Lao-tzu (604 BC-531 BC)

Laozi was a legendary Chinese philosopher considered to be the author of the Tao Te Ching, one of the foundational texts of Taoism. Modern scholarship generally regards his biographical details as later inventions and his opus a collaboration of various writers, with the name Laozi, literally meaning 'Old Master', likely intended to portray an archaic anonymity that could converse with Confucianism. Traditional accounts addend him as Li Er, born in the 6th-century BC state of Chu during China's Spring and Autumn period. Serving as the royal archivist for the Zhou court at Wangcheng, he met and impressed Confucius on one occasion, composing the Dào Dé Jīng in a single session before retiring into the western wilderness.

Quotes

To be worn out is to be renewed.
He who knows others is wise;
He who know himself is enlightened.
When the highest type of men hear Tao,
They diligently practice it.
When the average type of men hear Tao,
They half believe in it.
When the lowest type of men hear Tao,
They laugh heartily at it.
Without the laugh, there is no Tao.
The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.
Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.
There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.
There is no greater guilt than discontentment.
And there is no greater disaster than greed.

Desire, Greed
He who knows does not speak.
He who speaks does not know.
The more laws and order are made prominent,
The more thieves and robbers there will be.

Laws
People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge.

Knowledge
I have three treasures. Guard and keep them:
The first is deep love,
The second is frugality,
And the third is not to dare to be ahead of the world.
Because of deep love, one is courageous.
Because of frugality, one is generous.
Because of not daring to be ahead of the world, one becomes the leader of the world.
When armies are mobilized and issues are joined,
The man who is sorry over the fact will win.
To know that you do not know is the best.
To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.
The Way of Heaven is to benefit others and not to injure.
The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete.
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
Arms are instruments of ill omen. . . . When one is compelled to use them, it is best to do so without relish. There is no glory in victory, and to glorify it despite this is to exult in the killing of men. . . . When great numbers of people are killed, one should weep over them with sorrow. When victorious in war, one should observe mourning rites.
The softest things in the world to overcome the hardest things in the world.
Conquering others takes force, conquering yourself is true strength.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Motivation & Goals
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.