--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man’s emotions are what define him, and…" description: "\"“A man’s emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength. To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling is to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/brandon-sanderson-112_emotions_a-man-s-emotions-are-what-define-him-and_2493909.jpg" --- # A man’s emotions are what define him, and control is the… ![“A man’s emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength. To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling is to be a child.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/brandon-sanderson-112_emotions_a-man-s-emotions-are-what-define-him-and_2493909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/brandon-sanderson-112_emotions_a-man-s-emotions-are-what-define-him-and_2493909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/brandon-sanderson-112_emotions_a-man-s-emotions-are-what-define-him-and_2493909.jpg) > ““A man’s emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength. To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling is to be a child.”” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions shape identity, but true strength lies in mastering them rather than being ruled by them. **In simple terms:** Control emotions, not be controlled. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑mastery. Themes self‑control strength identity emotional intelligence Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - leadership - relationships - conflict resolution - personal development Key Concepts Stoicism psychology personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance feeling and control? - When does restraint become repression? A Different Perspective Over‑control can suppress authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-feeling-993762/) [Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) [Emotions Define](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-define-993761/) [Feeling Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-child-377327/) [Man Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-emotions-993760/) [True strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-strength/) ## Related quotes > [“I feel each of the things you mention, Sadeas,” Dalinar said, eyes forward. “But I don’t always let them out. A man’s emotions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-feel-each-of-the-things-you-mention-sadeas-dalinar-said-eyes/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling is to be a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/to-lack-feeling-is-to-be-dead-but-to-act-on-every-feeling-is-to-be-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [If it is reason that forms man then it is the emotions that guide her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-rousseau/if-it-is-reason-that-forms-man-then-it-is-the-emotions-that-guide-her/) [Henri Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-rousseau/) > [There is only one reality: the act of feeling ourselves in the process of making choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/there-is-only-one-reality-the-act-of-feeling-ourselves-in-the-process/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Passion, like discriminating taste, grows on its use. You more likely act yourself into feeling than feel yourself into action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bruner/passion-like-discriminating-taste-grows-on-its-use-you-more-likely/) [Jerome Bruner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bruner/) > [“To Want and To Dare! Never hesitate to act when the feeling of injustice revolts us. To give one's measure with all good faith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doria-shafik/to-want-and-to-dare-never-hesitate-to-act-when-the-feeling-of/) [Doria Shafik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doria-shafik/) > [You're more likely to act yourself into feeling than feel yourself into action. So act! Whatever it is you know you should do, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/you-re-more-likely-to-act-yourself-into-feeling-than-feel-yourself/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [“One of the first things you learn as a Borderline is that the only way to keep any friends is to act as though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mishell-baker/one-of-the-first-things-you-learn-as-a-borderline-is-that-the-only/) [Mishell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mishell-baker/) > [You must remember that a woman, by nature, needs much less to feed upon than a man, a few emotions and she is satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-james/you-must-remember-that-a-woman-by-nature-needs-much-less-to-feed-upon/) [Alice James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-james/) > [I'm a man of many emotions, so I'm a human being, and I think that's what people tend to forget sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-alsina/i-m-a-man-of-many-emotions-so-i-m-a-human-being-and-i-think-that-s/) [August Alsina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-alsina/) > [“‎Man is never his emotions and that all feelings are ephemeral- that no one is truly genuinely ecstatic, sad, angry or passionately in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lourd-de-veyra/man-is-never-his-emotions-and-that-all-feelings-are-ephemeral-that-no/) [Lourd de Veyra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lourd-de-veyra/) > [“The man's emotions flowed back and forth like waves of the sea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-cameron/the-man-s-emotions-flowed-back-and-forth-like-waves-of-the-sea/) [Marc Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-cameron/) > [Art is not, as the metaphysicians say, the manifestation of some mysterious idea of beauty or God; it is not, as the aesthetical physiologists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/art-is-not-as-the-metaphysicians-say-the-manifestation-of-some/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I think like a man but have the emotions of a woman, and that's really dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/i-think-like-a-man-but-have-the-emotions-of-a-woman-and-that-s-really/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [Kingsley watched her disappear from the room, wondering if his heart would break. Logic informed him that of course it would not. The heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/kingsley-watched-her-disappear-from-the-room-wondering-if-his-heart-2/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) ## More by Brandon Sanderson > [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/they-say-a-man-doesn-t-know-himself-until-he-faces-death-for-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Why, Elend! That’s almost romantic—in a twisted ‘I’m going to make my wife want to kill me’ sort of way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-elend-that-s-almost-romantic-in-a-twisted-i-m-going-to-make-my/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elantris was the one place where she could remember feeling unconditional acceptance. She had not been a princess, she had been something far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elantris-was-the-one-place-where-she-could-remember-feeling/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elend smiled. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that you're unusual, Vin. You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-are-inexperienced-so-was-i-once-so-is-every-man-the-measure-of-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) [Explore all 1,238 Brandon Sanderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More Emotions quotes > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [You will never fully understand how much you mean to me, because there are no amount of words that can begin to describe my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-fully-understand-how-much-you-mean-to-me-because-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/) [Marlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlin/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mind has trouble processing all the emotions I feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-mind-has-trouble-processing-all-the-emotions-i-feel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Its a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/its-a-lack-of-clarity-that-creates-chaos-and-frustration-those/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [“When love carries us away on its brittle wings, we are too intoxicated to comprehend its power. We just want to soar and feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balroop-singh/when-love-carries-us-away-on-its-brittle-wings-we-are-too-intoxicated/) [Balroop Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balroop-singh/) > [God, help me to focus on Truth instead of the trial. Help me to give thanks instead of giving into fear. Help me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-daugherty/god-help-me-to-focus-on-truth-instead-of-the-trial-help-me-to-give/) [Whitney Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-daugherty/) > [Love is an ocean of emotions entirely sorrounded by expensee..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-an-ocean-of-emotions-entirely-sorrounded-by-expensee/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) [Browse all 4,415 Emotions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A man’s emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength. 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