Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much. They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than they did… in fact, they admired it.

When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of being a star. I didn’t really know what all that meant. I didn’t know.

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

I once wanted to prove myself by being a great actress. Now I want to prove that I’m a person. Then maybe I’ll be a great actress.

It feels good being a restaurant owner because it’s part of my dreams of being the biggest mogul.

By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination.

No one can guarantee success in war, but only deserve it.

I think everybody deserves an equal amount of appreciation whether how old they are, but I mean, I’m cool with the praise. I’m good.

I believe that God breathed life into every person and that every person is made in the image of God and you have accept them as they are, on their journey. I’m not here to preach hate or push people down.

I think my first thought on reaching the summit- of course, I was very, very pleased to be there, naturally – but my first thought was one of a little bit of surprise. I was a little bit surprised that here I was, Ed Hillary, on top of Mt. Everest. After all, this is the ambition of most mountaineers.

Man never thinks himself happy, but when he enjoys those things which others want or desire.

If our condition were truly happy, we would not seek diversion from it in order to make ourselves happy.

In business, the idea of measuring what you are doing, picking the measurements that count like customer satisfaction and performance… you thrive on that.

It isn’t sufficient just to want – you’ve got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want.

Being acknowledged for your work is always a great accomplishment, whether it’s people in my city, kids in the street, all the way up to the Grammys.

Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn’t matter which color does the hating. It’s just plain wrong.

I don’t stand for the black man’s side, I don‘ t stand for the white man’s side. I stand for God’s side.

Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.

Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.

Bob Dylan is like an alien on this earth, and I love him! I cried when I saw him play live because I was so close to him.

We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

Success is not a stop sign.

When I was 8 years old, I saw ‚Raiders of the Lost Ark‘ in Charlotte, North Carolina. I walked out of there and was so inspired. I loved the movie, and I knew I wanted to be that guy.

This ain’t fun. But you watch me, I’ll get it done.

The greenhorn is the ultimate victor in everything; it is he that gets the most out of life.

There’s been a lot of talk about Jack White wanting to work with me, and I’ve always admired him, and of course, he lives in Nashville, too.

I probably hold the distinction of being one movie star who, by all laws of logic, should never have made it. At each stage of my career, I lacked the experience.

There is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, too, might be admired some day.

Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.

There’s no happier person than a truly thankful, content person.

Whatever good things we build end up building us.

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.

There is more credit and satisfaction in being a first-rate truck driver than a tenth-rate executive.

I want to be part of that long list who have achieved great things with McLaren, won races and championships.

We had hundreds of thousands of people all dedicated to doing the perfect job, and I think they did about as well as anyone could ever have expected.

If cash comes with fame, come fame; if cash comes without fame, come cash.

I say luck is when an opportunity comes along and you’re prepared for it.

Our words have wings, but fly not where we would.

There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.

Ability is nothing without opportunity.

We have two evils to fight, capitalism and racism. We must destroy both racism and capitalism.

But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright Brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

In the white community, the path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination – and current incidents of discrimination, while less overt than in the past – are real and must be addressed.

There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.

There’s a silly notion that failure’s not an option at NASA. Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.

If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven’t done anything today.

Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed.

Becoming an inspiration for kids is great. I want to inspire them to do whatever they want to.

Sometimes I wonder why I’m a novelist right now. There is no definite career reason why I became a writer. Something happened, and I became a writer. And now I’m a successful writer.

If you want to achieve something, you build the basis for it.

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

Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.

You shall, I question not, find a way to the top if you diligently seek for it; for nature hath placed nothing so high that it is out of the reach of industry and valor.

It’s annoying, but justice and equality are mates. Aren’t they? Justice always wants to hang out with equality. And equality is a real pain.

Stupid as a man, say the women: cowardly as a woman, say the men. Stupidity in a woman is unwomanly.

I just feel like, with rappers, there’s so much complacency. It’s like, ‚Oh, I’m a rapper. I’m successful. I make money. That’s all that matters.‘ But there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world. Whether or not you’re aware of it, it’s happening.

You definitely want your kids to understand their heritage, but I don’t want my kids to just focus on being black. They are people. I don’t want them to judge other people or to be judged. I want them to be good people, so good people will treat them accordingly. I preach that to my kids and everything else falls into place.

We believe that every single child has boundless promise, no matter who they are, where they come from, or how much money their parents have. We’ve got to remember that. We believe that each of these young people is a vital part of the great American story.

To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.