Leadership Quotes
430 quotes
Leadership
Guidance from history's greatest leaders and visionaries
430 Quotes
He who learns must suffer, and even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God
— Agamemnon, line 179–183
Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one
— Meditations, Book X
The best way to keep your word is not to give it
— Collected Maxims, early 19th century
The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order
— Process and Reality (1929)
You do not lead by hitting people over the head—that’s assault, not leadership
— Speech at the National Defense Executive Reserve Conference, 1954
If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect
— Poor Richard's Almanack, 1748
To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself
— Fear and Trembling, 1843
The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions
— Codex Atlanticus
To see things in the seed, that is genius
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 64
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others
— Analects, Book 15:23
A man who is afraid will do anything
— Back to Methuselah, Part II
If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself
— As quoted in 'Ford News', 1922
You manage things; you lead people
— Interview in Datamation magazine, 1980s
A true chieftain leaves footprints on water—the tribe remembers not his voice, but the tide he set in motion
— Paraphrased from reflections in essays and interviews
Silence at the proper season is wisdom, and better than any speech
— Moralia, On Listening to Lectures
A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward
— Horse Remedies, Ars Amatoria, Book 1
He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying
— Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–5)
Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow men
— Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 23
The best generals are those who have the ability to feed off both victory and defeat, weaving both into a banner that inspires men to follow
— On War (Vom Kriege), Book I
He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader
— Politics
The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own
— Speech at Crystal Palace, 1872
He who wishes to exert a useful influence must be careful to insult nothing; let him not be a man above his age, but a man up to the mark with it
— Letter to Johann Daniel Falk, October 14, 1810
Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at
— Maxims and Reflections, No. 159
The secret of getting things done is to act
— De Monarchia, Book III, Chapter XVI
To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less
— The Temptation of the West (1926)
It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well
— Discourse on the Method (1637)
The tallest mountains have the deepest roots unseen beneath the earth
— Attributed, Napoleon's Maxims
The greatest leader is not the one who does the greatest things, but the one who gets the people to do the greatest things
— Speech, referenced in various addresses
Men make history and not the other way round. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still
— Speech to the National War College, 1951
If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are an excellent leader
— Interview, The Guardian, 2014
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle
— Attributed, The Christophers organization (mid-20th century)
You must do the thing you think you cannot do
— You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life (1960)
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea
— Citadelle (published posthumously in English as The Wisdom of the Sands, 1948)
You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can only be free if I am free
— Address to the jury, The Sweet Trials (1926)
He who has been taught only by himself has a fool for a master
— Discoveries Made Upon Men and Matter (1641)
To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 16
The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried
— Doodle Alley webcomic
It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err
— Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 65
The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be
— Reported by Socrates' disciples, paraphrased from Xenophon and Plato
A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests
— The Prince, Chapter XVIII
When the best leader’s work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves'
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock
— Letter to his granddaughter, September 6, 1824
Example is not another way to teach, it is the only way to teach
— Attributed (various sources)
To see much, you must be willing to look away from yourself
— Speech to the Imperial Diet, 1815
Victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan
— Press conference, April 21, 1961, after the Bay of Pigs invasion
The measure of a man is what he does with power
— Republic
The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 44
No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it
— Sermon, Yale, 1947
Men are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of things
— Meditations, Book XII
The bow cannot always stand bent, nor can human frailty subsist without some lawful recreation
— Don Quixote, Part II, Chapter LXVI
A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd
— Max on Life (Book)
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom
— Man's Search for Meaning, 1946
The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it
— Sesame and Lilies (1865)
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how
— Twilight of the Idols
One man with courage is a majority
— Letter to Charles Yancey, 1816
An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come
— From the book 'Histoire d'un crime'
We are so made, that we can only derive intense enjoyment from a contrast, and only very little from a state of things
— Civilization and Its Discontents (1930)
The best way to compel others to follow you is to lead by example
— Ab Urbe Condita (Book XXII)
He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own
— Analects, Book 6
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command
— The Prince, Chapter XIV
It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character, and judgment
— On Duties (De Officiis), Book I
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds
— Letter to Paul Ehrenfest, 1921
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled
— On Listening to Lectures
The presence of a commander is like fire: it warms the willing but consumes the careless
— Memoirs, cited in Napoleon on the Art of War (compiled by Chandler)
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader
— Attributed, often cited in leadership literature
He who is to be a good ruler must have first been ruled
— Politics, Book IV
It is safer to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both
— Book: The Prince, Chapter XVII
Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth
— As quoted in The Tao of Muhammad Ali (1997) by Davis Miller
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function
— The Crack-Up, 1936 essay
He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary
— Thus Spoke Zarathustra
You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore
— Interview, The Paris Review, 1956
He who cannot restrain his passions, so as to keep them under the control of reason, will be prone to fail in all his enterprises
— Ethics, Part IV, Proposition XLVI, Scholium
To govern is to correct. If you set an example by being correct, who would dare remain incorrect?
