Authority Quote by Baltasar Gracian
“Never lose your self-respect, nor be too familiar with yourself when you are alone. Let your integrity itself be your own standard of rectitude, and be more indebted to the severity of your own judgment of yourself than to all external percepts. Desist from unseemly conduct, rather out of respect for your own virtue than for the strictures of external authority.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Oráculo Manual y Arte de Prudencia by Baltasar Gracian, 1647
Maintain self-respect and internal standards, letting personal integrity guide actions over external opinions.
In simple terms: Respect yourself and let inner standards guide you.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize inner integrity.
Themes
self-respect
integrity
autonomy
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- solitary work
- decision making
- personal boundaries
- leadership
Key Concepts
virtue ethics
self-governance
Questions to Reflect On
- What internal standards do you uphold?
- How do you balance self-judgment with external feedback?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on self can lead to isolation; balance with social input.
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