Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.

A small country cannot contend with a great; the few cannot contend with the many; the weak cannot contend with the strong

Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.

If you love men and they are unfriendly, look into your love; if you rule men and they are unruly, look into your wisdom; if you are courteous to them and they do not respond, look into your courtesy. If what you do is vain, always seek within.

When Heaven is about to confer a great office upon you, it first exercises your mind with suffering and your sinews and bones with toil.

Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of our nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards. There are none but have this tendency to good, just as all water flows downward.

The great person never loses a childlike spirit.