190 Deep Quotes That Will Make You Think (In New Ways)

Here are 190 of the best deep quotes I could find. You’ll discover sayings and thoughts by 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

Never to suffer would never to have been blessed. Edgar Allan Poe

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 like 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

The average men consume. The wise create. Maxime Lagacé

I rebel; therefore I exist. Albert Camus

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

To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work. Mary Oliver

If I love myself I love you. If I love you I love myself. Rumi

Don’t handicap your children by making their lives easy. Robert A. Heinlein

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Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Kahlil Gibran

Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time”, is like saying, “I don’t want to”. Lao Tzu

Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one. Voltaire

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. Martin Luther

What you deply need is not stuff, comfort or beauty, it’s meaning. Maxime Lagacé

Maybe you are searching among the branches, for what only appears in the roots. Rumi

Related quote topics: stoic, learning, time

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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, 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 own problems and making better decisions.

In sum,

collecting quotes, journaling, reflecting and meditating have had a tremendous positive effect on my life and my mental health.

I still practice today and I can’t imagine my life without those anchors.

What is your process to reflect?

The Best Deep Quotes And Thoughts

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Most people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so. Bertrand Russell

He who is untrue to his own cause cannot command the respect of others. Albert Einstein

To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. Søren Kierkegaard

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Mark Twain

What matters isn’t what a person has or doesn’t have; it is what he or she is afraid of losing. Nicholas Nassim Taleb Click to tweet

If you’ve never eaten while crying you don’t know what life tastes like. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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

Never make fun of someone who mispronounces a word. It means they learned it by reading. Unknown

Genius is the recovery of childhood at will. Arthur Rimbaud

Love is the foolishness of men, and the wisdom of God. Victor Hugo

As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning. Criss Jami Click to tweet

It is not I who am strong, it is reason, it is truth. Émile Zola

Sometimes you have to shut your eyes, so you can see the real beauty. Kilian Jornet

The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Japanese proverb Click to tweet

To be truly positive in the eyes of some, you have to risk appearing negative in the eyes of others. Criss Jami

God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. Voltaire

Take time like the river that never grows stale. Keep going and steady. No hurry, no rush. Rumi

There’s always some truth behind “just kidding”, knowledge behind every “I don’t know”, emotions behind “I don’t care” and pain behind “it’s okay”. Unknown

I don’t care that they stole my idea. I care that they don’t have any of their own. Nikola Tesla

Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real. Neils Bohr

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well. Robert Louis Stevenson

You who suffer because you love, love still more. To die of love, is to live by it. Victor Hugo

What makes night within us may leave stars. 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 Click to tweet

Men must live and create. Live to the point of tears. Albert Camus

A clear conscience is the sure sign of a bad memory. Mark Twain

Part 2. Deep Quotes That Are…

The Most Famous Deep Quotes And Thoughts

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Searching for a famous deep quote? Check out those by Lao Tzu, Rumi, Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, etc.

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers. Voltaire

Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters. Victor Hugo Click to tweet

The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear. Rumi

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. Rumi

Do or do not, there is no try. Yoda

Cleverness is not wisdom. Euripides

He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know. Lao Tzu

Anything becomes interesting if you look at it long enough. Gustave Flaubert

All human wisdom is summed up in two words; wait and hope. Alexandre Dumas

All generalizations are dangerous, even this one. Alexandre Dumas

I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees. Euripides Click to tweet

The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. William Faulkner

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. Oscar Wilde

I can resist anything except temptation. Oscar Wilde

Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. Kahlil Gibran

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast. William Shakespeare (See also: wise quotes)

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

We suffer more often in imagination than in reality. Seneca

More famous quotes, Buddha quotes

Short Deep Quotes And Thoughts

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One-liners, short deep quotes, thoughts and captions for your bio, social status, self-talk, motto, mantra, signs, posters, wallpapers, backgrounds.

