Whatever talents I possess may suddenly diminish or suddenly increase. I can with ease become an ordinary fool. I may be one now. But it doesn’t do to upset one’s own vanity.

I’ve had no contact with my daughter for years. That’s her choice. Anyway, you move on. If people don’t want to bother with me, fine. You know, God bless them, and move on.

Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.

Don’t despair, not even over the fact that you don’t despair.

For an author, the nice characters aren’t much fun. What you want are the screwed up characters. You know, the characters that are constantly wondering if what they are doing is the right thing, characters that are not only screwed up but are self-tapping screws. They’re doing it for themselves.

I like pushing boundaries.

In each action we must look beyond the action at our past, present, and future state, and at others whom it affects, and see the relations of all those things. And then we shall be very cautious.

If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?

Experience, as a desire for experience, does not come off. We must not study ourselves while having an experience.

I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter. To be on that list, you have to love me for my strengths and struggles.

The people of Northern Ireland have sorted out my whole life.

I think there is a lot made out of age, and what age you feel.

O‘ What may man within him hide, though angel on the outward side!

Truthfully, without over-egging it, as I often do, the library and journalism, those things made me who I am.

This above all; to thine own self be true.

History will point out some of the things I did wrong and some of the things I did right.

There are some Christian people who taste and see and enjoy religion in their own souls, and who get at a deeper knowledge of it than books can ever give them, though they should search all their days.

What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal.

The real truths of life are never entirely new to you or to anybody because there is a level deep down within you where you already know all the things, all those spiritual truths that you read or hear, and then recognize them. I say ‚recognize‘ because you’re not… it’s not new.

When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.

We’re all insecure, aren’t we? I’m not walking around like I’m macho man or anything.

A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?

One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them.

Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.

A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married.

Being humble matters.

A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.

I’m a spokesman for myself. It just so happens that there’s a bunch of people that are concerned with what I have to say. I find that frightening at times because I’m just as confused as most people. I don’t have the answers for anything.

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.

Habit is a second nature that destroys the first. But what is nature? Why is habit not natural? I am very much afraid that nature itself is only a first habit, just as habit is a second nature.

He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals.

As a matter of self-preservation, a man needs good friends or ardent enemies, for the former instruct him and the latter take him to task.

At some point, you grow out of being attracted to that flame that burns you over and over and over again.

My number one thing? Don’t overleverage yourself. Don’t say you can do something when you really can’t.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.

My main goal is to be a self-made man and have control over what’s mine.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Whatever good things we build end up building us.

Acting helped me as I was growing up. It helped me learn about myself, helped me travel, helped me understand life, express myself, all those wonderful things. So I’m very, very grateful; it’s a fun job. It’s a luxury.

He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.

Basically, when you get to my age, you’ll really measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you.

It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.

The finite is annihilated in the presence of the infinite, and becomes a pure nothing. So our spirit before God, so our justice before divine justice.

It’s only I have seen enough of it and the funny thing is now, I know that I’m skinny, because I know there are even smaller clothes in the store. I think I’m big, when I was big, I never thought about it.

God enters by a private door into every individual.

I used to feel unsafe right in the moment of an accomplishment – I felt the ground fall from under my feet because this could be the end. And even now, while everyone is celebrating, I’m on to the next thing. I don’t want to get lost in this big cushion of success.

If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.

When one’s expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have.

All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

If I wouldn’t have found Courtney, I probably would have carried on with a bisexual lifestyle.

Take time to gather up the past so that you will be able to draw from your experience and invest them in the future.

I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb… and I also know that I’m not blonde.

Books can only reveal us to ourselves, and as often as they do us this service we lay them aside.

There’s something which impels us to show our inner souls. The more courageous we are, the more we succeed in explaining what we know.

I’m reflective only in the sense that I learn to move forward. I reflect with a purpose.

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

To be idle and to be poor have always been reproaches, and therefore every man endeavors with his utmost care to hide his poverty from others, and his idleness from himself.

I don’t really read a lot of newspapers. I don’t pay attention to what is being said or written about me. I’ve had lots of experiences in the past when I got too much into it. That sort of diverts your focus.

I put a lot of pressure on myself. I think something’s not good enough, and I won’t stop until I feel like I’ve made it. I’m never satisfied.