It is surely a matter of common observation that a man who knows no one thing intimately has no views worth hearing on things in general.

There is no way to penetrate the surface of life but by attacking it earnestly at a particular point.

A strange and somewhat impassive physiognomy is often, perhaps, an advantage to an orator, or leader of any sort, because it helps to fix the eye and fascinate the mind.

One should never criticize his own work except in a fresh and hopeful mood. The self-criticism of a tired mind is suicide.

Failure sometimes enlarges the spirit. You have to fall back upon humanity and God.

An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.

The imaginations which people have of one another are the solid facts of society.

As social beings we live with our eyes upon our reflection, but have no assurance of the tranquillity of the waters in which we see it.

To get away from one's working environment is, in a sense, to get away from one's self; and this is often the chief advantage of travel and change.

Form the habit of making decisions when your spirit is fresh...to let dark moods lead is like choosing cowards to command armies.

Every general increase of freedom is accompanied by some degeneracy, attributable to the same causes as the freedom.

Learn to control the conversation you have with yourself and you will be unstoppable in your pursuits.

But while I have never considered myself a very good person, neither can I bring myself to believe that I am spectacularly bad one. Perhaps it's simply impossible to think of oneself in such a way.

We were enjoying one of those rare summers of utter freedom – no financial responsibility, no debts, no time owing to anybody.

But I want people to understand that poker's not all glamorous, it's not all being on TV and making tons of money. It's a hard life. It's a lot of travel. It's a lot of weird hours.

What I seek to accomplish is simply to serve with my feeble capacity truth and justice, at the risk of pleasing no one.

Whenever you see a toad jumping in broad daylight, then know that something is after its life.

Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.

Details make stories human, and the more human a story can be, the better.

My energy level rises but I get calmer, if that's possible. What a lot of people tend to do is get real tight and get all psyched up and take themselves out of their game.

For me, the world of nature bears spectacular witness to the imaginative genius of our Creator.