Nobody ever defended anything successfully, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.

Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way. And don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.

When I started Virgin from a basement in west London, there was no great plan or strategy. I didn’t set out to build a business empire… For me, building a business is all about doing something to be proud of, bringing talented people together and creating something that’s going to make a real difference to other people’s lives.

I never thought of losing, but now that it‘ s happened, the only thing is to do it right. That’s my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.

It was clear to me that if I could get through Princeton at the top of my class, I could do anything in the world.

If I should ever be captured, I want no negotiation – and if I should request a negotiation from captivity they should consider that a sign of duress.

I grew up where, when a door closed, a window didn’t open. The only thing I had was cracks. I’d do everything to get through those cracks – scratch, claw, bite, push, bleed. Now the opportunity is here. The door is wide open, and it’s as big as a garage.

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‚Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.

The United States and our allies are determined: we refuse to live in the shadow of this ultimate danger.

At one point he decided enough was enough.

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

The struggle alone pleases us, not the victory.

God’s first line of defense – and offense – for every situation is prayer.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.

Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them.

You know, I’m trying to chase rings, and that’s all I’m about. So that’s where the conversation stops for me.

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

I’m not going to stop having problems.

You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.

I had so many people try to talk me out of starting a rocket company, it was crazy.

What starts the process, really, are laughs and slights and snubs when you are a kid. If your anger is deep enough and strong enough, you learn that you can change those attitudes by excellence, personal gut performance.

My father, who was jailed for stealing on more than one occasion, just abandoned his fatherly responsibilities and disappeared. I grew up working from the time I was nine years of age. Money was a big issue everywhere I lived.

You learn to know a pilot in a storm.

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.

Sometimes you have to take two steps back to take ten forward.

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

Get busy living, or get busy dying.

It’s easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.

You either make dust or eat dust.

Do all you can to make your dreams come true.

Eight years ago, you may remember Hillary and I were rivals for the Democratic nomination. We battled for a year and a half. Let me tell you, it was tough, because Hillary was tough. I was worn out. She was doing everything I was doing, but just like Ginger Rogers, it was backwards in heels.

I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.

The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

He who laughs best today, will also laughs last.

What matters in the Sun-tzu universe are not positions of strength and power, but situations in which you have options, full of potential force.

At the end of the day, I understand that life has road blocks, and life is like school – you’ll be tested; we gotta pass it.

You have to stay faithful to what you’re working on.

I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what the injury – unless it’s completely debilitating – I’m going to be the same player I’ve always been. I’ll figure it out. I’ll make some tweaks, some changes, but I’m still coming.

My mother never gave up one me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back.

I have only one understanding of development and of making success, and that’s by going step by step.

I’m not going to get somewhere and say, ‚OK, I’m done.‘ Success is never final; I’ll just keep on going. The same way as failure never being fatal. Just keep going. I’m going to the stars and then past them.

When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money.

I had a rough childhood coming up, and I just took all that negative energy and made it very positive for myself to drive me. I’m a very driven person. I have passion that almost scares people, just to be successful and make it no matter what.

Your decision to be, have and do something out of ordinary entails facing difficulties that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else.

I will prepare and some day my chance will come.

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.

The greatest story of all is Colonel Sanders. He didn’t start until he was sixty-six on a freeway bypass for his chicken shop. Anything is possible!

I don’t mind people hating me, because it pushes me.

By indignities men come to dignities.

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

I will seize fate by the throat; it shall certainly never wholly overcome me.

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

I’ve heard there are troubles of more than one kind; some come from ahead, and some come from behind. But I’ve brought a big bat. I’m all ready, you see; now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!

Keep a good attitude and do the right thing even when it’s hard. When you do that you are passing the test. And God promises you your marked moments are on their way.

With ideas it is like with dizzy heights you climb: At first they cause you discomfort and you are anxious to get down, distrustful of your own powers; but soon the remoteness of the turmoil of life and the inspiring influence of the altitude calm your blood; your step gets firm and sure and you begin to look – for dizzier heights.

Today we did what we had to do. They counted on America to be passive. They counted wrong.

The difference between us and them, between you and success, is not that you never fail, but it’s how you recover from those failures – is that you keep getting up time and time again. You figure out what you did wrong, and then you make it right. I say that to my kids every day.

The day-to-day making of policy is arguing all the time. You’re trying to get the right approach and the right answer, and there are moments that aren’t very pleasant. But in the end, you look at the overall product.

The same law takes place in a system, consisting of many bodies, as in one single body, with regard to their persevering in their state of motion or of rest. For the progressive motion, whether of one single body or of a whole system of bodies, is always to be estimated from the motion of the center of gravity.

It’s hard to tell with these Internet startups if they’re really interested in building companies or if they’re just interested in the money. I can tell you, though: If they don’t really want to build a company, they won’t luck into it. That’s because it’s so hard that if you don’t have a passion, you’ll give up.