Children Quote by Yukio Mishima
““I had formed the habit of treating those parts of my character that were in any way my responsibility to exhortations so wholesome and sensible as to be comical. As a part of my system of self-discipline, dating from childhood, I constantly told myself it would be better to die than become a lukewarm person, an unmanly person, a person who does not clearly know his likes and dislikes, a person who wants only to be loved without knowing how to love. This exhortation of course had a possible applicability to the parts of my character for which I was to blame, but so far as the other parts were concerned, the parts for which I was not to blame, it was an impossible requirement from the beginning.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, 1956
Self-discipline demands confronting uncomfortable truths about oneself, but some aspects are beyond personal control, making total self-mastery impossible.
In simple terms: Self-discipline must accept limits of personal control.
Key Takeaway
Balance self-improvement with realistic expectations.
Themes
self-discipline
identity
personal growth
Mood
introspective
serious
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy
- personal coaching
- creative writing
Key Concepts
self-awareness
ethical responsibility
psychological resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- Which parts of yourself can you truly change?
- How do you handle aspects beyond your control?
A Different Perspective
Complete self-control is unattainable.
