In this post, I share the importance of self-reliance and listening to your inner voice as shared with us by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, critical thinker, abolitionist, and poet, is often referred to as the leader of the transcendentalist movement and the father of American Literature. He was an energetic optimist who emphasized the importance and necessity of self-reliance and nonconformity.

Dedicated to keeping a journal, Emerson encouraged and inspired his friend and fellow writer, Henry David Thoreau, to do the same. Emerson believed that all things and all people are connected to God. He wrote of the still, small voice we often hear and explained, “that voice is Christ within us.”¹

Here are some additional words of Emerson’s wisdom:

• “A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his.”
• “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”
• “He who is not every day conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life…Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain.”
• “An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.”
• “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”
• “We aim above the mark to hit the mark.”
• “The only way to have a friend is to be one.”
• “The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising each time we fall.”²

In addition to these beneficial quotes, Emerson also observed, “Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.”³ He teaches us that self-reliance is the preferred path to being happy, content, and accomplished.

REMEMBER…

◊ Emerson wrote, “The voices which we hear in solitude grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world…Nothing is at last sacred but the integration of your own mind.”

◊ This blog post is an excerpt from Dave’s upcoming book manuscript, Take This With You…100 Messages to Accompany You on Your Life Journey, that is currently being edited. Visit www.davidajolley.com for additional blog posts, other interesting content, and updates on future book releases and appearances.

1. Whelan, Richard; Editor: The Wisdom of Ralph Waldo Emerson as Inspiration for Daily Living, ©1991, Three Rivers Press, a trademark of Random House Publishing, NY, NY. ↩︎
2.  Whelan, Richard; Editor: The Wisdom of Ralph Waldo Emerson as Inspiration for Daily Living. ↩︎
3. Whelan, Richard; Editor, The Wisdom of Ralph Waldo Emerson… ↩︎