In life, one must choose between
a disordered and useless life of desires
and that of an ascent into the light of aspiration
and mastery over one's lower nature.
No life can be successful without self-discipline.
All those who have been able to create something beautiful and useful
have always been persons who have known
how to discipline themselves.
When one is incapable of conforming to a discipline,
one is also incapable of doing anything of lasting value in life.
First learn to know yourself perfectly
and then to control yourself perfectly.
You will be able to do it
by aspiring every moment.
To control something, a movement,
is simply to replace by one's presence,
without words or explanations,
the bad vibration by the true one.
First of all one must be conscious, then control,
and by continuing the mastery one changes one's character.
Changing the character is what comes last.
One must control bad habits, the old habits,
for a very long time for them to drop off
and change the character.
All the methods of self-knowledge, self-control and self-mastery are good.
You have to choose the one that comes to you spontaneously
and best corresponds to your nature.
And once having chosen the method, you must use your intelligent will
to apply it with an unfailing perseverance
that does not shrink from any obstacle, any difficulty.
It is a long and minute work which must be undertaken with sincerity
and continues with an increasing sincerity ever more scrupulous and integral.
There is no greater victory than that of controlling oneself.
Self-mastery is the greatest conquest,
it is the basis of all enduring happiness.
