, more powerful. My magic. That was at the heart of me. It was a manifestation of what I believed, what I lived. It came from my desire to see to it that someone stood between the darkness and the people it would devour. It came from my love of a good steak, from the way I would sometimes cry at a good movie or a moving symphony. From my life. From the hope that I could make things better for someone else, if not always for me. Somewhere, in all of that, I touched on something that wasn't tapped out, in spite of how horrible the past days had been, something that hadn't gone cold and numb inside of me. I grasped it, held it in my hand like a firefly, and willed its energy out, into the circle I had created with the spinning amulet on the end of its chain. . Jim Butcher
The true character of a man is not seen through...
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The true character of a man is not seen through his choices, but the passion in his heart. Robert Vanleeuwen
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We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves. I wish for all this to be marked on by body when I am dead. I believe in such cartography - to be marked by nature, not just to label ourselves on a map like the names of rich men and women on buildings. We are communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamous in our taste or experience. Michael Ondaatje
I was tired of being me.
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I was tired of being me. Rachel Ward
Success in business is important. Success as a human being...
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Success in business is important. Success as a human being with values, character, kindness, and love is much more important. Debasish Mridha
In essence, we are deeper than being; we are character,...
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In essence, we are deeper than being; we are character, which contains the conscious forces of love, justice, kindness, faith, and forgiveness. Garey Gordon
Faith in God is optional, but faith in the self...
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Faith in God is optional, but faith in the self — in the spirit within, is imperative. Abhijit Naskar
Faith in God is optional, but faith in the self...
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Faith in God is optional, but faith in the self — in the spirit within, is imperative. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in the human first, then God if you want. Abhijit Naskar
Have faith in yourself. Have faith in the human first,...
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Have faith in yourself. Have faith in the human first, then God if you want. Abhijit Naskar
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It's rather disconcerting to sit around a table in a critique of someone else's work, only to realize that the antagonist in the story is none other than yourself, and no one present thinks you're a very likable character. Michelle Richmond
I really do literally put myself into a character's shoes.
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I really do literally put myself into a character's shoes. Ruth Rendell
Courage is the most important of all the virtues because...
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Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently. Maya Angelou
The power of thought is the light of knowledge, the...
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The power of thought is the light of knowledge, the power of will is the energy of character, the power of heart is love. Reason, love and power of will are perfections of man. Ludwig Feuerbach
Real education is never acquisition of knowledge but training of...
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Real education is never acquisition of knowledge but training of character. Lailah Gifty Akita
What is knowledge, if it does to shape our conduct?
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What is knowledge, if it does to shape our conduct? Lailah Gifty Akita
Each character created by Stephen King is a proffesor... a...
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Each character created by Stephen King is a proffesor... a guy full of knowledge. Deyth Banger
The purpose of education should be character-building.
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The purpose of education should be character-building. Abhijit Naskar
Success needs vision to see, passion to transcend, patience to...
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Success needs vision to see, passion to transcend, patience to withstand and the character to overcome failures. Amit Ray
The tower of success stands on the pillars of vision,...
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The tower of success stands on the pillars of vision, action, patience and the character to withstand criticisms. Amit Ray
It's not about grades, or saaviness, or sex appeal. It's...
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It's not about grades, or saaviness, or sex appeal. It's all about grit. The strength of your character is the strength of your character determines your success more than anything else. Jennifer Coletta
I hope that in victory we are more grateful than...
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I hope that in victory we are more grateful than proud. David Brooks
When they can't steal your success, they tarnish your character...
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When they can't steal your success, they tarnish your character but at the end, they surrender to your strength. Kevin Keenoo
Moral character is the DNA of success and happiness.
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Moral character is the DNA of success and happiness. Frank Sonnenberg
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There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil, a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."" And your defect is a propensity to hate everybody."" And yours, " he replied with a smile, "is wilfully to misunderstand them. Jane Austen
To educate a person in the mind but not in...
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To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society. Theodore Roosevelt
There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of...
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There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it. Jane Austen
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At the end of your lives you will not be judged by academic successes, the degrees or diplomas earned, the positions held, the material wealth acquired, or power and prestige, but rather on the basis of what you have become as persons and what you are in conduct and character. Howard W. Hunter
Nations, as well as men, almost always betray the most...
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Nations, as well as men, almost always betray the most prominent features of their future destiny in their earliest years. Alexis De Tocqueville
The real training is building character for a good conduct.
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The real training is building character for a good conduct. Lailah Gifty Akita
Character is a course, finish it.
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Character is a course, finish it. Mac Canoza
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We employ education and the convictions gained through the intermeshing of personal experiences and fresh ideas to establish the configuration of our being that in actuality was our mysterious potentiality from the very inception of our birth. Kilroy J. Oldster
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I call education, not that which smothers a woman with accomplishments, but that which tends to consolidate a firm and regular system of character; that which tends to form a friend, a companion, and a wife. I call education not that which is made up of the shreds and patches of useless arts, but that which inculcates principles, polishes taste, regulates temper, cultivates reason, subdues the passions, directs the feelings, habituates to reflection, trains to self-denial, and, more especially, that which refers all actions, feelings, sentiments, tastes, and passions, to the love and fear of God. Hannah More
Reading leads to good character development.
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Reading leads to good character development. Lailah Gifty Akita
Solid character will reflect itself in consistent behavior, while poor...
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Solid character will reflect itself in consistent behavior, while poor character will seek to hide behind deceptive words and actions. Myles Munroe
On the left side of a strong woman, stands a...
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On the left side of a strong woman, stands a strong man; he is strengthened by her character. Ellen J. Barrier
A woman may be beautiful but have poor character. A...
