27 Lao Tzu Quotes
Explore calming and insightful quotes from Lao Tzu that focus on balance, simplicity and living in harmony.
Discover 27 profound Lao Tzu quotes that capture the essence of wisdom, simplicity and harmony. Let these timeless teachings inspire mindfulness and inner peace. Many of these Taoist lessons serve as an excellent blueprint for navigating daily anxiety and stress. If you are looking to cultivate tranquility, read our breakdown of Marcus Aurelius’s guidelines on mastering your mind.
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading."
"He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough."
"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."
"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving."
"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves."
"Those who know do not say. Those who say do not know."
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
"Great acts are made up of small deeds."
"Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner."
"New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings."
"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."
"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don’t have time,' is like saying, 'I don’t want to.'"
"If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence."
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
His teachings are often compared to the other great philosopher of ancient China. To see how these ideas compare, check out our selection of inspirational Confucius quotes.
"Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing."
"When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will Disappear."
"The best fighter is never angry."
"There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent."
"Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it."
"The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long."
"Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge."
"Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habit."
"To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day."
"To lead people, walk behind them."
"The forceful and violent will not die from natural causes."
"When nothing is done, nothing is left undone."
Laozi, also rendered as Lao Tzu and Lao-Tze, is the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching, the founder of philosophical Taoism and a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions. Wikipedia