The wisest men follow their own direction
And listen to no prophet guiding them.
None but the fools believe in oracles,
Forsaking their own judgment.

Wise men put their trust in ideas and not in circumstances.

A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savor of it. Let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits to which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach

men’s actions are the best guides to their thoughts

The most intelligent men, like the strongest, find their happiness where others would find only disaster: in the labyrinth, in being hard with themselves and with others, in effort; their delight is in self-mastery; in them asceticism becomes second nature, a necessity, an instinct. They regard a difficult task as a privilege; it is to them a recreation to play with burdens that would crush all others.

A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savour of it.

The wisest man is generally he who thinks himself the least so.

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.

The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going

For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death.

On one level, wisdom is nothing more profound than an ability to follow one’s own advice.

The wisest man would be the one richest in contradictions, who has, as it were, antennae for all types of men — -as well as his great moments of grand harmony — -a rare accident even in us! A sort of planetary motion — -

Follow your instincts. That's where true wisdom manifests itself.

the world has the habit of making room for the man whose words and actions show that he knows where he is going.