One Can Have No Smaller Or Greater Mastery Than Mastery Of Oneself

One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself. Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci (Italian: Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci listen, known as Leonardo da Vinci), born on 15 April 1452 in Vinci (Tuscany) and died on 2 May 1519 in Amboise (Touraine), was an Italian painter and a man of universal spirit, an artist, organiser of shows and festivals, scientist, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, town planner, botanist, musician, poet, philosopher and writer.

Our ambition and a certain form of arrogance make us want to dominate others. In this quest for glory, we come to forget the basis that Leonardo da Vinci reminds us of here: we must above all seek to control ourselves, it is the only path that leads to greatness. Although it may seem small or even mediocre to set such a goal, in reality it is the most difficult. Indeed, self-control implies taming one’s mind with one’s own mind. It is a balancing act at all times where one must be careful not to let oneself be overwhelmed by one’s passions while not eradicating them since they are the driving force behind the action. This quest implies a discipline that allows us to channel our ardour while at the same time offering us the possibility to rise through the creative dimension it engenders. Mastering others only gives us vain satisfaction because it will never be the mirror of our true value if not of our capacity of coercion.
He who dominates others is strong. He who dominates himself is powerful. Lao-Tzu
Power is nothing but our submission to ourselves, that is why it is a humble and discreet work. Only when we silence our ego and our desire to dominate do we begin to draw from our source which is where our true power lies.