— Analects (Lunyu), Book XII
To govern was to steer a ship between Scylla and Charybdis
— Memoirs of Catherine the Great
He who learns but does not think, is lost; he who thinks but does not learn is in great danger
— The Analects, Book II, 15
The throne of the wise is not built on the silence of dissenters, but on the harmony of differences understood
— Stray Birds (Poetry Collection)
In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you
— Book: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness
— Past and Present, Book 3, Chapter 11
In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place
— Young India, 1920 (journal)
He does much who does a little, but he does that little well, advancing step by step
— Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, Book II, Chapter 13 (1795-96)
To know how to disguise is the knowledge of kings
— Maxims, c. 1638
It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves
— Speech after Everest summit, 1953
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person
— Speech, National Prayer Breakfast, Washington, D.C., 1994
The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team
— Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success
Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other
— Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol (1777)
The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going
— Discourses
There are no facts, only interpretations
— Notebooks, 1886-1887
Success is not achieved by mere desire, but by strenuous action and bold endeavors
— Letter to John Quincy Adams, March 1794
It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves
— Speech, 1975 (frequently cited, Everest commemorations)
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for
— Salt from My Attic (1928)
As long as one believes in the possibility of improvement, even the desert yields its harvest
— Gravity and Grace
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled
— On Listening,
To command oneself is the ultimate act of sovereignty
— Letters to Lucilius, Letter 37
The tree that would grow to heaven must send its roots to hell
— Thus Spoke Zarathustra
The best way to predict the future is to create it
— Attributed, multiple speeches and works
A king may move a man, a father may claim a son, but remember that even when those who move you be kings or men of power, your soul is in your keeping alone
— Novel: The First Knight (adaptation)
To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage
— Analects, Book II
The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same
— Essay: On Love (De l'Amour), 1822
Where all think alike, no one thinks very much
— A Preface to Politics (1913)
The dog in the kennel barks at his fleas; the hunting dog does not even notice them
— Cited by Churchill in 'Their Finest Hour', 1949
If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid
— Discourses, Book I, Chapter 21
A wise man never loses anything if he has himself
— Essays, Book I, Chapter 38
You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for our own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity
— Nobel Banquet Speech, 1925
He who allows his day to pass by without practicing generosity and enjoying life's pleasures is like a blacksmith's bellows; he breathes, but does not live
— The Prophet
No wind favors he who has no destined port
— Essais, Book I, Chapter 23
You do not find the happy life. You make it
— Collected Works and Sayings
The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places
— From the novel 'A Farewell to Arms'
He who wishes to be wise must learn to listen to fools
— Moralia
What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality
— On the Fortune of Alexander
The best way to keep one's word is not to give it
— Maxims, c. 1800
Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred
— I Have a Dream speech, 1963 March on Washington
One does not paint a forest, one paints a tree and paints it so faithfully that that tree becomes a forest in itself
— .
The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing
— . Fragment 201, as referenced by Isaiah Berlin
A leader is a dealer in hope
— Attributed by various early biographers; notably by Antoine-Henri Jomini
Remember you are just an actor playing a part, just as much as the other men, given a time and a role. Then the director lets you go
— Meditations, Book 2, Section 17
He who rules must hear and be silent, feel the winds and not presume to direct them
— Annals (Book XIV)
Do not go gentle into that good night, but rage, rage against the dying of the light
— Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night (poem)
The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be
— :Reported by Socratic authors (such as Xenophon or Plato); exact location uncertain
Do not be wise in words, be wise in deeds
— .
