If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.

My goal is to entertain myself and others.

Adventuring can be for the ordinary person with ordinary qualities, such as I regard myself.

If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.

Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting in a particular way.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

Forgiveness is not a feeling – it’s a decision we make because we want to do what’s right before God. It’s a quality decision that won’t be easy and it may take time to get through the process, depending on the severity of the offense.

Who can exhaust a man? Who knows a man’s resources?

Fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.

I love California, I practically grew up in Phoenix.

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

A warrior is not a person that carries a gun. The biggest war you ever go through is right between your own ears. It’s in your mind. We’re all going through a war in our mind, and we have to callus our mind to fight that war and to win that war.

The temptation to take the easy road is always there. It is as easy as staying in bed in the morning and sleeping in. But discipline is paramount to ultimate success and victory for any leader and any team.

Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don’t fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgement, repeated every day.

The best way out of a difficulty is through it.

Everything’s fine today, that is our illusion.

The utmost extent of man’s knowledge, is to know that he knows nothing.

I’m very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That’s my cultural historical background, my genetic makeup, but it’s not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question.

The problem with me, as far as getting married and having a family, is that my comedy is so important to me. So I don’t know if I’ll ever be as good a dad as my dad.

I’m always disappointed when people don’t live up to their potential. I know that a number of people look down on themselves and consequently on everybody who looks like them. But that, too, can change.

Every person above the ordinary has a certain mission that they are called to fulfill.

Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire.

I think as long as I do a good job and put in all my effort to proving that I’m worth it, then everything should be fine.

You don’t sign up for a divorce when you get married. It’s very painful. But it’s taught me a great deal about myself.

I pass my life in preventing the storm from blowing down the tent, and I drive in the pegs as fast as they are pulled up.

Pretension is a poor joke that you play on yourself. Snap out of it. Recognise your strengths, work on your weaknesses. Real achievement is liking what you see in the mirror every morning.

Every time somebody speaks of my honesty, there is someone who quivers inside me.

Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.

Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those who we cannot resemble.

Within all of us is a divine capacity to manifest and attract all that we need and desire.

I’ve done some analysis of the biblical stories as part of my psychological work. I knew that I had more to do, and every time I’ve done it, it’s been extremely valuable. It makes me a better teacher because I have a richer understanding of cultural history.

In the child, consciousness rises out of the depths of unconscious psychic life, at first like separate islands, which gradually unite to form a ‚continent,‘ a continuous landmass of consciousness. Progressive mental development means, in effect, extension of consciousness.

Many people identify their sense of self with the problems they have, or think they have.

Little minds have little worries, big minds have no time for worries.

Meditation has been a loyal friend to me. It has helped me write my books.

I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.

You live and learn. At any rate, you live.

The only cure for contempt is counter-contempt.

Things that I felt absolutely sure of but a few years ago, I do not believe now. This thought makes me see more clearly how foolish it would be to expect all men to agree with me.

For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.

A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.

If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.

Playing Etta James in the movie ‚Cadillac Records‘ really changed me. It was a darker character, and I realized that if anything is too comfortable, I want to run from it. It’s no fun being safe.

Remember you are just an extra in everyone else’s play.

What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it.

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.

Humility may well be one of the most difficult of the fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in us – and to maintain. That’s because without humility, it’s not likely that you will put your complete trust in God.

I’ve arrived at the place if I’m not taking a career risk, I’m not happy. If I’m scared, then I know I’m being challenged.

Personal success or personal satisfaction are not worth another thought if one does achieve them, or worth worrying about if they evade one or are slow in coming. All that is really worth while is action – faithful action, for the world, and in God.

I don’t really focus on these things – on what tags are given to me or what people think of me off the field – stuff like that. My main focus is always to do well on the field for the Indian cricket team. When people say good things about me off the field, I am more than happy to accept them.

I respect myself and insist upon it from everybody. And because I do it, I then respect everybody, too.

Real riches are the riches possessed inside.

I’m not going to change the world. You’re not going to change the world. But we can help – we can all help.

Fear? If I have gained anything by damning myself, it is that I no longer have anything to fear.

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.

It creeps me out sometimes to think of the person I was. I was a terrible person. I was mean to people.

I never knew a more presumptuous person than myself. The fact that I say that shows that what I say is true.

It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.

First and foremost, we need to be the adults we want our children to be. We should watch our own gossiping and anger. We should model the kindness we want to see.

What kind of people do they think we are? Is it possible they do not realize that we shall never cease to persevere against them until they have been taught a lesson which they and the world will never forget?