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When you hear the term “self-control”, what comes to your mind?
I suppose that for many of us, what we immediately picture is a cage. We imagine a life of rigid rules, denied pleasures, and constant, white-knuckled restraint. We view it as a chore – something we have to do, rather than something we get to possess.
But what if I tell you that self-control isn’t about restriction? What if it is actually the ultimate form of liberation?
The philosopher Plato once called the conquest of oneself the “first and greatest victory.” And he was right. Before we are capable of leading others, building a legacy, or finding true peace, we must first navigate the turbulent waters of our own impulses.
We don’t need to suppress our emotions or become robotic. What matters is being wise and courageous enough to choose our future over our momentary feelings. To pause, breathe, and respond with intention rather than react with blind habit.
This journey of self-mastery is lifelong, and it is rarely easy. To help you along the way, I have compiled a list of self control quotes from various thinkers across history below.
Let us explore them together, shall we?
Highlights
- The list below addresses the multifaceted nature of self-control, from its role in resilience and emotional regulation to its connection with personal integrity and inner freedom.
- These wise words from philosophers, leaders, and spiritual teachers are meant to offer a source of strength, a tool for mindful pauses, and a reminder that conquering oneself is, after all, the ultimate triumph in life.
Short Self Control Quotes
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.
Confucius
Fighting an army is surprisingly easy compared to fighting your own ego. The external enemy is visible, but the internal one knows all your weaknesses and hides in your blind spots.
Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.
Lao Tzu
Influence over others is fleeting and depends on circumstance, but command over your own mind is a different thing. When you no longer need validation or permission from without, you become untouchable.
Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.
Abraham Lincoln
Many times, delayed gratification is the secret to long-term fulfillment. Don’t trade your ultimate dream for a cheap, momentary impulse.
Read more: 50 Push Yourself Quotes to Move Forward
Quotes about the importance of self control
Rule your mind or it will rule you.
Horace
Your mind is an excellent servant but a terrible master. Take the reins immediately, or it will drag you off a cliff of anxiety and reaction.
What lies in our power to do, lies in our power not to do.
Aristotle
Saying “no” is an active choice, not a passive one. Restraint requires just as much energy and intention as taking action.
Self-control is strength. Calmness is mastery.
Morgan Freeman
High emotion often masks deep insecurity. Real confidence doesn’t need to shout; it is quiet because it has nothing to prove.
Positive Self Control Quotes
With self-discipline, all things are possible.
Theodore Roosevelt
Without structure, potential is just wasted energy scattered in the wind. Focus that energy through a lens of habit, and you can burn through any obstacle.
The person who masters himself through self-control and discipline is truly undefeatable.
Buddha
No outside force can hurt you if the inside is secure. That’s why you should aim to build a fortress of peace that insults and misfortunes cannot breach.
True mastery transcends any particular art. It stems from mastery of oneself – the ability, developed through self-discipline, to be calm, fully aware, and completely in tune with oneself and the surroundings.
Bruce Lee
Real skill isn’t rigid; it flows like water. When you are in tune with yourself, you move with the universe rather than struggling against it.
Motivational quotes about self control
Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
Epictetus
Trying to micromanage the world is a prison of your own making. Let go of the steering wheel for the things you cannot drive, and watch how light you feel!
Discipline equals freedom.
Jocko Willink
It sounds like a paradox, but structure actually creates space. By sticking to a routine, you buy yourself the mental bandwidth to be creative and spontaneous later.
Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals and then to work toward them every day will do more to guarantee your success than any other single factor.
Brian Tracy
Consistency beats intensity every single time. Small, daily acts of will stack up to create a monument of success that talent alone cannot replicate.
Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.
Thucydides
You cannot respect a version of yourself that you cannot trust. Keep your promises to yourself, and bravery will naturally follow.
Read more: 101 Positive Thinking Quotes – Kindle Your Inner Light
Resilience, Patience and Self Control Quotes
The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
Chinese Proverb
Don’t fear the rough patches in life. They are simply the grit sandpapering away your rough edges to reveal the shine underneath.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Trauma can break you, or it can forge you. Choose to let the fire harden your resolve rather than burn you down.
Fall down seven times, stand up eight.
Japanese Proverb
The count doesn’t matter as long as the last move is standing up. Perfection isn’t the goal; relentless persistence is.
Endure the unendurable and suffer what is not sufferable.
Emperor Showa (Hirohito)
Sometimes dignity is found in silence. Carrying a heavy burden without complaint is a potent, although often overlooked, form of heroism.
Gaman is one of those special words in Japanese that doesn’t have an English equivalent. It is the art of perseverance through tough times. It is a part of duty. A sign of growing up. Maturity.
Emiko Jean
This is not just the spirit of the Japanese, but of anyone who has attained a certain degree of spiritual maturity. Growing up means realizing you are capable of handling the storm without collapsing.
Let difficulty transform you. And it will. In my experience, we just need help in learning how not to run away.
Pema Chödrön
We habitually escape the moment things get awkward or painful. Stay put, feel the heat, and wait for it to impart its wisdom.
Read more: 100 Quotes About Overcoming Obstacles – Triumph in Adversity
Quotes about self control and willpower
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Every time you stare down a scary situation, you deposit confidence in your mental bank account. Over time, you become rich in spirit.
Read more: 50 Facing Fears Quotes – Unleash the Power Within
When a man has learned how to remain alone with his suffering, how to overcome his longing to flee, then he has little left to learn.
Albert Camus
Can you sit in a room alone with your pain without reaching for a distraction? That is the final exam of emotional maturity.
Read more: 145 Suffering Quotes – Finding Light in the Darkness
Losing Self Control Quotes: Emotional Intelligence & Anger Management
He who angers you conquers you.
Elizabeth Kenny
Why hand the remote control of your emotions to someone else? Reclaim your sovereignty and refuse to be baited.
Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.
Ambrose Bierce
Words are like toothpaste; once they are out, you can’t put them back in. Remember to pause – or you may launch a verbal missile that destroys a relationship.
The strong man is not the good wrestler; the strong man is only the one who controls himself when he is angry.
Prophet Muhammad
Physical muscle is visible, but emotional muscle is rare. To hold back a sharp retort despite the urge to scream – that is real strength.
Quotes about self regulation
Anger is one letter short of danger.
Eleanor Roosevelt
One moment of blind rage can undo years of cultivating trust. The cost of losing your cool is simply too high.
If you lose self-control, everything will fall.
John Wooden
Emotional stability is the foundation of the house. If that foundation cracks, the roof caves in on your talent, relationships, and reputation.
Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
James 1:19
You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen twice as much as you talk to keep the peace!
Read more: 77 Quotes about Listening – From Hearing to Understanding
The emotionally intelligent person is skilled in four areas: identifying emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions, and regulating emotions.
John Mayer
Emotions are data, not directives. Learn to read the dashboard before you slam on the brakes or swerve off the road.
There is perhaps no psychological skill more fundamental than resisting impulse.
Daniel Goleman
That split second between feeling an urge and acting on it is where your freedom lies. Widen that gap.
Read more: 50 Essential Emotional Intelligence Quotes for Success
Mindfulness & Self-Regulation Quotes
Negative habit energy always tries to emerge, but if you are mindful, you recognize it… You don’t have to fight it, just recognize and smile at it.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Ironically, fighting a bad mood usually only makes it stronger. Just acknowledge it like an annoying old friend, smile, and let it pass on its own.
I am determined not to speak when anger manifests in me. I will practice mindful breathing and walking to recognize and look deeply into my anger.
Thich Nhat Hanh
When the mind races, anchor it with the breath. It is the only thing happening right now, and it is your quickest route back to sanity.
Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought.
Buddha, Dhammapada, Chapter 1, ‘The Pairs’
The world is a reflection of your internal state. Clean the lens, and the picture naturally becomes clear.
If we are not in control of ourselves but instead let our impatience or anger interfere, then our work is no longer of any value.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Chaotic energy produces chaotic results. Composure, on the other hand, is a prerequisite for quality work.
The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.
Charles Darwin
We aren’t just animals acting on instinct. The height of humanity is being able to decide which thoughts deserve attention – and which should be discarded.
Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do.
Napoleon Hill
Action is the fruit; thought is the seed. If you plant crabapples in your mind, don’t expect to harvest peaches in your life.
Stoic Quotes about Self Control
No man is free who is not master of himself.
Epictetus
What good will it be for one to own the whole world, yet forfeit what lies within? If you are a slave to your cravings, you are still in chains.
Man conquers the world by conquering himself.
Zeno of Citium
Why try to invade foreign lands when your own territory is in rebellion? Start the campaign at home at first!
Turn your desire into stone. Quench your appetites. Keep your mind centered on itself.
Marcus Aurelius
When you need less, you become harder to manipulate and impossible to break.
Quotes about impulse control
If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it.
Marcus Aurelius
Events are neutral; your story about them is what causes the pain. Rewrite the script in your head.
Read more: 120 Overcoming Sadness Quotes – From Sorrow to Strength
You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can’t control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.
Marcus Aurelius
You don’t need a hot take on everything. It is incredibly liberating to simply say, “I don’t know” and walk away.
Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look.
Marcus Aurelius
Many of us are digging for water in the desert when there is a well inside them already. How about you?
