In moments of decision, we often look for wisdom to guide us. Discernment helps us choose wisely, balancing our heart and mind. Quotes from thinkers, leaders, and everyday heroes offer light in these times.
This list gathers some of the best discernment quotes to inspire clear, thoughtful choices. Let their words be your guide through life’s complex paths.
Classic Discernment Quotes
“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.” – Blaise Pascal
“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” – Helen Keller
“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.” – Naguib Mahfouz
“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” - William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”
“It is not length of life, but depth of life.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle
“To see things in the seed, that is genius.” - Lao Tzu
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” – Albert Einstein
“To understand everything is to forgive everything.” – Buddha
“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” – Jimi Hendrix
“Wisdom begins in wonder.” – Socrates
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle
“Courage is knowing what not to fear.” – Plato
“it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” – Albert Einstein
“Do not be wise in words – be wise in deeds.” – Jewish Proverb
“There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart.” – Charles Dickens
“The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it.” - John Locke
“A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether or not to say it.” – Author Unknown
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” – Charles Spurgeon
“The more you know, the less you need.” – Yvon Chouinard
“Patience is also a form of action.” – Auguste Rodin
“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” - Sun Tzu
Modern Views on Discernment Quotes
“The art of discernment is knowing what to ignore.” – Rumi
“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.” – Charles Spurgeon
“Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson
“It’s the silence between the notes that makes the music; discernment lies in recognizing the pauses.” – Unknown
“The key to good decision-making is not knowledge. It is understanding.” – Malcolm Gladwell
“Intuition is the spiritual faculty that does not explain; it simply points the way.” – Florence Scovel Shinn
“Discernment is the ability to see things for what they really are and not for what you want them to be.” – Unknown
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust
“With wisdom comes the ability to be kind. Discernment, in contrast, allows you to be precise.” – Me
“To understand everything is to forgive everything.” - Buddha
“Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to faultfinding.” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Do not judge from mere appearances… rather, scrutinize and weigh with discernment.” - William Ellery Channing
“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” – Proverbs 18:15
“Discernment is not knowing the answers, but understanding the questions.” - Unknown
“The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.” - Leonardo da Vinci
“Discernment is the art of reading between the lines and recognizing the unseen patterns.” – Me
“True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by.” – E.S. Bouton
“it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” – Max DePree
“Discernment is often seeing what is absent rather than what is present.” - Me
“The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.” – Aristotle
“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco
“Discernment is the ability to find the diamonds in the rough of everyday life.” – Me
“The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.” – Atisha
“Discernment is recognizing the narrow line between impulse and intuition.” – Me
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain
Quotes on Discernment from Famous Leaders
“The function of wisdom is to discern the sound from the soundless, the beauty from the ugly, and the meaningful from the meaningless.” – Confucius
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” – Charles Spurgeon
“To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.” – Confucius
“The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings.” – Albert Schweitzer
“The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.” - Blaise Pascal
“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.” – A.A. Milne, ‘Winnie the Pooh’
“A discerning eye needs only a hint, and understatement leaves the imagination free to build its own elaboration.” – Russell Sherman
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle
“There is no greater wealth in this world than peace of mind.” – Anonymous
“Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.” – Norman Cousins
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” - Stephen Covey
“The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end - you don’t come to an achievement; you don’t come to a conclusion. It is an endless river.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
“Discernment is the ability to see things for what they really are and not for what you want them to be.” – Mother Angelica
“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” - Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘Sherlock Holmes’
“Let discernment be your compass in the wilderness of life’s choices.” – Original
“True discernment comes from knowing oneself and remaining true to that knowledge.” - Original
“The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.” – George Orwell
“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” – Steve Jobs
“Discernment is the eye of the soul.” – John Eudes
“To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.” - Bruce Lee
“Seek not to know the answers, but to understand the questions.” – Original
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” – J.K. Rowling, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’
“Discernment is knowing the difference between roadblocks and dead ends.” – Original
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Personal Growth and Discernment Quotes
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” – Deepak Chopra
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong; it is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” - Charles Spurgeon
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” – Carl Rogers
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” – Frank Zappa
“You are the artist of your own life. Don’t hand the paintbrush to anyone else.” – Unknown
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion.” – Albert Camus
“Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal growth.” - John C. Maxwell
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” - Confucius
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Mahatma Gandhi
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
“Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to faultfinding.” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” - Buddha
“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” – Socrates
“The only journey is the one within.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
“The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end—you don’t come to an achievement; you don’t come to a conclusion. It is an endless river.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti
“Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.” – Jerry Seinfeld
“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.” – Rumi
“Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.” - Charles Spurgeon
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” – William James
Inspirational Discernment Quotes for Daily Life
“The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.” – Blaise Pascal
“Often the best way to find out what you really need is to get rid of what you don’t.” – Marie Kondo
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates
“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” – William S. Burroughs
“In ambiguity lies the path to discernment; to choose is to be responsible.” – Paulo Coelho
“It is not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” – Charles Spurgeon
“Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.” – Alfred Adler
“Learn to sit back and observe. Not everything needs a reaction.” – Anonymous
“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” – Robertson Davies
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.” – Lao Tzu
“Discernment is the wisdom to see things for what they truly are, not for what you want them to be.” – Anonymous
“Our life is the creation of our mind.” – Buddha
“Nothing that happens is ever forgotten, even if you can’t remember it.” – Spirited Away
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
“Discernment is the spark of wisdom, illuminating the difference between illusion and reality.” – Original
“Don’t believe everything you think.” – Anonymous
“To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.” – Chinese Proverb
“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.” – Tony Robbins
“Silent waters hold deep truths.” – Unknown
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde
“Learning without thinking is labor lost; thinking without learning is perilous.” – Confucius
“Discernment is the subtle art of learning to dance with the truth.” – Original
“True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” – Socrates
To Sum Up
Wrapping up, our list of discernment quotes serve as a handy guide to help you make wise decisions and choices. They inspire you to think more deeply, look beneath the surface, and trust your inner wisdom. With these quotes, you can feel confident that your decisions are made from a place of understanding and insight.
So, the next time you’re faced with a tough decision, take a moment to reflect on these quotes. They might just give you that little nudge you need to make a discerning choice. Never forget, your ability to discern can truly make a significant difference in your life. Happy decision-making!
