Martyrdom is the only way a man can become famous without ability.

Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.

We have a big appetite for putting people down but, at the heart of everyone, there’s enough room for all of us to succeed.

I’m not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues.

No great man ever complains of want of opportunity.

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.

Let man live at a distance from God, and the universe remains neutral or hostile to him. But let man believe in God, and immediately all around him the elements, even the irksome, of the inevitable organize themselves into a friendly whole, ordered to the ultimate success of life.

I don’t think about that. I wasn’t a kid growing up saying one day I’ll get an Oscar and make a speech. That wasn’t on my mind. So what I do is the best work I can do.

Success isn’t supposed to happen, no matter how hard you work. There’s no guarantee you’re going to succeed. There’s nothing set in stone.

It doesn’t matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going.

I’m the most recognized and loved man that ever lived cuz there weren’t no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn’t know about them.

The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.

We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don’t want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential.

All I can do is try to create my own brand and have people appreciate me for that.

Give a boy address and accomplishments and you give him the mastery of palaces and fortunes where he goes.

All men are prepared to accomplish the incredible if their ideals are threatened.

With public sentiment, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.

I was a little worried that young people would think the only game was being political and manipulative when really the bigger game is being so good at what you do that nobody can argue with your results.

What life half gives a man, posterity gives entirely.

There is nothing impossible to him who will try.

What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.

Believe it or not, I was just given an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Tennessee.

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

Nothing will work unless you do.

I’m proud to play for Real Madrid because I have fun; when you no longer have fun it’s a sign that it’s time to leave. For now though, I’m happy here at the greatest club in the world.

Fame hit me like a ton of bricks.

By appreciation, we make excellence in others our own property.

I believe that every one of us has a gift. And I believe that mine is the ability to take the complex and make it simple.

The principle of all successful effort is to try to do not what is absolutely the best, but what is easily within our power, and suited for our temperament and condition.

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.

If you carefully consider what you want to be said of you in the funeral experience, you will find your definition of success.

I firmly believe that unless one has tasted the bitter pill of failure, one cannot aspire enough for success.

Well begun is half done.

If you have a success you have it for the wrong reasons. If you become popular it is always because of the worst aspects of your work.

Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.

You don’t know when you’re being watched. That’s one of the weird things about celebrity. It’s my least favorite part of acting, celebrity.

But, you know, you can’t be a star at home.

Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.

We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.

In order for me to be successful… In order to be a great artist – musician, actor, painter, whatever – you must be able to be private in public at all times. That is what we do.

I’ve watched a lot of people who became famous who completely change and I think it’s because they tend to believe all the hype that’s out there. I don’t think there’s that much hype about me.

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.

Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory.

The most talented do not always end up as celebrities, and those with less talent often do. Upsets are written into our history and occur around us every day.

It confuses me and disappoints me when somebody says, ‚What does he do? What does he do?‘ My records are some of the biggest anthems ever. What do you think, they magically just appear? Obama walked out to my record.

One thing I just want to say to the military families – while you might not wear a uniform, I know – we all know, the nation knows – that you serve and sacrifice right alongside of your loved ones. And we are so grateful and proud of all of you for your service to this nation.

Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.

What one has, one ought to use: and whatever he does he should do with all his might.

My success rate speaks for itself.

You can’t knock on opportunity’s door and not be ready.

We give speeches and pin ribbons onto uniforms, etch names into walls. And all that is fine, but too often, all those tributes, all those words aren’t always backed up by action. And that felt like such a stark contrast to me, because, as we all know, our military is all about action.

Too many people measure how successful they are by how much money they make or the people that they associate with. In my opinion, true success should be measured by how happy you are.

I’m not going to get somewhere and say, ‚OK, I’m done.‘ Success is never final; I’ll just keep on going. The same way as failure never being fatal. Just keep going. I’m going to the stars and then past them.

To not follow your passion in life is a recipe for failure and unhappiness.

Men are born to succeed, not to fail.

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.

When you are aspiring to the highest place, it is honorable to reach the second or even the third rank.

I hate being called an ‚icon.‘ I just don’t like it. That’s all there is to it.

Once you start a working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.

Ability without honor is useless.