Try to become not a man of success, but try rather to become a man of value.

Every one of us is precious in the cosmic perspective. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another.

Three-fourths of the people you will ever meet are hungering and thirsting for sympathy. Give it to them, and they will love you.

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.

Money doesn't change men, it merely unmasks them. If a man is naturally selfish or arrogant or greedy, the money brings that out, that's all.

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.

God has no use for the prayers of the people who won't listen to Him.

The unvarnished truth is that almost all the people you meet feel themselves superior to you in some way, and a sure way to their hearts is to let them realize in some subtle way that you recognize their importance, and recognize it sincerely.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

It is better to stay silent and let people think you are an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

If you're going to tell people the truth, you better make them laugh; otherwise they'll kill you.

If I'd asked people what they wanted, they would have asked for a better horse.

In heaven all the interesting people are missing.

I tell you: one must have chaos in one, to give birth to a dancing star.

It is not enough to prove something, one has also to seduce or elevate people to it.

No one talks more passionately about his rights than he who in the depths of his soul doubts whether he has any.

Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

You can tell people they are wrong by a look or an intonation or a gesture just as eloquently as you can in words - and if you tell them they are wrong, do you make them want to agree with you? Never! For you have struck a direct blow at their intelligence, judgment, pride and self-respect. That will make them want to strike back. But it will never make them want to change their minds. You may then hurl at them all the logic of a Plato or an Immanuel Kant, but you will not alter their opinions, for you have hurt their feelings.

People are very fond of giving away what they need most themselves.

A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.

So the only way on earth to influence other people is to talk about what they want and show them how to get it.

No one can be perfectly free till all are free; no one can be perfectly moral till all are moral; no one can be perfectly happy till all are happy.

It's my experience that folks who have no vices have generally very few virtues.

Some are born posthumously.