By Maxime Lagacé
Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.
I’ve spent over 10 000+ hours curating the best quotes.
The result?
Thousands of great quotes organized by topic.
But only a few are truly deep and thought-provoking.
Here are 87 of the best deep quotes I’ve collected since 2004 after my girlfriend died in a car accident.
Why should you read these quotes?
- You’ll think deeply about life
- You’ll better understand yourself
- You’ll gain peace and wisdom
You’ll discover deep thinkers like Voltaire, Lao Tzu, Rumi, Mary Oliver, Einstein, and lots more.
Enjoy!
Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. Oscar Wilde
The average men consume. The wise create. Maxime Lagacé
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde
Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work. Gustave Flaubert
The adventure of life is to learn. The purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of life is to serve. The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give. William Arthur Ward
Don’t handicap your children by making their lives easy. Robert A. Heinlein
Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time”, is like saying, “I don’t want to”. Lao Tzu
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. Martin Luther
Maybe you are searching among the branches, for what only appears in the roots. Rumi
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Never to suffer would never to have been blessed. Edgar Allan Poe
Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so. Bertrand Russell
To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. Søren Kierkegaard
He who is untrue to his own cause cannot command the respect of others. Albert Einstein
I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Mark Twain
Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong. Oscar Wilde
We can see through others only when we can see through ourselves. Bruce Lee
Listen to the people who are most quiet. Sahil Lavingia
Genius is the recovery of childhood at will. Arthur Rimbaud
Love is the foolishness of men, and the wisdom of God. Victor Hugo
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To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work. Mary Oliver
The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Japanese proverb
To be truly positive in the eyes of some, you have to risk appearing negative in the eyes of others. Criss Jami
Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real. Neils Bohr
God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. Voltaire
I don’t care that they stole my idea. I care that they don’t have any of their own. Nikola Tesla
Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed. Friedrich Nietzsche
What makes night within us may leave stars. Victor Hugo
Are you afraid of the good you might do? Victor Hugo
Dreams have only one owner at a time. That’s why dreamers are lonely. William Faulkner
Stupidity lies in wanting to draw conclusions. Gustave Flaubert
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If I love myself I love you. If I love you I love myself. Rumi
Related
- 75 Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)
- 89 Time Quotes (Profound, Important, Inspiring)
- 91 Of The Best Stoic Quotes (For A Better Life)
Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers. Voltaire
The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. Rumi
Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. Rumi
Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters. Victor Hugo
He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know. Lao Tzu
All generalizations are dangerous, even this one. Alexandre Dumas
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Kahlil Gibran
The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. William Faulkner
I can resist anything except temptation. Oscar Wilde
We suffer more often in imagination than in reality. Seneca
People do not lack strength; they lack will. Victor Hugo
Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. Kahlil Gibran
A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved. Kurt Vonnegut
Related:100+ Most Famous Quotes Of All Time
Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one. Voltaire
Always go too far, because that’s where you’ll find the truth. Albert Camus
Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect). Mark Twain
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao Tzu
Don’t settle, and don’t struggle. Naval Ravikant
Conscience doth make cowards of us all. William Shakespeare
Average people know how. Wise people know why. Maxime Lagacé
What labels me, negates me. Søren Kierkegaard
The merit of all things lies in their difficulty. Alexandre Dumas
What you truly need is not stuff, comfort or ease, but meaning. Maxime Lagacé
Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion. Edward Abbey
You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do. Carl Jung
Success is an iceberg. Unknown
A question asked is worth more than an answer received. James Pierce
Passion is born deaf and dumb. Honoré de Balzac
Close both eyes to see with the other eye. Rumi
Overrated: inspiration. Underrated: discipline. Sahil Lavingia
Take time like the river that never grows stale. Keep going and steady. No hurry, no rush. Rumi
Of all lies, art is the least untrue. Gustave Flaubert
The darker the night, the brighter the stars. Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Common sense is in spite of, not the result of, education. Victor Hugo
Nothing has more strength than dire necessity. Euripides
The past is never dead. It’s not even past. William Faulkner
I stick my finger into existence and it smells of nothing. Søren Kierkegaard
They muddy the water, to make it seem deep. Friedrich Nietzsche
No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell. Carl Jung
Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is. Albert Camus
Wisdom is observing pain and accepting it. Maxime Lagacé
Arm yourself, my heart: the thing that you must do is fearful, yet inevitable. Euripides
There is no truth. There is only perception. Gustave Flaubert
What if everything in the world were a misunderstanding, what if laughter were really tears? Søren Kierkegaard
All the problems of older times were scarcity… now they’re all abundance based. Naval Ravikant
When you’re young, you want to be rich. When you’re rich, you want to be young. James Pierce
Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality. Bertrand Russell
To be sane in a world of madman is in itself madness. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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Whatever you feel, you become. It is your responsibility. Osho
Civilization is a hopeless race to discover remedies for the evils it produces. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing. Euripides (Related: How to Ask the Right Question in the Right Way, entrepreneur.com)
The problem is not to find the answer, it’s to face the answer. Terence McKenna
The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. Ernest Hemingway
People spend too much time doing and not enough time thinking about what they should be doing. Naval Ravikant
The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius. Oscar Wilde
You can only see clearly when you close your eyes. Maxime Lagacé
One day you will die. All of this will end. All there is to do is play. James Pierce
Key Takeaways
- Life is change. But your ego wants certainty. You’ll improve your life by making discomfort your friend.