The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause
— Speech; unknown date
People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives
— Speech at Oyster Bay, 1915
Great emperors cast shadows not with their crowns but with their actions
— Edicts of Ashoka (paraphrased from Ashokan inscriptions)
Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything
— Quoted in 'The Wit and Wisdom of George Bernard Shaw'
He who has command over himself is fit to command others
— Characteristics, In the Manner of Rochefoucault, Essay LXI
Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self-interest
— Attributed, Maxims, c. 1800
He who would do good to another must do it in Minute Particulars
— Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion (1820)
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work
— 'The American Claimant', 1892
The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant
— Speech to the National Convention, 1792
Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity
— Fragment, cited in medical writings
Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be
— Society and Solitude, 1870
Do not be concerned that no one recognizes your merits. Be concerned that you may not recognize others'
— Analects, Book I
He that would govern others, first should be master of himself
— Play: 'The Bondman' (1624)
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander
— Nicomachean Ethics, Book III
The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers
— Crashing the Party: Taking on the Corporate Government in an Age of Surrender (2002)
The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear
— Freedom from Fear, 1990 essay
When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion
— African folk tradition
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own
— Analects, Book V
A nation which makes great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its laws made by cowards and its fighting done by fools
— History of the Peloponnesian War (Book 1)
What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say
— Essays: First Series (1841), Essay: Social Aims
You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist
— Speech to Indian National Congress, 1971
The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things
— Remarks at a White House luncheon, 1982
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer
— Return to Tipasa, in Lyrical and Critical Essays
All men's gains are the fruit of venturing
— Histories, Book I
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self
— Attributed, speech to students, various letters
A leader is best when he is neither seen nor heard, yet his presence is keenly felt in the harmony of his people
— . Collected Poems of Tao Yuanming, early 5th century CE
In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story
— Interview in National Geographic, 1972
To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart
— You Learn by Living, 1960
The owl of Minerva flies only at dusk
— Preface, Philosophy of Right (1820)
If you want to build a tower that will pierce the clouds, lay first the foundation of humility
— Sermon 69: On Humility (circa 5th century)
He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men
— Lectures on Ethics (1779)
The wolf leading the hunt does not look back to count the pack
— Attributed, The Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun
A great city is that which has the greatest men and women
— Leaves of Grass, "Song of the Broad-Axe"
The greatest generals issue no commands, yet the cities are captured
— The Art of War, Chapter 3
To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart
— To My Daughters, with Love (1967)
He who has learned how to obey will know how to command
— Quoted in Plutarch's 'Lives' (Solon)
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds
— Essays, 'Of Ceremonies and Respect' (1625)
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it
— Metaphysics
A man may ride for a time on borrowed authority, but sooner or later, he must dismount and walk on the strength of his own legs
— Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents (Book), 1960
To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization
— The Conquest of Happiness (1930)
To command many is the same as to command few, it is a matter of organizing properly
— The Art of War, Chapter V
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit
— The Story of Philosophy (interpreting Aristotle’s thought in Nicomachean Ethics)
A block of granite, when it is examined thoroughly, reveals itself to be full of gaps; but it is on the hardest stones that sharpest edges are formed
— Stray Birds (1916)
To love only what happens, what was destined. No greater harmony
— Meditations, Book VII, 57
A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle
— Traditional proverb
To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17 (interpretation/translation)
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions
— Analects
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often
— Speech at the Conservative Party Conference, 1952
Maps are useless in the jungle; you must become the path
— Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity
It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows
— Discourses, Book II, Chapter 17
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I?
