Quotes about Willpower

Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.

Character is that which can do without success.

And truly it demands something godlike in him who has cast off the common motives of humanity, and has ventured to trust himself for a taskmaster. High be his heart, faithful his will, clear his sight, that he may in good earnest be doctrine, society, law, to himself, that a simple purpose may be to him as strong as iron necessity is to others!

We gain the strength of the temptation we resist.

for the hand can never execute any thing higher than the character can inspire.

Foulgrin: If you can keep Fletcher from saying a definitive no to a temptation, you've won. Whatever is not a no is merely a postponed yes. (advice to the tempter Squaltaint)

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'" —C. S. Lewis

knowing does not guarantee doing. Doing engages the will and a preset commitment.

As Paul said in Romans 7:16 and 18, "I do what I do not want to do… For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out" (NIV).

Here's one of my favorite statements: We are never going to enjoy stability, we are never going to enjoy spiritual maturity until we learn how to do what's right when it feels wrong, and every time you do what's right by a decision of your will using discipline and self control to go beyond how you feel, the more painful it is in your flesh, the more you're growing spiritually at that particular moment.

Everytime you feed the flesh, you strenghten it. This is good if you are trying to build a good habit, but detrimental if you are trying to stop a bad habit. The way to kill the flesh is to starve it; to stop feeding it.

You can control yourself if you really want to. I'll tell you how I know you can control yourself. If you were in a full fledged emotional temper tantrum in your house and I knocked on your front door..... Come on! Let me tell you what, you would get control of yourself, and it would only take a few seconds.