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A woman may be beautiful but have poor character. A man may be a business genius, making money left and right, but lack common courtesy, sensitivity, and compassion. Myles Munroe
People have character strength but they lack communication skills, and...
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People have character strength but they lack communication skills, and that undoubtedly affects the quality of relationships as well. Stephen R. Covey
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I'm not saying that I think one man is better than the other. I'm not saying that either is kinder or wiser or more ambitious, more thoughtful, confident, or able. But the fact is that when I'm with the one, comfort settles into my bones. I feel calm around him, as if the sun is smiling down on me and the world has suddenly become a sweet, safe place to be. I feel good about life―about myself. And it's hard not to want to be near someone who, just by their very nature, makes you feel that way. Richelle E. Goodrich
LADY BRACKNELLTo speak frankly, I am not in favour of...
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LADY BRACKNELLTo speak frankly, I am not in favour of long engagements. They give people the opportunity of finding out each other's character before marriage, which I think is never advisable. Oscar Wilde
Give it time… The weak in character always get tired...
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Give it time… The weak in character always get tired of pretending. Their true colors will show. Steve Maraboli
Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual...
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Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good. Ann Landers
Times will change for the better when you change.
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Times will change for the better when you change. Maxwell Maltz
Time reveals character.
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Time reveals character. Alan Cohen
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...The happy Warrior... is he... who, with a natural instinct to discern what knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn; abides by this resolve, and stops not there, but makes his moral being his prime care. William Wordsworth
Character and purpose are directly linked to confidence and conviction....
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Character and purpose are directly linked to confidence and conviction. What links them? Courage — to be oneself, no matter what others might say. Fennel Hudson
Perfecting your character isn’t a marathon, a race, or a...
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Perfecting your character isn’t a marathon, a race, or a competition. It can only be won in stride with daily motivation. Orly Wahba
There is nothing wrong being different. Being peculiar actually makes...
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There is nothing wrong being different. Being peculiar actually makes you stand out from others. Martin M. Stupak
Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define...
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Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness. R.J. Palacio
When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing...
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When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character. W. Somerset Maugham
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Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion, and empathy. Dean Koontz
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It may...be judged indecent in me to come forward on this occasion; but when I see a fellow-creature about to perish through the cowardice of her pretended friends, I wish to be allowed to speak, that I may say what I know of her character. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Hey, GreenHollyWood the mistake was mine that I added you...
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Hey, GreenHollyWood the mistake was mine that I added you as a friend... I thought that you are my friend... but your irony doesn't end. Deyth Banger
By judging others, you make yourself easy to judge.
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By judging others, you make yourself easy to judge. Ashly Lorenzana
Everybody has good and bad forces working with them, against...
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Everybody has good and bad forces working with them, against them, and within them. Suzy Kassem
Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There...
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Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught. J.C. Watts Jr.
People will reveal themselves to you. In single moments they...
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People will reveal themselves to you. In single moments they show you what they are. Travis Mulhauser
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Ti­tles are granted or in­her­ited, no­bil­ity isn't. Whatever paper we receive, be it of material or immaterial value — it will never exceed the value of your character being loved by people! Akilnathan Logeswaran
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I am not an angel, " I asserted; "and I will not be one till I die: I will be myself. Unknown
It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that...
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It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters. Edmund Burke
You can't conceive the perverse ingenuity he could put into...
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You can't conceive the perverse ingenuity he could put into hiding his affections. May Sinclair
There is such a thing as the poetry of a...
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There is such a thing as the poetry of a mistake, and when you say, "Mistakes were made, " you deprive an action of its poetry, and you sound like a weasel. Charles Baxter
Humans elect leaders on the basis of the promises they...
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Humans elect leaders on the basis of the promises they make. We [vampires] try to elect ours based solely on the strength of their character. Darren Shan
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Moderation is based on the idea that things do not fit neatly together. Politics is likely to be a competition between legitimate opposing interests. Philosophy is likely to be a tension between competing half truths. A personality is likely to be a battleground of valuable but incompatible traits. David Brooks
Life is not about having perfect days. Life is not...
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Life is not about having perfect days. Life is not about handling days perfectly. Life is about perfecting one’s character through the having and handling of every given day. Richelle E. Goodrich
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Many of us draw lines which we intend never to cross. But life tests our resolve, mercilessly at times, and a foot budges, nudged past that thinly-drawn line. So we draw another, resolving never to cross this one. Days grow dark and fog creeps in to blind our view, clouding the reason for the line’s existence from our minds. We draw another mark, ashamed that the last was crossed with less coaxing than we imagined it would require. Shadows and doubts give further need to draw a new line, and then another and another. Lines, I think, are too slim and obscure to be dependable deterrents for behavior. Too often, too easily, people stumble into places they later regret entering. What, then, keeps some individuals from crossing those narrow lines? It is the power of values. For if a person possessing values were to step one foot outside their line, they would be forced to release hands with those inflexible values and consciously abandon them. But their values are persuasive, keeping a tight grip, warding off the luring temptations beckoning one to test the line. Thus values maintained keep a person safely away from areas they dare not travel, steering a life between the lines, enhancing willpower and shaping mighty strength of character. Richelle E. Goodrich
First, create your ego. Then destroy it. This is all...
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First, create your ego. Then destroy it. This is all of life. Kamand Kojouri
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No amount of organization and time management will compensate for a lack of Christian character, not when it comes to this great calling of glory through good–bringing glory to God by doing good to others. Tim Challies
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Humility is the greatest shaper of souls and crafter of character, for it wipes away all the grandiose things that we spend so much of our lives pretending to be, so that we can spend all of our lives being the exceptional person that we were actually created to be. Craig D. Lounsbrough