In truth, politeness is artificial good humor, it covers the natural want of it, and ends by rendering habitual a substitute nearly equivalent to the real virtue.

I know this sounds strange, but as a kid, I was really shy. Painfully shy. The turning point was freshman year, when I was the biggest geek alive. No one, I mean no one, even talked to me.

The person we believe ourselves to be will always act in a manner consistent with our self-image.

The fact is that people are good, Give people affection and security, and they will give affection and be secure in their feelings and their behavior.

Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.

I realized, ‚Yo, I can’t do anything in moderation. I don’t know how.‘

The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day, and of doing good once in a year.

I deeply regret any harm, or any perceived harm, that I may have done to anyone by any behaviour of mine.

Men show their character in nothing more clearly than what they think laughable.

There are some loony people in this world!

Shame may restrain what law does not prohibit.

Virtue is relative to the actions and ages of each of us in all that we do.

Man seems to be capable of great virtues but not of small virtues; capable of defying his torturer but not of keeping his temper.

Some animals are cunning and evil-disposed, as the fox; others, as the dog, are fierce, friendly, and fawning. Some are gentle and easily tamed, as the elephant; some are susceptible of shame, and watchful, as the goose. Some are jealous and fond of ornament, as the peacock.

Suspicion is not less an enemy to virtue than to happiness; he that is already corrupt is naturally suspicious, and he that becomes suspicious will quickly be corrupt.

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

In order to have friends, you must first be one.

The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.

God is the same God, always and everywhere. He is omnipresent not virtually only, but also substantially, for virtue cannot subsist without substance.

Only on paper has humanity yet achieved glory, beauty, truth, knowledge, virtue, and abiding love.

I was in enough to get along with people. I was never socially inarticulate. Not a loner. And that saved my life, saved my sanity. That and the writing. But to this day I distrust anybody who thought school was a good time. Anybody.

Natural ability without education has more often raised a man to glory and virtue than education without natural ability.

The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous.

There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.

Manners require time, and nothing is more vulgar than haste.

Whilst shame keeps its watch, virtue is not wholly extinguished in the heart; nor will moderation be utterly exiled from the minds of tyrants.

Somewhere it is written that parents who are critical of other people’s children and publicly admit they can do better are asking for it.

I am not virtuous. Our sons will be if we shed enough blood to give them the right to be.

Charm is a way of getting the answer ‚Yes‘ without asking a clear question.

For some reason I did something where I realized I could get a reaction. That was when I broke out of my shell at school, because I really didn’t have any friends or anything like that and I just kind of was going along, and then finally I did this zany thing, and all of a sudden I had tons of friends.

I’m the most boring person to talk to.

When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.

As far as I’m concerned, I prefer silent vice to ostentatious virtue.

Words may show a man’s wit but actions his meaning.

The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.

Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.

I do a little thing about the way people shake the sweetener packet. You know, like they’re all excited. I want to get all the granules down to one end. I love all these rituals.

What is the appropriate behavior for a man or a woman in the midst of this world, where each person is clinging to his piece of debris? What’s the proper salutation between people as they pass each other in this flood?

When dealing with the insane, the best method is to pretend to be sane.

There is nothing in which people more betray their character than in what they laugh at.

I’m very much a creature of habit.

But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and preventing communication.

I add this, that rational ability without education has oftener raised man to glory and virtue, than education without natural ability.

The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.

I had a great time being a salesman because of the pitches that I gave when I was selling shoes. However, I don’t think I’m as well versed in shoes as I am in comedy. Being a salesman was all about being a people person, and I enjoy being around people. I also love talking to people – which is why I think I did so well.

The moral disapprobation of society has an impact on behavior in societies.

Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.

We become just by performing just action, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave action.

In my experience, many people confuse being cowardly with being nice.

Personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures.

My mother always told me it wasn’t polite to ask what people make.

I can analyze people’s intentions. Immediately. That’s just a warning. To everyone.

No evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death. He and his are not neglected by the gods.

There is a courtesy of the heart; it is allied to love. From its springs the purest courtesy in the outward behavior.

The difference is too nice – Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.

Temperance is a mean with regard to pleasures.

Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.

I grew up in an environment where being polite was taken as a weakness. So I just fought everybody.

The business schools reward difficult complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.

I’m not a natural joiner.