Nathaniel Branden Quotes

By Alan Reiner – July 21, 2024

‘The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘Live with integrity, respect the rights of other people, and follow your own bliss.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘Self esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘Of all the nonsense written about love, none is more absurd than the notion that ideal love is selfless. To love is to see myself in you and to wish to celebrate myself with you. What I love is the embodiment of my values in another person. Love is an act of self-assertion, self-expression and a celebration of being alive.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘Between the ages of 24 and 27, I read Freud’s complete works, everything that had been translated into English. It was very stimulating intellectually. But I did not accept his view of neurosis or of human nature.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘If we are happy within ourselves, we don’t accept or demand that our partner should fulfill every need. We need to be comfortable with our own company.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘A woman in love will do almost anything for a man, except give up the desire to improve him.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘Productive achievement is a consequence and an expression of health and self-esteem, not its cause.’ – Nathaniel Branden

‘In a world in which the total of human knowledge is doubling about every ten years, our security can rest only on our ability to learn.’ – Nathaniel Branden