— Pirkei Avot 1:14 (Ethics of the Fathers)
Do not demand loyalty as a currency, but earn it by letting others discover themselves in the pursuit of a common cause
— Thoughts on War, 1944, essay
He who jumps into the void owes no explanation to those who stand and watch
— Quoted in Godard on Godard (1972)
To manage one must lead. To lead, one must understand the work that he and his people are responsible for
— Out of the Crisis
To be able to ask a question clearly is two-thirds of the way to getting it answered
— The Eagle’s Nest, Lecture 7
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how
— Twilight of the Idols
One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star
— Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part I
No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible
— Unkempt Thoughts (Myśli nieuczesane)
You can cage the singer but not the song
— Interview, 1997
Nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself
— Culture and Value (posthumous notes)
The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence
— Tablets, II, 1868
The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself
— As quoted in Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of the Eminent Philosophers
A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for
— Salt from My Attic (1928)
Lead the heart before you try to lead the hand
— Parliamentary Address, c. 1917
The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes
— Remembrance of Things Past, Volume 5: The Prisoner
No wind serves him who addresses his voyage to no certain port
— Essays, Book I, Chapter 23
The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore
— Letter to King Charles I of Spain, 1519
The best political community is formed by citizens of the middle class, and those states are likely to be well-administered in which the middle class is large
— Politics, Book IV
No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it
— Book: The Gospel of Wealth (1889)
The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort
— Analects
He who wishes to secure the benefit of others, has already secured his own
— The Analects
No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself
— Some Fruits of Solitude
A wise man listens to meaning, the fool only gets the noise
— Attributed (various letters, essays)
A sense of duty pursues us ever. It is omnipresent, like the Deity. If we take to the right, or to the left, duty pursues us and barks at our heels
— Speech at Harrow School, 1948
You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore
— Speech at University of Virginia, 1957
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command his own passions first
— Letters to Lucilius
The highest compact we can make with our fellow is—Let there be truth between us two forevermore
— Essay: 'Friendship'
He who binds to himself a joy does the winged life destroy; but he who kisses the joy as it flies lives in eternity’s sunrise
— Eternity, from "Songs of Innocence and Experience"
The wolf on the hill is not as hungry as the wolf climbing the hill
— Speech to graduating class, University of Houston, 2017
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat
— The Art of War
He alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own listening
— Sand and Foam
To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less
— Speech at the inauguration of the Espace Malraux, 1973
The wise man does at once what the fool does finally
— Discourses on Livy, Book III
A captain is not made by calm seas, but by weathering storms well
— Essais, Book I
A leader is best when his people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17
I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: try to please everybody
— .
Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing
— Attributed in multiple speeches and writings
The man who fights for his ideals is alive
— The Tragic Sense of Life (1913)
Every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty
— Quoted in his address on business ethics
The wise pilot steers even by a star he does not see
— Fragment attributed to Sophocles, cited in various anthologies
If you wish to build a ship, do not divide the men into teams and order them to collect wood, but teach them to yearn for the endless immensity of the sea
— Citadelle (1948)
The mind is everything. What you think, you become
— Dhammapada, various interpretations
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander
— Politics, Book I
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will
— Speech to the Green Bay Packers, 1960s
An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep
— Popularized in Western literature referencing Alexander the Great
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own
— Analects, Book XV
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17
He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men
— Lectures on Ethics
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled
— On Listening to Lectures
No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave
— Speech to the YMCA, 1922
No eagle ever lost so much time as when he consented to learn from the crow
— Sententiae (Maxims)
No road is long with good company
— .
You must be the master of your hours and minutes. Success depends upon using them usefully and economically
— .
He who indulges empty fears earns himself real woes
— Letters to Lucilius, Letter XIII
To refrain from imitation is the best revenge
— Meditations, Book VI
The greatest ruler is scarcely known by his subjects. When his task is accomplished, his work done, the people say: we did it ourselves
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17
No fortress is so strong that it cannot be taken by a brave man with a just cause
— Commentary attributed in contemporary military writings about the Thirty Years' War
A ruler who does not cultivate virtue is like a tree with shallow roots—it may stand for a season, but the first great wind will topple it
— Xunzi, Book VIII: The Kingly Way
If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead the people, you must learn how to follow them
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 66
Every advance in knowledge arises from the courage to question that which is taken for granted
— Way to Wisdom
The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life
— Analects (attributed)
What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say
— Social Aims, Essays and Lectures
He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander
— Politics, Book III
Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace
— Speech, 1867
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once
— Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene ii
He who wishes to fill a cup must bend lower than the cup
— Markings (Book)
A throne is only a bench covered with velvet
— Aphorism attributed to Napoleon, various accounts
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize his ability
— The Analects, Book XV
To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to forgive them is cruelty
— Speech at the National Convention, 1794
The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night
— Poem: The Ladder of St. Augustine
Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others
— Speech at the House of Commons, 1941
To live without hope is to cease to live
— The Possessed (Demons)
He who would rule must hear and be silent, feel the winds and not presume to direct them
— The Prophet (various essays)
Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good; try to use ordinary situations
— Titan (1800)
To command many is no better than to comprehend oneself; the compass is truer in the heart than in the hand
— The Book of Five Rings
One’s own example is a lantern in the night to those who walk behind, yet it lights also the path ahead
— Stray Birds
Maps are useless in the jungle; you must become the path
— The Heart Aroused (1994)
I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?
