Laozi Quotes – Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.

Silence is a source of great strength.

Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.

In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.

The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.’

Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.

The softest thing in the universe overcomes the hardest thing in the universe.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small.

Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.

Laozi Quotes – Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life part 2

When the best leader’s work is done, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’

The more laws and commandments we have, the more thieves we shall have.

A leader is best when people barely know they exist; when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.

Act without expectation.

The wise man is one who, knows, what he does not know.

The more you know, the less you understand.

The softer you become, the stronger you are.

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

Manifest plainness, Embrace simplicity, Reduce selfishness, Have few desires.

One who seeks power has already lost it.

The highest good is like water. Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.

To know that you do not know is the best. To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.

Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.

To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.

Waste no more time arguing about what a good person should be. Be one.

Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.

When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

The best fighter is never angry.

To lead people, walk behind them.

The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.

An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.

If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.

He who is contented is rich.

To see things in the seed, that is genius.

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.

The more that laws and regulations are given prominence, the more thieves and robbers there will be.