There is only one failure in life possible, and that is not to be true to the best one knows.

Reality has a way of intruding. Reality eventually intrudes on everything.

It’s true my father abused me and didn’t love and protect me the way he should have, and at times it seemed no one would ever help me and it would never end. But God always had a plan for my life, and He has redeemed me.

A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.

Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will.

It is very hard to not be able to engage with people in a real and honest way because they either want something from me, or they see me as something that I simply am not.

A ‚No‘ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‚Yes‘ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.

I’ve learned a lot since I was a new mother. My approach to struggle and shame now is to talk to yourself like you’d talk to someone you love and reach out to tell your story.

Why do I not seek some real good; one which I could feel, not one which I could display?

There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.

Die to everything of yesterday so that your mind is always fresh, always young, innocent, full of vigor and passion.

A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.

People can cry much easier than they can change.

Testing oneself is best when done alone.

If I get stuck, I look at a book that tells me how someone else did it. I turn the pages, and then I say, ‚Oh, I forgot that bit,‘ then close the book and carry on. Finally, after you’ve figured out how to do it, you read how they did it and find out how dumb your solution is and how much more clever and efficient theirs is!

I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.

I know now that there is no one thing that is true – it is all true.

The formation of one’s character ought to be everyone’s chief aim.

I feel like in my music I can be a rebel. I can say things I wouldn’t say in real life.

We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.

Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young.

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.

Death most resembles a prophet who is without honor in his own land or a poet who is a stranger among his people.

Every man’s memory is his private literature.

It’s in responsibility that most people find the meaning that sustains them through life. It’s not in happiness. It’s not in impulsive pleasure.

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.

I’m not a person who defends myself very often. I kind of let my actions speak for me.

The power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment: You create a good future by creating a good present.

I’m interested in two things. I’m interested in truth and I’m interested in fairness.

We do not yet possess ourselves, and we know at the same time that we are much more.

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?

A cat is only itself, representative of the strong forces of life that won’t let go.

Running taught me valuable lessons. In cross-country competition, training counted more than intrinsic ability, and I could compensate for a lack of natural aptitude with diligence and discipline. I applied this in everything I did.

How to gain, how to keep, how to recover happiness is in fact for most men at all times the secret motive of all they do, and of all they are willing to endure.

I can’t keep somebody from being a star, and I can’t make somebody a star, and nobody can.

As long as I’m learning something, I figure I’m OK – it’s a decent day.

Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!

It’s amazing: I am a New Yorker. It’s strange; I never thought I would be.

I have made the mistaken assumption – and I will attempt to be better at this – of thinking that because somebody is on Twitter and is attacking me that it is open season. And that is my mistake.

The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.

To be renewed is everything. What more could one ask for than to have one’s youth back again?

Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who really apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and death.

When a team takes ownership of its problems, the problem gets solved. It is true on the battlefield, it is true in business, and it is true in life.

There’s room for role models who make mistakes.

I have so much in my life. I want to be of value to the world.

Relationships are the hallmark of the mature person.

Richard Nixon is a no good, lying bastard. He can lie out of both sides of his mouth at the same time, and if he ever caught himself telling the truth, he’d lie just to keep his hand in.

To love one that is great, is almost to be great one’s self.

The man who has won millions at the cost of his conscience is a failure.

To me, a leader is someone who holds her- or himself accountable for finding potential in people and processes. And so what I think is really important is sustainability.

Find out who you are. And do it on purpose.

Those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.

Biographies, as generally written, are not only misleading but false… In most instances, they commemorate a lie and cheat posterity out of the truth.

Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.

Falsehood is cowardice, the truth courage.

Things won’t get better dwelling on the past. Accept what has happened. Then move forward.

All of our problems start in our minds.

No man who worships education has got the best out of education… Without a gentle contempt for education no man’s education is complete.

Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbour to have them through envy.

Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.

My lectures, based on Islamic teachings, were on various subjects. Some of the titles were, ‚The Intoxication of Life,‘ ‚The Purpose of Life,‘ ‚The Real Cause of Man’s Distress,‘ ‚The Journey to the Goal in Life,‘ and, one of my favorites, ‚The Heart of Man.‘ They contained important insights that spoke to something deep inside me.