— Speech at Aylesbury, 1867
The mind is furnished with ideas by experience alone
— An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book II
He who sows virtue in secret, reaps the trust of multitudes
— Moral Sayings (Sententiae), maxim 213
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
The art of being sometimes audacious and sometimes very prudent is the secret of success
— Maxims of War (compiler: Antoine-Henri Jomini)
Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others
— Essay: Virginibus Puerisque (1881)
In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place
— Young India, August 1920
The man who would move the world must first move himself
— Attributed (various sources)
The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order
— Process and Reality (1929)
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own
— Analects (Recorded Sayings of Confucius)
To live without hope is to cease to live
— Notes from Underground (1864)
Do not look at the faces in the illustrated papers. Look at the faces in the street
— Orthodoxy, 1908
One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things
— Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch (1957)
Where there is no vision, the people perish
— Proverbs 29:18
To see far is one thing, going there is another
— . Discussing his artistic philosophy (circa 1930s)
Time is a created thing. To say 'I don’t have time,' is like saying, 'I don’t want to.'
— Ascribed, Taoist proverb
Mountains are not fair or unfair; they are just dangerous
— The Crystal Horizon (1989)
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men
— The Republic, Book I
A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends
— The Art of Worldly Wisdom (1647)
I must follow them, for I am their leader
— Attributed statement during the 1848 Revolution
The wise man bridges the gap by laying out the path by means of which he can get from where he is to where he wants to go
— . Attributed in various business lectures and biographical works
No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent
— Speech in Peoria, Illinois, 1854
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own
— Analects, Book V
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others
— Unknown; attributed in various writings and speeches
The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it
— Sesame and Lilies (1865)
A great wind is made of many small breezes aligning
— The Heart Aroused (Book)
Gold tests with fire, and men with gold
— Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium, Letter XCIII
The real leader has no need to lead—he is content to point the way
— Book: The Wisdom of the Heart
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together
— Traditional proverb
No man will ever make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or to get all the credit for doing it
— The Gospel of Wealth, 1889
Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people
— Attributed (though likely paraphrased by later writers)
He who cannot draw on three thousand years is living from hand to mouth
— Aphorism
The speed of the leader is the speed of the gang
— Autobiography: Mary Kay, 1981
He who wishes to acquire glory must not disdain obloquy
— Discourses on Livy, Book II
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
He who has put out the people’s eyes reproaches them of their blindness
— A Defence of the People of England (1651)
To be thrown upon one's own resources is to be cast into the very lap of fortune
— Poor Richard’s Almanack
The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own
— Speech in Manchester, October 1872
He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious
— The Art of War, Chapter 3
You cannot find peace by avoiding life
— Mrs. Dalloway (1925)
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader
— Speech to U.S. Military Academy, 1840
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own
— Analects (Lunyu)
Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise
— Les Misérables
One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship
— 1984 (Part 3, Chapter 3)
A crown is merely a hat that lets the rain in
— Anecdotal remark attributed to Frederick the Great
No wind favors he who has no destined port
— Essays, Book I, Chapter 8
He who would govern others, first should be master of himself
— The Bondman (play)
The price of greatness is responsibility
— Speech, London, March 1943
No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible
— Unkempt Thoughts (Myśli nieuczesane)
One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar
— The Story of My Life (1903)
Maps are useless in the jungle; you must become the path
— Attributed statement, during WWII leadership context
The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you
— Leadership Is an Art
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself
— First Inaugural Address, 1933
If I am not making progress, it is because I have not resolved to do so sincerely
— Hagakure, Book I
You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed
— The Little Prince
To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less
— The Walnut Trees of Altenburg (Les Noyers d’Altenburg)
A lion leading a herd of deer is feared more than a deer leading a pride of lions
— Han Feizi
It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles
— The Discourses, Book III
Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking
— Collected Poems, 1933
The superior man is distressed by his want of ability, not by the failure of others to recognize his merits
— Analects, Book XV
To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart
— The Joy of Children (1964)
Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it
— Life Without Principle
The measure of intelligence is the ability to change
— .
Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself
— .
To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself
— The Concept of Anxiety (1844)
To govern was to steer a ship by starlight—always aware of the storms, never losing sight of the horizon
— Moralia, On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander the Great
To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself
— The Sickness Unto Death
If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals
— Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Though force may protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace
— Letter to John Foster Dulles, May 31, 1956
The strength of the king lies not in his crown, but in his ability to lighten the burdens of his people
— Edicts of Ashoka, Rock Edict XII
It is not our abilities that show what we truly are, it is our choices
— Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (book)
I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion
— Attributed, various sources
The heights reached by those before us are not merely for admiration, but to remind us where our own steps could lead
— An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding
A flock moves as it is moved within; the wind may bend the wings, but the heart chooses the direction
— Sand and Foam, 1926
To move the crowd, one must first be moved oneself
— Either/Or (1843)
To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less
— The Voices of Silence (1951)
The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself
— .
The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving
— Wilhelm Meister's Travels
People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things
— Speech, The Auckland Star, 1975
A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer
— Bruce Lee: Artist of Life (book)
Men willingly believe what they wish
— Commentarii de Bello Gallico (The Gallic War)
To move the world, we must first move ourselves
You must be the change you wish to see in the world
— Attributed (widely cited in public discourse, origin uncertain)
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in
A captain does not command the sea; he navigates by its moods, learning caution from the calm and courage from the storm
— Markings (Vägmärken), 1963
The wise man learns more from his enemies than a fool from his friends
— The Art of Worldly Wisdom
To command is not to dictate, but to serve a purpose greater than oneself
— Markings (1963)
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it
— Faust, Part I (commonly attributed; actual provenance debated)
He who has learned how to wait has mastered everything
— From the book 'Out of Solitude'
The owl of Minerva begins its flight only with the onset of dusk
— Preface to Philosophy of Right
The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort
— Leadership: Lessons from Colin Powell (Book)
He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions
— Analects, Book XIV, Chapter 29
Men trust their ears less than their eyes
— Histories, Book I
The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time
— Speech at Congress, United States, 1941
A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done
— Speech at the Associated Press luncheon, April 1954
You do not become a general by waiting for orders
— .
You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore
— As quoted in Writers at Work (1958)
One repays a teacher badly if one always remains nothing but a pupil
— Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Prologue
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages
— As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII
It is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law
— Leviathan, Chapter 26
No man can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character
— On Compromise, essay
One who knows others is wise; one who knows himself is enlightened
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how
— Twilight of the Idols, 1889
The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook
— The Principles of Psychology (1890), Chapter 15
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize his ability
— Analects, Book XV
Where there is shouting, there is no true knowledge
— Leonardo's Notebooks, 'Philosophy and History' section
The best revenge is not to be like your enemy
— Meditations, Book VI
The tallest blade of grass is the first to be cut by the scythe
— From the book 'Magician'
Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity
— Address at Antioch College, 1859 commencement
The sage does not display himself, therefore he shines
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22
He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
A throne is only a bench covered with velvet
— Reported in memoirs and attributed statements.
