“Withstanding hardships is a sort of sport. You can’t control how life plays, but you can control your defensive strategy.”

“You’ve gotta keep control of your time, and you can’t unless you say no. You can’t let people set your agenda in life.”

Warren Buffett (1930) American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist

“You can't control how lucky you are, you can't control how smart you are, but you can control how hard you work.”

Michael Bloomberg (1942) American businessman and politician, former mayor of New York City

“The secret of success is learning how to use pain and pleasure instead of having pain and pleasure use you. If you do that, you're in control of your life. If you don't, life controls you.”

Anthony Robbins (1960) Author, actor, professional speaker

“That's why I write, because life never works except in retrospect. You can't control life, at least you can control your version.”

Chuck Palahniuk (1962) American novelist, essayist

“If you can't control your peanut butter, you can't expect to control your life.”

Bill Watterson (1958) American comic artist

“You don't always control your circumstances, but you can always control your response.”

James Mattis (1950) 26th and current United States Secretary of Defense; United States Marine Corps general

“You can't control everything. You can't control how someone feels about you. Or what makes them tick. You can only control how you react, how you act, how you think and feel.”

Maya Banks (1964) Author

“You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be.”

Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American author

“You may not control life's circumstances, but getting to be the author of your life means getting to control what you do with them.”

Atul Gawande book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End