“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.”
Share this quote
Attribution note
Widely credited to Wilson but every instance found is quote-site propagation with no work named; it does not appear in sourced Wikiquote material or any locatable interview transcript, so the attribution cannot be traced past aggregators.
Likely origin: No primary source located; circulates on inspirational quote sites (BrainyQuote, PassItOn, etc.) credited to August Wilson without any play, interview, or essay citation.
Review the attribution sourceAbout this quote
Facing the parts of yourself you dislike is practical work, not moral drama. Start by naming the thoughts or actions that cause trouble, then take small, concrete steps to change them: honest conversations, setting limits, or a weekly habit that counters the old pattern. Forgiveness is part of the toolbox — it clears the blame so you can focus on action. Will you sit with the uncomfortable parts long enough to change how you behave?
When to use it
- Work feedback meeting: After snapping in a review, I said, "I'm confronting the part of me that gets defensive so I can actually hear you."
- Therapy session: I told my counselor, "I've been naming the shame that keeps me stuck and trying to forgive myself for past mistakes."
- Addiction support group: When I explained my relapse triggers I said, "I'm wrestling with these demons so I don't hand my life back to them."
- Family reconciliation: After a fight over money I apologized and said, "I'm trying to banish the selfish part of me and rebuild your trust."