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones
— Analects XI.6
Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art
— Notebooks (Codex Atlanticus)
A throne is only a bench covered with velvet
— Attributed remark
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command himself first
— The Art of Worldly Wisdom (1647)
The flock follow the shepherd not because of his staff, but the direction of his stride
— Sententiae (The Moral Sayings), Maxim 526
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail
— Attributed; often cited in essays and journals
If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants
— Letter to Robert Hooke, 1675
Authority, when first detected, has always to be destroyed
— A Room of One's Own (1929)
Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained
— The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790–1793)
A wise man never knows all; only fools know everything
— Oral traditional proverb
None of us is as smart as all of us
— Book: The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams
The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him
— The Prince, Chapter XXII
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go
— Preface to 'Transit of Venus' by Harry Crosby (1931)
He who cannot put his thoughts on ice should not enter into the heat of dispute
— Human, All Too Human (Book)
A pedestal is as much a prison as any small, confined space
— Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem (1992)
He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command
— Discourses on Livy, Book III, Chapter 22
The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack
— The Second Jungle Book (1895), 'The Law for the Wolves'
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy
— Strength to Love (1963)
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person
— Speech in Washington, D.C., 1979
Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence
— Notebooks
Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true
— Physiology of Marriage
It is not power that corrupts, but fear
— Freedom from Fear, 1991
To sail unfavored winds requires the steering of steady hands and the courage to trust unseen shores
— Markings (Vägmärken), 1963
The best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more
— Various speeches and interviews
A king is but a man, and a man is but a king
— Speech before the troops at Tilbury (1588)
It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
— Attributed motto, her work with U.N. and activism
Be very circumspect in the choice of your company. Men of talent who have found themselves alone have done one of two things: they have either become saints or devils
— Parerga and Paralipomena (Aphorisms)
Action is our only outlet to the world. The rest is fancies spun in our private silences
— Essay: The Method of Nature
The obedience of the people is the happiness of the leader
— Maxims and Reflections
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed
— Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963)
He who attends to his own virtue brings order to his house; he who governs his house brings order to his state; he who governs his state brings peace to the world
— The Great Learning, Classic of Rites
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail
— Essay: Self-Reliance
A wise king never seeks war, but must always be ready for it
— Republic (paraphrase from discussions on governance)
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall
— Speech at Laureus World Sports Awards, 2000
I am not concerned that you have fallen; I am concerned that you arise
— Letter to Samuel Galloway, July 28, 1859
The sculptor does not submit to the stone; neither does he command it. He becomes one with its grain until the form appears
— Markings (Vägmärken), 1963
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea
— Citadelle (published posthumously, 1948)
To love what you command and to command what you love—that is the rule of a king
— The Art of Worldly Wisdom, Aphorism 206
A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd
— Max on Life (book)
The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings
— Philosophy of Civilization (1923)
When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger
— Enchiridion (Manual)
A great man is always willing to be little
— Essay: 'Compensation'
Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking
— Yeats's commonplace book (attributed)
A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed
— Discourse on the Method, Part VI (1637)
To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult
— Thus Spoke Zarathustra
He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious
— The Art of War, Chapter 3
You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water
— Stray Birds (1916)
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how
— Twilight of the Idols, Section 12
A falcon does not ask the sparrow for directions; it rides the wind its own way and beckons the flock with its flight
— Interpretative aphorism, The Art of War commentary tradition
A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends
— The Art of Worldly Wisdom, Aphorism 44
The wise man is he who knows the relative value of things
— Outspoken Essays
Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of them
— Enchiridion
It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable
— Moral Letters to Lucilius, Letter 78
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus
— Speech: 'The Domestic Impact of the War', 1967
Nothing can resist the human will that will stake even its existence on its stated purpose
— Sybil, or The Two Nations
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock
— Letter to Thomas Jefferson Smith (February 21, 1825)
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership
— Speech, Johannesburg, 1999
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting
— The Art of War, Chapter 3
Do not be alarmed when difficulties come, for it is by them that true mettle is revealed
— Discourses, Book II
The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence—it is to act with yesterday’s logic
— Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices (1974)
He who wishes to be rich in a day will be hanged in a year
— Codex Atlanticus
The more sand has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it
— Letter to Francesco Vettori (1513)
The best minds are not in government; if any were, business would hire them away
— Speech to White House Conference on Small Business, August 15, 1986
A ruler must learn to bear both the weight of the crown and the silence of the council
— Attributed, Medieval chronicles
To lead people, walk behind them
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 66
The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month
— The Idiot
To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult
— Beyond Good and Evil
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22
The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs
— As a Man Thinketh
He who dares not offend cannot be honest
— Letter to the Honourable Thomas Erskine, 1800