Read more: 77 Self Reflection Quotes – Looking Inward to Awaken
When I see an anxious person, I ask myself, what do they want? For if a person wasn’t wanting something outside of their own control, why would they be stricken by anxiety?
Epictetus
Stress comes from trying to control the uncontrollable. Focus on your own output – and let the outcome be what it will be.
We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.
Seneca
We burn so many calories worrying about disasters that may never happen. Live in reality, not in your nightmares!
Read more: 105 Stoic Quotes for a Virtuous & Fulfilling Existence
Self Leadership, Self Management & Integrity Quotes
The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.
Plato
There is no greater embarrassment than knowing you betrayed your own standards. Take the plank out of your own eye first; then you will see clearly to do the same thing for others.
You can’t lead others if you can’t lead yourself.
Andrew Bryant
Authority isn’t given; it’s earned through example. If you can’t manage your own schedule or temper, who will trust you with a company?
Self-leadership is the DNA of life leadership. It is the core of leading yourself and others.
Gary Ryan Blair
Everything springs from how you handle yourself. It is the genetic code that determines the shape of your entire destiny.
Self-leadership is about awareness, tolerance, and not letting your own natural tendencies limit your potential.
Scott Belsky
We all have default settings/ habits/ behavioral patterns that hold us back. Rewrite the code to bypass your bugs, and you will be ready to unlock your real potential!
A person of integrity seeks self-mastery; a person obsessed with power seeks to control others. A person of integrity takes action, works hard and struggles to overcome his or her inner weakness; a person driven by lust for power forces others to work for his own selfish purpose, never reflecting upon himself.
Daisaku Ikeda
Power without character is just bullying. True leaders fight their own demons so that they don’t have to project them onto others.
Quotes about self mastery
We often hear of someone saying, ‘So you don’t trust me’ or ‘Are you questioning my integrity?’ or ‘You don’t believe me.’ They get defensive and angry because someone questions their actions, and they think they are above being questioned or having to prove their trustworthiness. But none of us is above questioning.
Henry Cloud
A secure person welcomes scrutiny. If you get angry when questioned or personally attacked, pause and ask yourself what you are trying to cover.
Read more: 111 Integrity Quotes – Nurture Character & Inner Truth
Spiritual & Religious Quotes on Self-Control
A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.
Dalai Lama XIV
It’s a simple equation: chaos in the head equals chaos in life. Order brings peace and contentment.
Read more: 100 Happy Life Quotes to Illuminate the Day
Compassion, tolerance, forgiveness and a sense of self-discipline are qualities that help us lead our daily lives with a calm mind.
Dalai Lama XIV
As ironic as it may seem, it takes immense discipline to be gentle in a harsh world. Softness is a form of strength – one that is often overlooked and underestimated.
Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Luke 14:11
The ego loves to climb, but gravity is undefeated. Stay grounded, and you won’t have far to fall.
It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Buddha
No villain can ruin your life quite like your own bad decisions. Be your own best friend instead of your own saboteur.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:38-40
Retaliation is a reaction; forgiveness is a choice. Breaking the cycle of violence takes more strength than continuing it.
Read more: 84 Unconditional Love Quotes for Every Soul
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Proverbs 23:20-21
Excess always collects a debt. Whether it’s food, drink, or laziness, the bill eventually comes due.
The practice of patience guards us against losing our presence of mind. It enables us to remain undisturbed, even when the situation is really difficult. It gives us a certain amount of inner peace, which allows us some self-control, so that we can choose to respond to situations in an appropriate and compassionate manner, rather than being driven by our disturbing emotions.
Dalai Lama XIV
Patience buys you time. In that window of silence, wisdom has a chance to speak up before you make a mistake.
Read more: 45 Inner Peace Quotes – Finding Calm in the Chaos
Quotes about Self-Restraint in Speech & Action
The mouth is the source of disaster.
Japanese Proverb
Most drama enters life through our own open lips. That’s why we need to think twice and be considerate in everything we utter.
To refrain from saying one harsh sentence is equivalent to nine gentle sentences.
Vietnamese Proverb
Healing a wound takes far longer than inflicting it. Save yourself the repair work by being kind the first time.
We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.
J. K. Rowling
The path of least resistance usually leads downhill. Integrity implies climbing, even when your legs are tired.
To venture causes anxiety, but not to venture is to lose one’s self…. And to venture in the highest is precisely to be conscious of one’s self.
Søren Kierkegaard
Staying safe is a form of losing yourself. To find out who you are, you must risk being “wrong”.
Read more: 55 Self-discovery Quotes – Know Thyself
Courage is the willingness to engage in a risk-taking behavior regardless of whether the consequences are unknown or possibly adverse.
Alfred Adler
Bravery isn’t knowing the outcome; it’s moving forward even when the map is blank.
