A hand-picked selection of the best quotes about Stoic quotes on strength, with context and attribution for each.
Keep working as long as you can
Attribution to a specific author is unknown; considered a traditional adage (English proverb)
Stop disappointing yourself
Contemporary saying with no clear origin (Anonymous)
Patience and passage of time do more than strength and fury
Fables (Book II, Fable 11, 'The Lion and the Rat') (Jean de La Fontaine)
The past can chain you up, but the future can set you free
Origin unknown; commonly used in self-help and motivational contexts (English)
Each day, set aside some time for a little fun
A modern aphorism often shared in self-help contexts. (Common wisdom)
We are sometimes taken into troubled waters not to drown, but to be cleansed.
Origin uncertain; commonly circulated in Christian and motivational literature (Traditional)
Something is lost whenever something is gained
Compensation, in Essays: First Series (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
If you remembered everything, you would have no time to do new things
Common modern saying, origin uncertain (Unknown)
Sometimes, there is a fine line between laughing and crying
Common saying with unclear origin; similar sentiments expressed in various cultures. (Unknown)
No one is better than anyone else
This saying is a widespread proverbial expression with no single identifiable origin. Variations of the sentiment appear across many philosophical, religious, and cultural traditions advocating human equality, including Stoicism, Christianity, Buddhism, and modern egalitarian movements. (Unknown)
All things are difficult before they are easy
often considered a folk saying without specific attribution (English proverb)
You cannot guarantee that something will not happen to you
Attribution uncertain; likely a common modern aphorism (English)
Resolve to be the master of your destiny
Commonly used in motivational contexts; origin uncertain, possibly a modern proverb (Proverb)
Life is a series of lessons that must be lived to be understood
Exact source not confirmed; likely derived from Emerson's journals or lectures. Commonly accepted attribution. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Great pains cause us to forget the small ones
Similar to the sentiment expressed in Shakespeare's works, notably 'One fire burns out another's burning; One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish' from The Two Gentlemen of Verona. (English Proverb)
Travel light
This is a modern proverbial phrase with no single attributable author or text. It likely evolved from practical travel advice into a broader philosophical metaphor. (Unknown colloquial origin)
Stop blaming others for your failures
Often attributed to various self-help authors but no definitive origin (Common English proverb)
Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects
Attributed to Arnold H. Glasow (1905-1998), American humorist and writer. (Arnold H. Glasow)
If you think you cannot, then you will not
Often attributed to motivational speakers; closely resembles a quote by Henry Ford. (Unknown)
You are never nearing the end of your problems
Likely a folk saying without a single attributed origin; variations exist in many cultures. (Unknown)