- Conforming is dying. Rebelling is living. Be you.
- Pain is a gift. It’s a springboard to a better life.
- Fools have answers. The wise have questions.
- Bored? Slow down. Look carefully.
A few thoughts on deep thinking…
I’ve always loved words that inspire and make me think.
In fact, I started collecting quotes and journaling back in 2004 after I lost my girlfriend in a car accident.
I was in search of answers and I felt reading thoughts by people like Confucius, Plato, Einstein, and Bruce Lee was helping me in this process.
Then, I discovered more modern thinkers and writers like Leo Babauta, Shane Parrish, Tim Ferriss, and more recently Naval Ravikant.
Through their words, I found some guidance for dealing with my problems and making better decisions.
In sum,
collecting quotes, journaling, reflecting, and meditating had a big positive effect on my life and my mental health.
And I still have these habits today.
I can’t imagine my life without doing these.
What is your process to reflect and grow?
Further Readings
- Topic: Life
- 100 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (Fast)
- 100 One Word Quotes (For Quick Inspiration)
- 73 Life Is Short Quotes To Help You Live To The Fullest
- 57 Life Goes On Quotes That Will Move You
- 50 Soul Searching Quotes to Discover Who You Are (everydaypower.com)
- 120 Inspirational Quotes For Teens To Cheer Yourself Up
- 100 Inspirational Quotes For Women To Empower You
- 130 Inspirational Quotes For Men
Hope you liked these deep quotes and that they made you think deeply.
If you’re like me, you’ll come back here from time to time to reflect, learn and grow.
What’s your favorite deep quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or emotions, but I can provide information on a wide range of topics, including the concepts used in this article. Let's break down the concepts and provide some insights:
Collecting Quotes
The author mentions collecting quotes as a way to find inspiration and guidance. Quotes from various thinkers, philosophers, and writers can offer different perspectives and provoke deep thinking. They can help individuals reflect on their own lives and make better decisions.
Deep Thinking
The article emphasizes the value of deep thinking. Deep thinking involves exploring profound and thought-provoking ideas, questioning assumptions, and seeking a deeper understanding of oneself and the world. It can lead to personal growth and a better understanding of life.
Self-Reflection and Journaling
The author mentions the importance of self-reflection and journaling in their personal growth journey. Taking the time to reflect on one's thoughts, experiences, and emotions can provide clarity, insights, and a better understanding of oneself. Journaling is a way to document and process thoughts, which can aid in personal development.
Meditation
The article briefly mentions meditation as a habit that has had a positive effect on the author's mental health. Meditation is a practice that involves training the mind to focus and redirect thoughts, often leading to a sense of calm and clarity. It can help individuals cultivate mindfulness, reduce stress, and enhance self-awareness.
Growth and Personal Development
The article suggests that reading quotes, reflecting, and engaging in practices like journaling and meditation can contribute to personal growth and mental well-being. By actively seeking knowledge, reflecting on experiences, and engaging in practices that promote self-awareness, individuals can develop a deeper understanding of themselves and make better decisions in life.
Overall, the concepts discussed in the article revolve around self-reflection, deep thinking, and personal growth. By embracing discomfort, questioning assumptions, and seeking wisdom from various sources, individuals can embark on a journey of self-discovery and lead a more meaningful life.