Don’t settle, and don’t struggle. Naval Ravikant Click to tweet

To thine own self be true. William Shakespeare

Conscience doth make cowards of us all. William Shakespeare

People do not lack strength; they lack will. Victor Hugo

What labels me, negates me. Søren Kierkegaard

Rest in reason; move in passion. Kahlil Gibran

You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do. Carl Jung

To do two things at once is to do neither. Publilius Syrus

The merit of all things lies in their difficulty. Alexandre Dumas Click to tweet

The prettiest eyes have cried the most. Unknown

The kindest hearts have felt the most pains. Unknown

Success is an iceberg. Unknown

Just do your best and to hell the rest. Unknown

Curiosity is gluttony. To see is to devour. Victor Hugo

Passion is born deaf and dumb. Honoré de Balzac

Close both eyes to see with the other eye. Rumi

“I” is another. Arthur Rimbaud

The deeper thought is, the taller it becomes. Dejan Stojanovic

Of all lies, art is the least untrue. Gustave Flaubert

Leave no stone unturned. Euripides

Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. Bertrand Russell

The darker the night, the brighter the stars. Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Beauty will save the world. Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Nothing has more strength than dire necessity. Euripides

Sin is geographical. Bertrand Russell

The past is never dead. It’s not even past. William Faulkner

Don’t be ‘a writer’. Be writing. William Faulkner

To define is to limit. Oscar Wilde

Be – don’t try to become. Osho

Whatever you feel, you become. It is your responsibility. Osho

Inspirational And Deep Quotes

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Are you afraid of the good you might do? Victor Hugo Click to tweet

The present is theirs; the future, for which I really worked, is mine. Nikola Tesla

Full well do I know that in order to attain any definite goal, it is imperative that one person should do the thinking and commanding. Albert Einstein

Learn to judge your moves by their long-term effects on people. Robert Greene

Look for the thing you notice but no one else notices. Rick Rubin

I’m just trying to think about the future and not be sad. Elon Musk

The fears we don’t face become our limits. Jim Kwik

What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite. Bertrand Russell

You can tell a pioneer by the arrows in his back. Beverly Rubik

An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all. Oscar Wilde

If anyone on the verge of action should judge himself according to the outcome, he would never begin. Søren Kierkegaard

Always go too far, because that’s where you’ll find the truth. Albert Camus

First, see clearly. Next, act correctly. Finally, endure and accept the world as it is. Ryan Holiday

A poet should be so crafty with words that he is envied even for his pains. Criss Jami

The harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal. Criss Jami

You are judges in this world by how well you bring things to an end. A messy or incomplete conclusion can reverberate for years to come. Robert Greene

Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent. Victor Hugo

It was scary at first, but every great thing starts out a little scary, doesn’t it?” Unknown

A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed. Henrik Ibsen

Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night. Edgar Allan Poe

The spread of civilisation may be likened to a fire; first, a feeble spark, next a flickering flame, then a mighty blaze, ever increasing in speed and power. Nikola Tesla

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. Charles Dickens

Arm yourself, my heart: the thing that you must do is fearful, yet inevitable. Euripides

He who despairs is wrong. Victor Hugo Click to tweet

The best thing a human being can do is to help another human being know more. Charlie Munger

Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill. Muhammad Ali

I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings. Gustave Flaubert (azquotes.com)

Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true. Honoré de Balzac

If you wish to be a mine of jewels, open the deep ocean within your heart. Rumi

Patience with small details makes perfect a large work, like the universe. Rumi

Come, seek, for search is the foundation of fortune: every success depends upon focusing the heart! Rumi

If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself. Fyodor Dostoyevsky

If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration. Nikola Tesla

Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born. Nikola Tesla

The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Want more inspiring quotes? Check out those quotes that are… positive, meaningful

Very Deep Sayings (Some Are Dark, Philosophical, Cryptic)

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I stick my finger into existence and it smells of nothing. Søren Kierkegaard

No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell. Carl Jung Click to tweet

