All I ever wanted to do with my life was own a little house. I did that way back with ‚Rocky,‘ so now everything I do is just icing on the cake.

I would rather try to persuade a man to go along, because once I have persuaded him, he will stick. If I scare him, he will stay just as long as he is scared, and then he is gone.

Over the years I’ve learned how to lock myself up in a prison of hope, knowing that God has nothing but His best planned for me. He promised me things concerning my ministry and my life.

We have art in order not to die of the truth.

I think people inspire me the most. If I meet a person who is incredibly complex, and all of a sudden, I start thinking in rhymes, that person could be a muse.

It’s stasis that kills you off in the end, not ambition.

I’m always trying. Between every book, I think, ‚Well now, it’s time to get down to the serious stuff.‘

To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.

Music has the power to inspire the world.

Dreams are the guiding words of the soul. Why should I henceforth not love my dreams and not make their riddling images into objects of my daily consideration?

There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere.

Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal growth.

I strongly believe that missionaries make better products. They care more. For a missionary, it’s not just about the business. There has to be a business, and the business has to make sense, but that’s not why you do it. You do it because you have something meaningful that motivates you.

Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.

Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still.

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.

Work aside, we come to New York for the possibility of interaction and inspiration.

Riches don’t make a man rich, they only make him busier.

One of the things you do when you make a piece of art is you try to make the world you’d rather be in.

Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see.

I can make something magical and wonderful out of nothing.

I don’t think you should spend your life praying for things, but I do believe you should thank God for what He’s given you… but I think the scripture teaches us that we can pray for our dreams, pray for the big things… he’s not a small God; this God is incredible.

Trust in dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.

Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.

A day without laughter is a day wasted.

I always make my dreams into goals.

An ass may bray a good while before he shakes the stars down.

There is no victory at bargain basement prices.

I had to get rich so I could sing like I was poor again.

Every man is said to have his peculiar ambition. Whether it be true or not, I can say, for one, that I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow-men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem. How far I shall succeed in gratifying this ambition is yet to be developed.

Losers are people who are afraid of losing.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.

I feel that I’ve done what I wanted to do, and that makes me feel fairly content.

With self-discipline most anything is possible.

Children always turn to the light.

I can never say ‚why‘ about anything I do. I suppose I can say ‚how‘ and ‚when‘ and ‚what.‘ But ‚why‘ is impenetrable to me.

From things that have happened and from things as they exist and from all things that you know and all those you cannot know, you make something through your invention that is not a representation but a whole new thing truer than anything true and alive, and you make it alive, and if you make it well enough, you give it immortality.

March on. Do not tarry. To go forward is to move toward perfection. March on, and fear not the thorns, or the sharp stones on life’s path.

America has tossed its cap over the wall of space.

It’s not essential for me to have a big debut week; it’s not essential for me to have big radio records.

A lot of artists fail when they try to act, and they flop. So when I get into acting, it’s going to be to do it well, something good, something of quality. I want people to say, ‚Wow, that movie‘ – or that show or whatever – ‚turned out really well.‘

As is the case with most people in this game, I am driven by financial motives and creative motives; the question I had to answer is which motive I will give priority to?

Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.

When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.

The U. S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.

Whenever I write a novel, music just sort of naturally slips in (much like cats do, I suppose).

I believe in Coach Louis Wong. He is so much more than just a football coach.

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.

Ability is nothing without opportunity.

There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.

You start to become successful, and everybody starts to drive your money train to the bank, and they’re not thinking anymore about what you want as an artist or if any of that even matters to you. It genuinely upsets people in my life that I don’t care about money, and that’s not my problem.

A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.

A man’s worth is no greater than his ambitions.

You should treat a muse like a fairy.

O! for a muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention.

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

I can do whatever I want.

Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.

That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

I’m really bad with answering questions. Usually, I don’t even answer them. I try to find inspiration inside of the question. I think, and I jump from one beam of inspiration or energy to the next, as opposed to explaining the energy.

I never expected any sort of success with ‚Mockingbird’… I sort of hoped someone would like it enough to give me encouragement.