I wouldn’t say that I am one of the greatest dancers, but I am really quite good at what I do.

I know I do not exaggerate, unconsciously and unintentionally, the scantiness of my resources and the difficulty of my life… I know that, but for the mercy of God, I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a vagabond.

Your entire life only happens in this moment. The present moment is life itself. Yet, people live as if the opposite were true and treat the present moment as a stepping stone to the next moment – a means to an end.

We’re so trendy we can’t even escape ourselves.

I’m trying to keep a level head. You have to be careful out in the world. It’s so easy to get turned.

Man’s enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.

It was one of those evenings when men feel that truth, goodness and beauty are one. In the morning, when they commit their discovery to paper, when others read it written there, it looks wholly ridiculous.

We fear to know the fearsome and unsavory aspects of ourselves, but we fear even more to know the godlike in ourselves.

I don’t think I’m such an amazing person who needs to be written about.

There are two kinds of people in this world. ‚I‘ people and ‚we‘ people. I’ve always tried to be a ‚we‘ person.

It seems to me that terrestrial beings, as they become more autonomous, psychologically richer, shut themselves up in a way against one another, and at the same time gradually become strangers to the cosmic environment and currents, impenetrable to one another, and incapable of exteriorizing themselves.

When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it – this is knowledge.

I think I’m pretty smart. I think I’m pretty clever. But there’s a lot that you hone in on when you finish your education.

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.

Whatever talents I possess may suddenly diminish or suddenly increase. I can with ease become an ordinary fool. I may be one now. But it doesn’t do to upset one’s own vanity.

Aside from singing, I’m also a dancer. I’ve been dancing since I was 8.

Be smarter than other people, just don’t tell them so.

By the time you’ve reached your sixties, you do know that one day you will die, and knowing that is at least the beginning of wisdom.

Every mind must make its choice between truth and repose. It cannot have both.

I always have a full-length mirror next to the camera when I’m doing publicity stills. That way, I know how I look.

If I had any talent that God could give me, I would be a great diva.

You always have to remember that if you say something negative, it’s going to come back to haunt you.

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.

When I was very young I was sort of floored by the fact that my mother and my father and everyone I knew was going to die one day, and myself too. I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn’t believe that we were mortal.

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

I’m no leader; I’m a little humble follower.

God is not on the side of the big battalions, but on the side of those who shoot best.

At 30 a man should know himself like the palm of his hand, know the exact number of his defects and qualities, know how far he can go, foretell his failures – be what he is. And, above all, accept these things.

Everyone knows nowadays that people ‚have complexes‘. What is not so well known, though far more important theoretically, is that complexes can have us.

A lot of times, people make other people responsible for their joy: ‚You’re not making me happy, you’re not doing this, you’re not doing that.‘

The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection.

You know, my family and friends have never been yes-men: ‚Yes, you’re doing the right thing, you’re always right.‘ No, they tell me when I’m wrong, and that’s why I’ve been able to stay who I am and stay humble.

Our greatest evils flow from ourselves.

Basically you have to suppress your own ambitions in order to be who you need to be.

If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a transformation.

I’m an emotional person.

We must, all of us, learn actually not to have enemies, but only confused adversaries who are ourselves in disguise.

Our brains are either our greatest assets or our greatest liabilities.

Love is a state of being.

Being a full human being is difficult, frightening, and problematical.

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.

My purpose is to help people look at themselves and begin to shift their concepts. Remember, we are not our country, our race, or religion. We are eternal spirits. Seeing ourselves as spiritual beings without label is a way to transform the world and reach a sacred place for all of humanity.

A true artist is expected to be all that is noble-minded, and this is not altogether a mistake; on the other hand, however, in what a mean way are critics allowed to pounce upon us.

Don’t ever forget two things I’m going to tell you. One, don’t believe everything that’s written about you. Two, don’t pick up too many checks.

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man.

Performing is a thing in itself, a distinct skill, different from making recordings. And for those who can do it, it’s a way to make a living.

I don’t dabble and spend much mind or time dealing with, I don’t know, people’s perceptions of me. I truly don’t.

Compared to what we ought to be, we are half awake.

You have a nice personality, but not for a human being.

I’m not in it for fame. I’ve been famous in the streets already.

Most of one’s life is one prolonged effort to prevent oneself thinking.

There’s a deceptive sin that can keep us from walking in love: pride. It’s deceptive because when you have pride, you’re usually too proud to admit it. I know this because I used to have teachings on pride and they didn’t sell well.

Catering to bad feelings feeds and empowers them.

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.

We rarely confide in those who are better than we are.

I have an existential map. It has ‚You are here‘ written all over it.

In one way, I suppose, I have been ‚in denial‘ for some time, knowingly burning the candle at both ends and finding that it often gives a lovely light.

I actually don’t want a throne at all, because I don’t view myself as a queen; I view myself as one of my fans.

We have to confront ourselves. Do we like what we see in the mirror? And, according to our light, according to our understanding, according to our courage, we will have to say yea or nay – and rise!

I’m honest enough to say I don’t know everything. You know, I don’t. I don’t understand all of God. I don’t understand, you know, some kind of why bad things happen.

I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing.