Ruin and recovering are both from within.

What is a child? Ignorance. What is a child? Want of instruction.

In life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regard to them I do control. Where will I find good and bad? In me, in my choices.

If you wish to live a life free from sorrow, think of what is going to happen as if it had already happened.

If you would be well spoken of, learn to be well-spoken; and having learnt to be well- spoken, strive also to be well-doing; so shall you succeed in being well spoken of.

These are the signs of a wise man: to reprove nobody, to praise nobody, to blame nobody, nor even to speak of himself or his own merits.

What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not to impose on others.