Albert Schweitzer Quotes From The Humanitarian of Many Talents

These Albert Schweitzer quotes highlight his thoughts on success and happiness, love and kindness, ethics and morality, and much more.

Albert Schweitzer was a man of many talents and passions, and yet you might still wonder what he is known for. Schweitzer’s knowledge base was so broad that he is officially known as an Alsatian polymath.

‘Alsatian’ is a cultural region in Eastern France that has a blend of Germanic and French influence. ‘Polymath’ refers to an individual who has a vast knowledge in many subject areas, and often uses their complex knowledge base to solve problems.

Schweitzer definitely fits the bill as he was a: theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. This explains why these Albert Schweitzer quotes seem all around the board, with quotes on success and happiness, love and kindness, ethics and morality, and a reverence for life.

Alber Schweitzer didn’t just talk about how important life was and encourage people to lead by example. His actions backed up his words as he lived a life of service and helping others.

Schweitzer won the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of “Reverence for Life.” The prize money at the time was $33,000 and he used it to set up a leprosy colony in Lambaréné. While he is most known for his philosophy and Nobel Prize-winning work, his musical talents should not be ignored.

Keep reading through these Albert Schweitzer quotes to learn more about his life and philosophy.

Don’t forget to also check out these Benoit Mandelbrot quotes from the father of fractals.

Albert Schweitzer quotes and sayings about success, happiness, and love

1. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” ― Albert Schweitzer

2. “Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.” ― Albert Schweitzer

3. “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.” ― Albert Schweitzer

4. “Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.” ― Albert Schweitzer

5. “A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day.” ― Albert Schweitzer

6. “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it.” ― Albert Schweitzer

7. “A great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up.” ― Albert Schweitzer

8. “I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end.” ― Albert Schweitzer

9. “If you love something so much, let it go. If it comes back it was meant to be; if it doesn’t it never was.” ― Albert Schweitzer

10. “One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer quotes about gratitude, kindness, and compassion

11. “At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ― Albert Schweitzer

12. “Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.” ― Albert Schweitzer

13. “Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” ― Albert Schweitzer

14. “The purpose of human life is to serve and to show compassion and the will to help others.” ― Albert Schweitzer

15. “Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.” ― Albert Schweitzer

16. “As soon as man does not take his existence for granted, but beholds it as something unfathomably mysterious thought begins.” ― Albert Schweitzer

17. “A man does not have to be an angel to be a saint.” ― Albert Schweitzer

18. “The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering the attitudes of their minds.” ― Albert Schweitzer

19. “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” ― Albert Schweitzer

20. “Humanitarianism consists in never sacrificing a human being to a purpose.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer quotes that explain ethics and morality

21. “The first step in the evolution of ethics is a sense of solidarity with other human beings.” ― Albert Schweitzer

22. “Ethics is nothing else than reverence for life.” ― Albert Schweitzer

23. “A man is ethical only when life, as such, is sacred to him, that of plants and animals as that of his fellow men, and when he devotes himself helpfully to all life that is in need of help.” ― Albert Schweitzer

24. “Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.” ― Albert Schweitzer

25. “Let me give you a definition of ethics: It is good to maintain and further life it is bad to damage and destroy life.” ― Albert Schweitzer

26. “The demands of Jesus are difficult because they require us to do something extraordinary. At the same time, He asks us to regard these [acts of goodness] as something usual, ordinary.” ― Albert Schweitzer

27. “The thinking man must oppose all cruel customs, no matter how deeply rooted in tradition and surrounded by a halo. When we have a choice, we must avoid bringing torment and injury into the life of another, even the lowliest creature; but to do so is to renounce our manhood and shoulder a guilt which nothing justifies.” ― Albert Schweitzer

28. “This is what gives me the fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life, and that destroying, injuring, and limiting life are evil.” ― Albert Schweitzer

29. “The interior joy we feel when we have done a good deed is the nourishment the soul requires.” ― Albert Schweitzer

30. “Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will; his personal responsibility in the realm of faith and morals.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Albert Schweitzer quotes about reverence for life and life in general

31. “The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.” ― Albert Schweitzer

32. “My life is my argument.” ― Albert Schweitzer

33. “By having a reverence for life, we enter into a spiritual relation with the world By practicing reverence for life we become good, deep, and alive.” ― Albert Schweitzer

34. “If a man loses his reverence for any part of life, he will lose his reverence for all of life.” ― Albert Schweitzer

35. “I can do no other than be reverent before everything that is called life. I can do no other than to have compassion for all that is called life. That is the beginning and the foundation of all ethics.” ― Albert Schweitzer

36. “An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight… the truly wise person is colorblind.” ― Albert Schweitzer

37. “There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” ― Albert Schweitzer

38. “Man can no longer live for himself alone. We must realize that all life is valuable and that we are united to all life. From this knowledge comes our spiritual relationship with the universe.” ― Albert Schweitzer

39. “By respect for life we become religious in a way that is elementary, profound, and alive.” ― Albert Schweitzer

40. “I am life that wants to live, in the midst of life that wants to live.” ― Albert Schweitzer

Wise Albert Schweitzer quotes about leading by example and other advice

41. “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” ― Albert Schweitzer

42. “There are only three ways to teach a child. The first is by example, the second is by example, the third is by example.” ― Albert Schweitzer

43. “Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” ― Albert Schweitzer

44. “Example is leadership.” ― Albert Schweitzer

45. “Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.” ― Albert Schweitzer

46. “The doctor of the future will be oneself.” ― Albert Schweitzer

47. “Let us rejoice in the truth, wherever we find its lamp burning.” ― Albert Schweitzer

48. “Arguing from facts never wins a definitive victory against skillfully presented opinion.” ― Albert Schweitzer

49. “Do something for somebody every day for which you do not get paid.” ― Albert Schweitzer

50. “Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now – always.” ― Albert Schweitzer

What did you learn from these Albert Schweitzer quotes?

Schweitzer was a renowned musical scholar and organist. He also dedicated his time to rescuing, restoring, and studying historic pipe organs. He employed his theological background when interpreting the use of pictorial and symbolical representation in J. S. Bach’s religious music.

Schweitzer expressed his ideas on the symbolism and significance of Bach’s music in his study J. S. Bach: Le Musicien-Poète, which was written in French and published in 1905, making it Schweitzer’s final task.

Throughout his life, Schweitzer had been a student and a teacher, a musicologist and Bach fan, a doctor and a hospital creator, and even a deacon of a church. He had also authored books and gone on medical missionary trips to Africa.

There are several foundations and awards named after or inspired by his life’s work. He accomplished so much in a single lifetime that it is almost hard to fathom how one person can travel so many paths.

We might view it as successful, by the sheer number of personal goals he must have met. However, Albert Schweitzer himself would say “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

What’s your biggest takeaway from these Albert Schweitzer quotes and sayings? Do one thing that makes you happy today, and let us know how it went in the comment section below!

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