Read more: 140 Uncertainty Quotes – Finding Peace in the “Not Knowing”
There is nothing wrong with enjoying life’s pleasures as long as they do not take control of your life as you enjoy them.
Hector Garcia Puigcerver
Enjoy the wine, but don’t let the wine drink you. Ownership makes all the difference.
Read more: 82 Ikigai Quotes – Find Your Reason for Being
Lack of Self Control Quotes
He who cannot obey himself will be commanded. That is the nature of living creatures.
Friedrich Nietzsche
If you cannot govern your impulses, someone else will eventually take control of you, like a puppet.
A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Proverbs 25:28
Without boundaries, anything can get in – stress, manipulation, chaos. Build your walls high to preserve your inner peace.
No self control quote
One cannot uphold, and withstand other’s conduct if it has a lack of self-control.
Ehsan Sehgal
You cannot correct others while your own house is burning. Credibility demands consistency.
It is a fact that the majority of a man’s griefs comes about through lack of self-control.
Napoleon Hill
Trace back your biggest regrets. You will likely find a moment where you lost the wheel and let impulse drive.
The more we try to control the things outside of us the more we lose control of our mind.
Jennifer White
Gripping the sand too tightly causes it to slip through your fingers. Let the external world spin and stabilize your own center instead.
Read more: 155 Quotes About Identity & Self – Mirrors of the Soul
Consistency & Self Discipline Quotes
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
Jim Rohn
Dreams are on one side, reality on the other. Daily habits are the planks you walk across to get there.
We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
Jim Rohn
Sweat now or cry later. The discomfort of effort weighs ounces; the burden of “what if” weighs tons.
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Confucius
Speed is irrelevant if you are moving in the right direction. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other – right here, right now!
Read more: 77 Learning from Failure Quotes – Moving On from Past Mistakes
Discipline and self control quotes
Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency.
Dwayne Johnson
Flashy moments are just the highlight reel. The real movie is made in the boring, unglamorous work done in the dark.
Three years on a stone.
Japanese Proverb
Even a cold rock warms up if you sit on it long enough. Commit to the process, even when it feels hard and yields no immediate results.
Self Control Quotes from Movies & Pop Culture
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.
Yoda, Star Wars
Negative emotions are a chain reaction. Cut the fuse at fear before it explodes into hate and suffering!
If you define yourself by your power to take life, your desire to dominate, to possess, then you have nothing.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars
Grasping for dominance leaves you empty-handed. Just let go, and you will know true wealth.
Ra’s al Ghul: ‘Your compassion is a weakness your enemies will not share.’
Batman Begins
Batman: ‘That’s why it’s so important; it separates us from them.’
Mercy is what separates the hero from the villain. Having the power to hurt but choosing to heal is the ultimate flex.
Funny Self Control Quotes
I can resist everything except temptation.
Oscar Wilde
We all like to think we are strong until the dessert cart rolls around. Acknowledging our weakness, therefore, is the first step to fixing it.
I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.
Oscar Wilde
Many times, we intellectualize our lack of control to make excuses. Keep it simple.
Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.
Mark Twain
Starting is easy; sticking with it is the beast. Never mistake a temporary pause for a permanent victory.
Getting mad at him for being who he is makes as much sense as getting mad at our desk for being a desk.
Marshall Goldsmith
Stop expecting people to be who you want them to be. You can’t teach a chair algebra, so it’s better to save your frustration.
If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut.
Albert Einstein
Success isn’t just about working hard or playing hard. Sometimes, it’s just about knowing when to stop whining.
Best self control quotes and sayings
Final Thoughts
As you may have realized by now, conquering oneself is not a one-time battle. It is a daily, sometimes hourly, practice.
There will be days when we stumble. There will be moments when patience wears thin, anger flares, and old habits take the wheel. That is simply part of being human.
But true self-control is also found in how we treat ourselves after we fall. Do we spiral into shame, or do we embody the spirit of the Japanese proverb above: “Fall down seven times, stand up eight”?
There’s no need for absolute perfection. Just consciously look for that brief space between a stimulus and your response, and in that space, pick the path that aligns with your highest self.
May these words serve as armor for your journey. Be patient with yourself, keep standing back up, and remember: your greatest victory is always just one choice away!
Other resources you may be interested in:
- 85 Critical Thinking Quotes: On the Courage to Question
- 63 Feedback Quotes: Turning Input Into Positive Growth
- 40 Life Coaching Quotes: Wisdom for Levelling Up Your Life
- 35 Mentoring Quotes: Lessons Learned, Inspiration Shared
- 60 Quotes on the Meaning of Life: Forging Your “Personal Legend”
Let’s Tread the Path Together, Shall We?
