We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.

Every man I meet is in some way my superior.

All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.

Do the best you can, and don’t take life too serious.

The happiest people I know as a nation are the Burmese; their brightness and cheeriness are proverbial. Kindness to animals is one of their greatest ‚weaknesses‘; no Burmese will kill an animal, even if it is to put it out of pain.

To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.

Be generous with kindly words, especially about those who are absent.

When the external factors over which one has no control in a way start to become negative, it starts to affect our creative juices.

When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.

I think it matters whether someone has a good heart.

I always seem to get inspiration and renewed vitality by contact with this great novel land of yours which sticks up out of the Atlantic.

On every front there are clear answers out there that can make this country stronger, but we’re going to break through the fear and the frustration people are feeling. Our job is to make sure that even as we make progress, that we are also giving people a sense of hope and vision for the future.

I want to represent… to the kids to draw strength from me. So they can see that everybody goes through something, but you can rise up and do your best. Just try.

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.

Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens.

Children always turn to the light.

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.

I used to – my earliest memory of waking up with a melody in my head was, you know, 8, 9, 10. I’ve always heard kind of melodies in my head.

Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable.

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain.

There is no great genius without some touch of madness.

Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.

People respond when you tell them there is a great future in front of you, you can leave your past behind.

The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.

When nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it.

I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.

I’m not a big believer in trying to jam stuff down somebody’s throat: ‚You’re going to do it my way.‘ I’d rather show by example and live my life and have people say, ‚You know what, I want to live like Joel has. He’s got peace and joy, and he seems content.‘

Music is really driving my whole life.

There are good and bad times, but our mood changes more often than our fortune.

If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you’re a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind.

In acting, you have to pull from real-life situations, from people, to help develop a character.

If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they do possess, they would stop worrying.

Sporadic thoughts will pop into my head and I’ll have to go write something down, and the next thing you know I’ve written a whole song in an hour.

You’ve got to have faith in what you’re doing and not take no for an answer.

I always dreamt of holding the bat and winning games for India. That was my inspiration to take up cricket.

My job is to bring out in people what they wouldn’t dare do themselves.

Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.

Men shrink less from offending one who inspires love than one who inspires fear.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

Autobiographies are only useful as the lives you read about and analyze may suggest to you something that you may find useful in your own journey through life.

I usually don’t like to ‚spoon feed‘ my audience, because I grew up idolizing story tellers who tell stories using symbolism, so it was in my nature to do the same.

The chief glory of every people arises from its authors.

I’m confident with my ability.

If you wished to be loved, love.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.

First and last, what is demanded of genius is love of truth.

Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed.

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.

Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don’t give up the fight.

The man of genius inspires us with a boundless confidence in our own powers.

Step with care and great tact, and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.

If I inspire you, pay for it, period.

If I can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.

When I have an idea, I turn down the flame, as if it were a little alcohol stove, as low as it will go. Then it explodes and that is my idea.

I’m like a recovering perfectionist. For me it’s one day at a time.

The best morale exist when you never hear the word mentioned. When you hear a lot of talk about it, it’s usually lousy.

When you begin to worry, go find something to do. Get busy being a blessing to someone; do something fruitful. Talking about your problem or sitting alone, thinking about it, does no good; it serves only to make you miserable. Above all else, remember that worrying is totally useless. Worrying will not solve your problem.

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.

It’s good to remember that in crises, natural crises, human beings forget for awhile their ignorances, their biases, their prejudices. For a little while, neighbors help neighbors and strangers help strangers.