This phrase brings us back to the fundamental value of Self-Mastery.
We spend our lives trying to conquer the world: we want to conquer markets, conquer other people's hearts, or conquer nature. But this quote reminds us that these external battles are actually the "easy" ones. The true war—the one that defines your destiny—is the civil war happening inside your own head between your lower self (lazy, fearful, angry) and your higher self (disciplined, brave, wise).
Here is why defeating your own demons is the only victory that lasts:
1. The Enemy Within:
External enemies (competitors, critics) are visible and temporary.
The internal enemy (your ego, your doubt, your impulse control) is invisible, knows all your secrets, and talks to you 24/7.
To defeat an enemy that lives in your own mind requires a strength far greater than physical muscle; it requires willpower.
2. The Definition of Freedom:
If you can conquer a city but cannot control your temper, you are not a king; you are a slave to your emotions.
True freedom is not doing "whatever you want" (that is slavery to impulse). True freedom is the ability to do "what you know is right," even when you don't feel like it. When you conquer yourself, no one else can enslave you.
3. The Ripple Effect:
When you win the war against your own laziness or fear, the external wars become easy. A man who has disciplined his own mind finds that the obstacles in the world dissolve before him. You cannot lead others until you have led yourself.
The golden rule: "He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty."
External power is force; internal power is invincibility.
As the Buddha famously said: "It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you."