--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A self-made man, if he is made at all…" description: "\"A self-made man, if he is made at all, has already won the battle of life. . . . he has learned to resist. He has learned the value of money, and how t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/alvin-r-dyer-72265_already-won_a-self-made-man-if-he-is-made-at-all-has_3022596.jpg" --- # A self-made man, if he is made at all, has already won the… ![“A self-made man, if he is made at all, has already won the battle of life. . . . he has learned to resist. He has learned the value of money, and how to refuse to spend it. He has learned the value of time, and how the conversion of it into useful things will make of his life something worthwhile…” quote by Alvin R. Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/alvin-r-dyer-72265_already-won_a-self-made-man-if-he-is-made-at-all-has_3022596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/alvin-r-dyer-72265_already-won_a-self-made-man-if-he-is-made-at-all-has_3022596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f05/alvin-r-dyer-72265_already-won_a-self-made-man-if-he-is-made-at-all-has_3022596.jpg) > “A self-made man, if he is made at all, has already won the battle of life. . . . he has learned to resist. He has learned the value of money, and how to refuse to spend it. He has learned the value of time, and how the conversion of it into useful things will make of his life something worthwhile. He has learned to say no, to say no at the right time and then to stand by it. Without resistance, and the self-denial which it often imposes, there is no real happiness. In the quest for happiness man must learn that temptation resisted strengthens the mind and the soul.” Alvin R. Dyer ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑discipline, resisting temptation, and valuing time and money lead to true happiness and personal strength. **In simple terms:** Resisting temptations builds happiness and strength. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑control and time management. Themes self‑discipline happiness resilience values Mood motivational pragmatic Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - goal setting - budgeting - habit formation Key Concepts personal growth mindfulness financial prudence Questions to Reflect On - What temptations hinder your growth? - How can you practice saying no? A Different Perspective May ignore systemic constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Already won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/already-won/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Battle of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-of-life/) [Conversion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversion/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Real happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-happiness/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-denial/) [Self made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-made/) [Self made man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-made-man/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Useful things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-things/) [Value of money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-of-money/) [Value of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-of-time/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile/) ## Related quotes > [We must learn to do more with temptation than just bear it - we must learn to use it. The secret of using temptation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selwyn-hughes/we-must-learn-to-do-more-with-temptation-than-just-bear-it-we-must/) [Selwyn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selwyn-hughes/) > [Identity is not inherent. It is shaped by circumstance and sensitivity and resistance to self-pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-west/identity-is-not-inherent-it-is-shaped-by-circumstance-and-sensitivity/) [Dorothy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-west/) > [I've got at least two major project ideas that I've been chewing on for several years in my head and I've been trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-balog/i-ve-got-at-least-two-major-project-ideas-that-i-ve-been-chewing-on/) [James Balog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-balog/) > [There is not any memory with less satisfaction than the memory of some temptation we resisted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/there-is-not-any-memory-with-less-satisfaction-than-the-memory-of/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [“Successful resistance to temptation may result in an increase of moral muscle, but that is because one is going to need it. A temptation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/successful-resistance-to-temptation-may-result-in-an-increase-of/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [Every temptation that is resisted, every evil thought that is curbed, every desire that is subdued, every bitter word that is withheld, every noble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/every-temptation-that-is-resisted-every-evil-thought-that-is-curbed/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [There is not any memory with less satisfaction in it than the memory of some temptation we resisted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-branch-cabell/there-is-not-any-memory-with-less-satisfaction-in-it-than-the-memory/) [James Branch Cabell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-branch-cabell/) > [“There is no memory less satisfying than a temptation that we resisted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/there-is-no-memory-less-satisfying-than-a-temptation-that-we-resisted/) [Erin Mccarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/) > [Whoever can find the answer to this question: "How can I say this to my dog" has already won the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-stephanitz/whoever-can-find-the-answer-to-this-question-how-can-i-say-this-to-my/) [Max von Stephanitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-stephanitz/) > [The future is already won, and the more hostile the culture, the easier it is to communicate the difference of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-future-is-already-won-and-the-more-hostile-the-culture-the-easier/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [First of all, who cares if people hate you? There's always a guarantee that certain people will dislike you. There's never any guarantee that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/first-of-all-who-cares-if-people-hate-you-there-s-always-a-guarantee/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [I’m done with the