Make it your goal never to fail in your desires or experience things you would rather avoid; try never to err in impulse and repulsion; aim to be perfect also in the practice of attention and withholding judgment.
I cannot call somebody ‘hard-working’ knowing only that they read and write. Even if ‘all night long’ is added, I cannot say it – not until I know the focus of all this energy.
Don't put your purpose in one place and expect to see progress made somewhere else.
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
If you would be a reader, read; if a writer, write.
The mind when distracted absorbs nothing deeply.
Let all your efforts be directed to something, let it keep that end in view. It's not activity that disturbs people, but false conceptions of things that drive them mad.
Distringit librorum multitudo (the abundance of books is distraction).