Many people resented my impatience and honesty, but I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect.

Our passions are like convulsion fits, which, though they make us stronger for a time, leave us the weaker ever after.

I always try to do as much as I can do. I’m never a person that does not enough, because I’d regret not doing enough and think I probably could have done more. I probably go too far and have to reel myself back in, which works in some things, and other things it doesn’t work.

I have survivor’s curiosity, I guess.

Don’t wait to be successful at some future point. Have a successful relationship with the present moment and be fully present in whatever you are doing. That is success.

I had a really good childhood up until I was nine, then a classic case of divorce really affected me.

I like to write about love and love lost because I feel like there are so many different subcategories of emotions that you can possibly delve into.

You can never get enough of what you don’t want.

The closest I ever came to getting married was just before I started singing. In fact, my first record saved my neck.

I was raised to be independent.

I’m not the most patient of people.

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.

Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting down just to think is one of the best ways of keeping yourself fresh and able, to be able to address the problems facing you, and you had the opportunity, also, of examining your past.

My thing is this; if I’m sick enough to think it, then I’m sick enough to say it.

I shall the effect of this good lesson keeps as watchman to my heart.

The greatest of faults, I should say, is to be conscious of none.

One can be instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude.

I feel confident imposing change on myself. It’s a lot more fun progressing than looking back. That’s why I need to throw curve balls.

It is impossible to underrate human intelligence – beginning with one’s own.

I’m an introvert somewhat. There could be a room full of people, I’ll go stand in the corner.

Listening to and understanding our inner sufferings will resolve most of the problems we encounter.

My father had died, and very swiftly, too, of cancer of the esophagus. He was 79. I am 61. In whatever kind of a ‚race‘ life may be, I have very abruptly become a finalist.

I made a commitment to completely cut out drinking and anything that might hamper me from getting my mind and body together. And the floodgates of goodness have opened upon me – spiritually and financially.

I’m on record that it didn’t really traumatize me to do away with some people.

No face which we can give to a matter will stead us so well at last as the truth. This alone wears well.

One of the many lessons that one learns in prison is, that things are what they are and will be what they will be.

The mind of a 19-year-old is very different from the mind of a 26-year-old. You grow. You get into better relationships. You experience more, meet more people, better people. But when you’re in a dark hole at an earlier point in your life – you write about the mindset you’re in at that moment.

I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.

Life is too short for long-term grudges.

Do not be very upright in your dealings for you would see by going to the forest that straight trees are cut down while crooked ones are left standing.

I love getting out of my comfort zone.

There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means – either may do – the result is the same and it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier.

It’s always appealing to play a character that has to overcome himself as well as an obstacle. It makes the drama so much deeper.

‚Trilogy‘ was more of a claustrophobic body of work. Before it was released, I hadn’t left my city for 21 years, and I had never been on a plane, not once. I spent my entire life on one setting; that’s probably why pieces of the album feel like one long track, because that’s what my life felt like. It felt like one long song.

Life is not accumulation, it is about contribution.

Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain.

I’ve always wanted to live above my means because it inspired me to work harder.

I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born.

I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else – God is in this person’s life. You can – you must – try to seek God in every human life.

I don’t write so much now. I’m getting on 33, pot belly and creeping dementia.

My life is mine to remember.

My music seems to have a bigger mission than I have, which is very soothing but also very strange because people see more in me than I see, which can be terrifying.

I have never been able to renounce the light, the pleasure of being, and the freedom in which I grew up.

I’m not claiming divinity. I’ve never claimed purity of soul. I’ve never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can… But I still believe in peace, love and understanding.

I think everyone should be with who they love.

Through my films I’m eventually trying to one day tell the truth. I don’t know if I’m ever going to get there, but I’m slowly letting pieces of myself out there and then maybe by the time I’m 85, I’ll look back and say, ‚All right, that about sums it up.‘

Whatever is making you so angry, it’s time for you to give it to God and get over it.

I exhort you also to take part in the great combat, which is the combat of life, and greater than every other earthly conflict.

I’ll die a crazy old man!

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

We should learn to accept that change is truly the only thing that’s going on always, and learn to ride with it and enjoy it.

Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don’t have brains enough to be honest.

Honor thy error as a hidden intention.

If you ever injected truth into politics you have no politics.

It’s a philosophy of life. A practice. If you do this, something will change, what will change is that you will change, your life will change, and if you can change you, you can perhaps change the world.

In order that all men may be taught to speak the truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.

I have a personal ambition to live my life honestly and honor the true love that I’ve had and also the people I’ve had around me.

I’ve been called a recluse. There’s definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.

It were a real increase of human happiness, could all young men from the age of nineteen be covered under barrels, or rendered otherwise invisible; and there left to follow their lawful studies and callings, till they emerged, sadder and wiser, at the age of twenty-five.

I am a big believer in education, because when I grew up in Austria – when I grew up in Austria I had a great education. I had great teachers.

The honest poor can sometimes forget poverty. The honest rich can never forget it.