winning cause I’ve already won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-m-done-with-the-winning-cause-i-ve-already-won/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [We should think of those who were famous for their good deeds or their bad deeds; did their fame raise them one single degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-hazm/we-should-think-of-those-who-were-famous-for-their-good-deeds-or/) [Ibn Hazm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-hazm/) > [There is no doubt about it, Messi's clearly the best player in the world. He's a phenomenon who has already won everything, but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/there-is-no-doubt-about-it-messi-s-clearly-the-best-player-in-the/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I always say that if I end up in a relationship where I feel like seventy-five percent of what I was looking for is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-quin/i-always-say-that-if-i-end-up-in-a-relationship-where-i-feel-like/) [Sara Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-quin/) ## More by Alvin R. Dyer > [What I believe...about more sleep than is needful concerns the individual who goes far beyond the need, developing slothful and lazy habits, which deaden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-r-dyer/what-i-believe-about-more-sleep-than-is-needful-concerns-the/) Alvin R. Dyer > [The true destiny of America is religious, not political: it is spiritual, not physical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-r-dyer/the-true-destiny-of-america-is-religious-not-political-it-is/) Alvin R. Dyer > [I have come to know that adversity really means the things in life that challenge us and cause us to work with devotion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-r-dyer/i-have-come-to-know-that-adversity-really-means-the-things-in-life/) Alvin R. Dyer Explore all 4 Alvin R. Dyer quotes ## More Already won quotes > [I always say that if I end up in a relationship where I feel like seventy-five percent of what I was looking for is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-quin/i-always-say-that-if-i-end-up-in-a-relationship-where-i-feel-like/) [Sara Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-quin/) > [There is no doubt about it, Messi's clearly the best player in the world. He's a phenomenon who has already won everything, but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/there-is-no-doubt-about-it-messi-s-clearly-the-best-player-in-the/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [We should think of those who were famous for their good deeds or their bad deeds; did their fame raise them one single degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-hazm/we-should-think-of-those-who-were-famous-for-their-good-deeds-or/) [Ibn Hazm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-hazm/) > [I’m done with the winning cause I’ve already won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-m-done-with-the-winning-cause-i-ve-already-won/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [First of all, who cares if people hate you? There's always a guarantee that certain people will dislike you. There's never any guarantee that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/first-of-all-who-cares-if-people-hate-you-there-s-always-a-guarantee/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [The future is already won, and the more hostile the culture, the easier it is to communicate the difference of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-future-is-already-won-and-the-more-hostile-the-culture-the-easier/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Whoever can find the answer to this question: "How can I say this to my dog" has already won the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-stephanitz/whoever-can-find-the-answer-to-this-question-how-can-i-say-this-to-my/) [Max von Stephanitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-stephanitz/) > [I could be dramatic and go "He saved my life!", but sometimes you just need to see it again. Sometimes you need to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drew/i-could-be-dramatic-and-go-he-saved-my-life-but-sometimes-you-just/) [Kevin Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drew/) > [Over the last six months, I've seen what these two futures look like. And six months from now, we'll all be living in one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-fluke/over-the-last-six-months-i-ve-seen-what-these-two-futures-look-like/) [Sandra Fluke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-fluke/) > [Terrorists in 6 weeks have been able to command 300 million North Americans to do away with the entirety of their civil liberties that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocco-galati/terrorists-in-6-weeks-have-been-able-to-command-300-million-north/) Rocco Galati > [Life is a lottery that we've already won. But most people have not cashed in their tickets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/life-is-a-lottery-that-we-ve-already-won-but-most-people-have-not/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [Any fool can blow something up. Any fool can destroy. But to see these guys, these firefighters and these policemen and people from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/any-fool-can-blow-something-up-any-fool-can-destroy-but-to-see-these/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I have learnt that all our theories are not Truth itself, but resting places or stages on the way to the conquest of Truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justus-von-liebig/i-have-learnt-that-all-our-theories-are-not-truth-itself-but-resting/) [Justus von Liebig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justus-von-liebig/) > [History informs us of past mistakes from which we can learn without repeating them. It also inspires us and gives confidence and hope bred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-hastie/history-informs-us-of-past-mistakes-from-which-we-can-learn-without/) [William H. Hastie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-hastie/) > [It's that first step-getting out the door-that's the toughest. If you can do that, you've already won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/it-s-that-first-step-getting-out-the-door-that-s-the-toughest-if-you/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) [Browse all 18 Already won quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/already-won/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A self-made man, if he is made at all, has already won the battle of life. . . . he has learned to resist. He has learned the value of money, and how to refuse to spend it. 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