Close Ad

25 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes that Will Change the Way you See Yourself and Others
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes
Authors

25 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Quotes that Will Change the Way you See Yourself and Others

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (August 28, 1749 - March 22, 1832) was

a German poet, playwright, novelist and scientist. He is considered one of the


greatest literary figures of his age, and not only.

In 1765, Goethe left home to study law, as his father wished, but

due to his illness (probably tuberculosis), he returned home without a degree. However,

while at the university, Goethe was much more absorbed with writing, but he

presumably burned some of his works as he considered them unworthy.

Often regarded as Germany’s Shakespeare, Goethe achieved fame at

the age of 25 after the release of his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther. It is said that the novel had such an

influence on men of sensibility, that it has made suicide fashionable for them.

But Faust remains Goethe’s

masterpiece. He started the two-part poetic drama around the age of 23 and

finished it only months before his death. The legend of the erudite who sells

his soul to the Devil for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures has been

the basis for many other artistic works.

Here are 25 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes that will change the

way you see yourself and others.

A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.

Johann-Wolfgang-von-Goethe-Quotes

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.

Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.

One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.

A person hears only what they understand.

I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather...

Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success.

In the realm of ideas everything depends on enthusiasm… in the real world all rests on perseverance.

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking.

We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe.

Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.

If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.

There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

By seeking and blundering we learn.

Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.

Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes.

Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond your reach.

Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image.

Love does not dominate; it cultivates.

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.

Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.

Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.

Everything is hard before it is easy

Hot Stories

Why Jennifer Hudson Forgave Her Mother's Killer -- Life Stories By Goalcast

At the peak of her career, Jennifer Hudson faced a horrific family tragedy. Hudson's mother and brother were brutally attacked in their family home, and her seven-year-old nephew was kidnapped. What followed was a heart-wrenching manhunt to rescue her nephew and seek justice against the man who took her family. Hudson speaks from the heart in this video on what happened to her family and how she was able to move forward.

Celebrities
 woman holding hands together in harmony
Untitled design (5)

People often say that finding purpose is the foundation of a healthy and more fulfilling life. Yet for millions of people, purpose feels elusive, like some far-off destination, an epiphany waiting for divine intervention.

Narratives around living the life of your dreams can package purpose in a very set way, telling stories of a select few who were lucky enough to find their purpose, and never looked back.

Keep ReadingShow less
Stories
Lots of Dollar Bills

Save what you have to double what you make.

Everyone talks about money -- some because they don’t have enough, some wish to make more, and some are simply obsessed with it. It has always been this way, but nowadays, making money seems to be the main goal on everyone’s 'to do' list.

We’ve never had so many options when it comes to products, technology and services, and salesmen constantly try to convince us that we need them all to live a happier and easier life. But do we?

Keep ReadingShow less
Authors