One must know oneself. If this does not serve to discover truth, it at least serves as a rule of life and there is nothing better.

I need one of those baby monitors from my subconscious to my consciousness so I can know what the hell I’m really thinking about.

If you want to be enthusiastic, act enthusiastic.

Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.

Everything happens to everybody sooner or later if there is time enough.

I’ve always been really, really aware of my insecurities – really, really aware. I never developed that thick skin that keeps you from letting things get to you.

Words are only painted fire; a look is the fire itself.

It’s like, remember who you always were, where you came from, who your parents were, how they raised you. Because that authentic self is going to follow you all through life, so make sure that it’s solid so it’s something that you can hold on and be proud of for the rest of your life.

Most of my young years were spent under the boots of the military.

There are very few people who are going to look into the mirror and say, ‚That person I see is a savage monster;‘ instead, they make up some construction that justifies what they do.

One cannot violate the promptings of one’s nature without having that nature recoil upon itself.

I’m really trying to dredge up what one might call intellectual and moral material. For example, when do you realize that you are an American? What age does that happen to you? When do you realize what religion your parents practice? When does it all become conscious? I was interested in exploring all of that.

One might say that our words are a movie screen that reveals what we have been thinking and the attitudes we have.

I don’t have emotional needs, only physical ones.

The Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Aloysius Grade School influenced my life tremendously. This was due to the fact that they encouraged you always to make sure that God is the focus of your life, and they didn’t allow you to do anything except to the very best of your ability.

It is said that the present is pregnant with the future.

The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month.

Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes its law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is its being what it is.

If I make a fool of myself, who cares? I’m not frightened by anyone’s perception of me.

Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.

Face your fears and doubts, and new worlds will open to you.

To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced.

He who would pass his declining years with honor and comfort, should, when young, consider that he may one day become old, and remember when he is old, that he has once been young.

Those who want the Government to regulate matters of the mind and spirit are like men who are so afraid of being murdered that they commit suicide to avoid assassination.

My favorite thing in life is writing about life, specifically the parts of life concerning love. Because, as far as I’m concerned, love is absolutely everything.

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.

Illusion is the first of all pleasures.

Lying is not only saying what isn’t true. It is also, in fact especially, saying more than is true and, in the case of the human heart, saying more than one feels. We all do it, every day, to make life simpler.

Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did.

Men are born to succeed, not to fail.

Not being beautiful was the true blessing. Not being beautiful forced me to develop my inner resources. The pretty girl has a handicap to overcome.

He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.

One can not reflect in streaming water. Only those who know internal peace can give it to others.

The first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion.

I don’t think consensus-building politics is what I’m meant to be doing.

As your career grows, the list of things that makes you happy should not become smaller, it should become bigger.

Single life is so overrated.

Don’t just let the devil use your mind as a garbage dump.

A fanatic is a man who consciously over compensates a secret doubt.

The best of us must sometimes eat our words.

It was high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, ‚always do what you are afraid to do.‘

My problem was my inability to spend much time at home. I thought my family was secure, so I went running around everyplace else. I guess I had more of an effect on other people’s kids than I did my own.

I care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do! That is character!

What’s really hard is that you could care a lot for someone and not want to live with him anymore.

Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist.

The difficulties you meet will resolve themselves as you advance. Proceed, and light will dawn, and shine with increasing clearness on your path.

I don’t like to read things that people write about me. I’d rather read what kids have to say about me because it’s not their profession to do that.

I’ve never been shy or secretive with the fact that if you walk into my life, you may be walking onto a record.

I’m interested in the dream and subconscious mind, the peculiar dream-like quality of our lives, sometime nightmare quality of our lives.

Nature that framed us of four elements, warring within our breasts for regiment, doth teach us all to have aspiring minds.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others‘ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

There is no way to happiness – happiness is the way.

I’m not the most patient of people.

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same.

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.

The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience.

I am trying to find myself. Sometimes that’s not easy.

Man is an idea, and a precious small idea once he turns his back on love.

Plenty of people wish to become devout, but no one wishes to be humble.

I am easily satisfied with the very best.

Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.