Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules For Life has been doing the rounds recently…inspired by that, here are 12 life maxims of my own, taken directly from the greatest minds in history. If you’re looking for great philosophers quotes, look no further!
I. The Present Moment
“What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.”
Henry David Thoreau, naturalist, philosopher, 1817-1862 A.D.
II. Perseverance
“In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm…in the real world, all rests on perseverance.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, dramatist, novelist, statesman, 1748-1832 A.D.
III. ...and more perseverance!
“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, 1879-1955 A.D.
IV. Courage
“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”
Thomas Aquinas, philosopher, theologian, scholar, 1225-1274 A.D.
V. Consistency
“Men’s natures are alike, it is their habits that carry them far apart.”
Confucius, Chinese teacher, politician, philosopher, 551-479 B.C.
VI. Initiative
“Dare to know! Have the courage to use your own understanding.”
Immanuel Kant, German philosopher, 1724-1804 A.D.
VII. Impact
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”
Pericles, Greek statesman, orator, general, c. 495-429 B.C.
VIII. Continuous development
“We cannot live better than in seeking to become better.”
Socrates, classical Greek philosopher, c. 479-399 B.C.
IX. Thought and action
“Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.”
Henri-Louis Bergson, French existential philosopher, 1859-1941 A.D.
X. Personal accountability
“It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
William Ernest Henley, English poet, critic, editor, 1849-1903 A.D.
XI. Vulnerability
“This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.”
Saint Augustine, early Christian theologian and philosopher, 354-430 A.D.
XII. Congruence
“It would be better for me…that multitudes of men should disagree with me rather than that I, being one, should be out of harmony with myself.”
Socrates, classical Greek philosopher, c.470-399 B.C.
All of these great philosophers quotes are taken from my recently released Little Book Of Practical Philosophy. If you enjoyed this, I can guarantee you’ll love that – and, good news for you, it’s on special offer right now.
The book is packed full of valuable insights just like these, and goes towards supporting the ongoing work of this site, so please do check it out!
