Never take anything for granted.

Whether we’re happy with our circumstances or not, giving God praise is so important.

I’ve always felt that if I examine myself too much, I’ll find out what I know and don’t know, and I’ll burst the bubble. I’ve gotten so lucky relying on my animal instincts, I’d rather keep a little bit of the animal alive.

I think there are a number of things that you can do to encourage your kids‘ dreams, but I do believe in speaking by experience of having a lot of help along the way, stumbling in the past. We’ve all stumbled, and we certainly all deserve to get up and walk again.

For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.

Virtue she finds too painful an endeavour, content to dwell in decencies for ever.

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

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.

All honor’s wounds are self-inflicted.

I believe God’s keeping the records, and I believe you will be rewarded even in this life. Somehow, some way, God will make it up to you. It may be He protected you from an accident you never knew. You can’t give God something without God giving you more in return, whether it’s peace or joy or satisfaction.

People should pursue what they’re passionate about. That will make them happier than pretty much anything else.

We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our education system.

Many people in this world are still so identified with every thought that arises in their head. There is not the slightest space of awareness there.

Something I’ve realized lately, to my shock, is that I am an optimist, in that I think humans are almost infinitely capable of self-change and self-modification, and that we really can build the future that we want if we’re smart about it.

As I get older, I tend to put more into family than I used to.

Compassionate listening is to help the other side suffer less. If we realize that other people are the same people as we are, we are no longer angry at them.

There is so much that people take for granted.

A man who is eating or lying with his wife or preparing to go to sleep in humility, thankfulness and temperance, is, by Christian standards, in an infinitely higher state than one who is listening to Bach or reading Plato in a state of pride.

Sometimes, I want to talk on a song and be angry, because I am angry. Then there’s always a part of me that remembers that this record lives past my being angry, and so do I really want to be angry about that? Is that feeling going to have longevity?

The Revlon Run/Walk effort to focus on women’s cancer has my wholehearted support and gratitude.

One advantage in keeping a diary is that you become aware with reassuring clarity of the changes which you constantly suffer.

Custom reconciles us to everything.

Know thyself? If I knew myself I would run away.

In retrospect, I can see I couldn’t talk to people face to face, so I got on stage and started screaming and squealing and twitching about. Ha! Like, that sure made sense!

The most deeply personal of my works are the non-fiction works, the autobiographical works, because there, I’m talking about myself very directly.

A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough.

I’m not a New Age person, but I do believe in meditation, and for that reason I’ve always liked the Buddhist religion. When I’ve been to Japan, I’ve been to Buddhist temples and meditated, and I found that rewarding.

I don’t have any regrets. I made all my own decisions.

‚Victory Lap,‘ even the title. It’s the accumulation of trial and error; that’s what I represent; trial and error.

He who does not mind his belly, will hardly mind anything else.

The reason I became 297 pounds is because that was comfortable. What was very uncomfortable was running. What was very uncomfortable was being on a diet. What was very uncomfortable was trying to face things that I didn’t want to face. And I also realized, when I was really big, I had no growth. Why? Because I was living comfortable.

The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.

From my close observation of writers… they fall into two groups: 1) those who bleed copiously and visibly at any bad review, and 2) those who bleed copiously and secretly at any bad review.

What humility does for one is it reminds us that there are people before me. I have already been paid for. And what I need to do is prepare myself so that I can pay for someone else who has yet to come but who may be here and needs me.

When I inspire myself, I want to spread the word because its important to be healthy. I don’t think they’re teaching us enough about that. I think we should eat better and exercise. Look who’s saying that – a guy who was 300 pounds – but I’m doing a lot better than I used to. I’m letting people know its important because it makes you feel better.

I admire people who destroy themselves.

We all have a tendency to avoid our weaknesses. When we do that, we never progress or get any better.

I’ve been a lot more into Facebook and Twitter and Instagram, which was a bit complicated for me to understand the language of each social media, because they all talk in different ways. It’s a nice way for me to tell people I appreciate them, which I forget to do sometimes.

I never saw myself as a folk singer.

These things bring you to reality as to how fragile you are; at the same moment you are doing something that nobody else is able to do. The same moment that you are seen as the best, the fastest and somebody that cannot be touched, you are enormously fragile.

He has the most who is most content with the least.

I’m kind of fascist with myself, you know.

A lot of the problems I had with fame I was bringing on myself. A lot of self-loathing, a lot of woe-is-me. Now I’m learning to see the positive side of things, instead of, like, ‚I can’t go to Kmart. I can’t take my kids to the haunted house.‘

Let go of offence. Let go of fear. Let go of revenge. Don’t live angry, let go now!

Responsibility, I believe, accrues through privilege.

When your higher self is present, it always promotes peace.

The true art of memory is the art of attention.

As much as it might look like, to someone else, that I’m successful, I never feel like I’m anywhere. The further I go, I still feel equally further from my eventual goal. Because as I grow, I get more goals. I’m never content.

We rarely confide in those who are better than we are.

I have a strong feeling that I shall be glad when I am dead and done for – scrapped at last to make room for somebody better, cleverer, more perfect than myself.

The experience of pain or loss can be a formidably motivating force.

I wish they would only take me as I am.

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.

We are rarely proud when we are alone.

The man who is dissatisfied with himself, what can he do?

If you look at my life, generally, I’ve been put in situations which were difficult and which I conquered.

I’ve been called a recluse. There’s definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.

I was never particularly fond of my voice.

Timidity makes a person modest. It makes him or her say, ‚I’m not worthy of being written up in the record of deeds in heaven or on earth.‘ Timidity keeps people from their good. They are afraid to say, ‚Yes, I deserve it.‘

Pay attention, don’t let life go by you. Fall in love with the back of your cereal box.

Sometimes I’m fascinated with how famous my work could be while I’m not so famous.