50 Lao Tzu Quotes On Spiritual Journey, Leadership and Self-Awareness
Lao Tzu, also known as Laozi, is considered to be a father of Chinese Taoism. He was an ancient Chinese philosopher and the author of ‘Tao Te Ching‘. We have collected the most inspiring, thought-provoking, notable Lao Tzu quotes and sayings on life and love that will be sure to enlighten your life!
50 Lao Tzu Quotes
#1
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
#2
“Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.” – Lao Tzu
#3
“Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.”
– Lao Tzu
#4
“He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” – Lao Tzu
#5
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu
#6
“The wise man is one who knows, what he does not know.” – Lao Tzu
#7
“By letting go it all gets done.” – Lao Tzu
#8
“A leader is best
When people barely know he exists
Of a good leader, who talks little,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say, “We did this ourselves.”
– Lao Tzu
#9
“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” – Lao Tzu
#10
“To lead people, walk beside them …
As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence.
The next best, the people honor and praise.
The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate …
When the best leader’s work is done the people say,
We did it ourselves!”
– Lao Tzu
#11
“Loss is not as bad as wanting more.” – Lao Tzu
#12
“Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.” – Lao Tzu
#13
“Silence is a source of Great Strength.” – Lao Tzu
#14
“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. 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.” – Lao Tzu
#15
“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” – Lao Tzu
#16
“Men are born soft and supple; dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.” – Lao Tzu
#17
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” – Lao Tzu
#18
“Accomplish but do not boast, accomplish without show, accomplish without arrogance, accomplish without grabbing, accomplish without forcing.” – Lao Tzu
#19
“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.” – Lao Tzu
#20
“To understand the limitation of things, desire them.” – Lao Tzu
#21
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
– Lao Tzu
#21
“Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.” – Lao Tzu
#22
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu
#23
“To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.” – Lao Tzu
#24
“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.”
– Lao Tzu
#25
“Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.” – Lao Tzu
#26
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
#27
“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
– Lao Tzu
#28
“To a mind that is still the whole universe surrenders.” – Lao Tzu
#29
“When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad.” – Lao Tzu
#30
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu
#31
“When there is no desire, all things are at peace.” – Lao Tzu
#32
“If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place.” – Lao Tzu
#33
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.” – Lao Tzu
#34
“Act without expectation.” – Lao Tzu
#35
“Trying to understand is like straining through muddy water. Have the patience to wait! Be still and allow the mud to settle.” – Lao Tzu
#36
“Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best
leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will
say ‘We have done this ourselves.” – Lao Tzu
#37
“The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that. What is grievance? The baggage of old thought and emotion.” – Lao Tzu
#38
“He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” – Lao Tzu
#39
“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” – Lao Tzu
#40
“If you want to lead them you must place yourself behind them.” – Lao Tzu
#41
“The world belongs to those who let go.” – Lao Tzu
#42
“The master observes the world but trusts his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. He prefers what is within to what is without.” – Lao Tzu
#43
“If you search everywhere, yet cannot find what you are seeking, it is because what you seek is already in your possession.” – Lao Tzu
#44
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” – Lao Tzu
#45
“Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.” – Lao Tzu
#46
“Knowing how to yield is strength.” – Lao Tzu
#47
“If you do not value rare treasures, you will stop others from stealing.” – Lao Tzu
#48
“Make your heart like a lake with a calm still surface and great depths of kindness.” – Lao Tzu
#49
“Great acts are made up of small deeds.” – Lao Tzu
#50
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu
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