God knows, I prefer people with anxieties, whose tomorrow is threatened by uncertainty. Albert Einstein

They muddy the water, to make it seem deep. Friedrich Nietzsche

If it is not necessary to decide, it is necessary not to decide. Lord Acton

Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality. Edgar Allan Poe

Science has not yet taught us if madness is or is not the sublimity of the intelligence. Edgar Allan Poe

There is no truth. There is only perception. Gustave Flaubert

The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference. Elie Wiesel

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

Battle not with monsters, lest you become one and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. Friedrich Nietzsche

Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying. Arthur C. Clarke

The problem is not to find the answer, it’s to face the answer. Terence McKenna

I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers. Kahlil Gibran

A man can do what he wants, but not want what he wants. Arthur Schopenhauer

As with stomachs, we should pity minds that do not eat. Victor Hugo

To be sane in a world of madman is in itself madness. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

He who opens a school door, closes a prison. Victor Hugo Click to tweet

Civilization is a hopeless race to discover remedies for the evils it produces. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

I am not deep, but I am very wide. Honoré de Balzac

Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing. Euripides (See also: How to Ask the Right Question in the Right Way, entrepreneur.com)

Understand that half the game is keeping quiet, and carefully watching those around you. Robert Greene

Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is. Albert Camus

But in the end one needs more courage to live than to kill himself. Albert Camus

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. Ernest Hemingway

The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius. Oscar Wilde

I am not young enough to know everything. Oscar Wilde

Related quote topic: philosophy

Wise Deep Sayings And Thoughts

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Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion. Edward Abbey Click to tweet

Every strength is also a weakness. The opposite is true as well. Neil Strauss

It’s not how well you play the game, it’s deciding what game you want to play. Kwame Appiah

Where there is no sense of ownership, there is respect. Where there is no hope, there is Truth. Where there is no attachment, there is love. Kapil Gupta

Believe in the you who believes in yourself. Unknown

You don’t deserve what you don’t respect. Unknown

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don’t ever count on having both at once. Robert A. Heinlein

All the mistakes I ever made in my life were when I wanted to say No, and said Yes. Moss Hart

Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it. Margaret Atwood

All that you are seeking is also seeking you. Franz Kafka

There is no exquisite beauty… without some strangeness in the proportion. Edgar Allan Poe

Common sense is in spite of, not the result of, education. Victor Hugo

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. Søren Kierkegaard

Our virtues and our failings are inseparable, like force and matter. When they separate, man is no more. Nikola Tesla

The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane. Nikola Tesla

Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live. Gustave Flaubert

Talent is a long patience, and originality an effort of will and intense observation. Gustave Flaubert

People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

There are no weeds, and no worthless men. There are only bad farmers. Victor Hugo

Do not grow to fond of your ideas or too certain of their truth. Robert Greene Click to tweet

Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just. Victor Hugo

To put everything in balance is good, to put everything in harmony is better. Victor Hugo

Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in rationality. Bertrand Russell

Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him. John Locke

See also: 7 Secrets Of Wise People (And How To Become One … Now) (huffingtonpost.ca)

Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours. John Locke

The only reason we get lost in thought, is because it is unfamiliar territory. Ashton Leinen

Everyone sees the unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart. Rumi

Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids. John Steinbeck

A ‘no’ does not hide anything, but a ‘yes’ very easily becomes a deception. Søren Kierkegaard

There is a wisdom of the head, and… there is a wisdom of the heart. Charles Dickens

We can know only that we know nothing. And that is the highest degree of human wisdom. Leo Tolstoy

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

Nothing shows a man’s character more than what he laughs at. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall. William Shakespeare

More words of wisdom

Part 3. Conclusion

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People spend too much time doing and not enough time thinking about what they should be doing. Naval Ravikant Click to tweet

Call to action: Read Mental Models: The Best Way to Make Intelligent Decisions (109 Models Explained) (fs.blog)