Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes are still applicable to this day because of the insight he distilled about daily life.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, and statesman. He is considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era. He is akin to the German equivalent of Shakespeare in literature, writing The Sorrows of Young Werther and most famously Faust, a dramatic tale about a man who sold his soul to the devil.
Since Von Goethe was such a prolific writer and a man of many disciplines, he often borrowed ideas from history, his learnings, and from what he saw in dissimilar fields to right aphorisms, or quotes, on practical ways to see the world.
Renowned in Europe for his writings that explored philosophical, psychological, and political thought, he became something akin to Benjamin Franklin in the states, spouting words of wisdom.
I compiled thirteen of my favorite Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes for reflection below!
1. “If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.”
Encourage people to become their best selves. See them for who they are and who they could become, help foster the good in others.
2. “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, so that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”
This aphorism is a reminder to take time out of the day to enjoy the little things. It is increasingly easier in modern times to find great artistic works or even go into nature. It is the little things each day that can make us happy.
Learn 13.5 ways to slow down and enjoy life daily with this guide!
3. “Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.”
A daring idea may come to an end, but it can spur another idea and another. Thinking creatively and pursuing your goals might meet defeat at first, but at least you are in the game. Helping spur the innovative thinking that can lead you to the life you want for yourself!
4. “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”
See what people’s baseline of common decency is for others. Bring people who respect all into your circle and be cautious of those who dismiss people who they perceive as “lesser” than them.
5. “To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act by your thinking.”
In a way, we all know what we should be doing. We can think of running a marathon, but training is hard, and sticking with it is even harder. Staying disciplined is hard, but it is something we all can do! If you are feeling you are lacking will-power, you aren’t the only one!
6. “By seeking and blundering we learn.”
Remember to step outside your comfort zone often to learn new things. You will probably stumble, but you will learn along the way.
7. “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
Relating to quote 5, learning all of the best practices, and getting insight from learned people is not enough. You must act on this knowledge to make the life you want.
8. “What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.”
Due tomorrow, do tomorrow. It becomes easy to keep pushing your goals over and over until it is no longer a priority.
9. “Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is.”
Believe in yourself that you can be better and believe in the goodness of the world. You will find what you are looking for, whichever way you look.
10. “Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.”
Life isn’t a straight ride to the top. Life is full of peaks and valleys. Remember to enjoy the peaks and endure the valleys. It is part of life.
11. “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.”
Despite all other circumstances, we have the choice to pick our mood. Some days it is easier to be happy or more resilient than others. Notice what mood you have been picking recently, could you pick one that is kinder to yourself?
12. “Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond reach.”
Remember to live in the present. For both working towards goals, but also in enjoying life. We can ruminate or reminisce about yesterday, and plan for tomorrow, but we can only enjoy today.
13. “Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success.”
Remember to work on things that interest and mean the most to you. Have the courage to keep working on them, even when there is no big-pay off.
Main Take-Aways
- Be realistic in the expectations of your goals and that of others
- It takes continual effort and application to achieve goals
- These Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes show us that the same problems we face today are the same as many years ago too!
Action Item
Take your favorite quote and write it on a sticky note. Put it somewhere visible and try to incorporate the lesson from the aphorism into your daily life each day for the next week. Reflect on it after this exercise and see what you noticed because of following this piece of advice.
