Ambitious people understand intelligent people far better than intelligent people understand ambitious people; therefore, ambition will always triumph over intelligence. Once you appreciate this reality, civilization becomes clearer and unfortunately, more distressing.

For some people, thinking is effortless — we call them fools.

For others, thinking is harder — we call them students.

For a few, thinking is their labor — we call them scholars.

For a select few, it is not required — we call them tenured.

If we are to be honest, we will conclude that people are capable of anything under any circumstances. Wisdom, motivation, integrity, morality, even self-sacrifice are always in relationship to ‘something.’ Change the ‘something’ and you change the person. The lunatic is sane. The brave are fearful. The pacifist kills.

In any battle, some soldiers will die following orders and others will die because they failed to follow orders. The most tragic deaths occur when there are no orders.

It is better to struggle pursuing what matters than to excel at achieving the inconsequential.

Leadership is not a solo sport; if you lead alone, you are not leading.

Our education serves three purposes. First, we must learn what others think we must know. Second, we cannot profess anything that is not widely accepted. Third, we must learn to hide our own ignorance and never speak about it in public.

Our greatest failing is that we neglect the significance of a question and obsess over the accuracy of the answer. Therefore, we end up being satisfied with remarkably accurate answers to meaningless questions and dissatisfied with imprecise answers that attempt to respond to the important issues.

Science is the struggle to avoid self-delusions or at least not to appear too delusional to others.

Theory shows a way to a goal, but it is not the goal.

Theory offers security, but there are no secure theories.

Theories shed light on the past, but where there is light, there are shadows.

Theory building is an enterprise of such noble stature that the only human activity held in higher regard is theory destruction.

We cannot separate doubt from deception. Doubt robs a man of his confidence; it is a fearful thing. Offer him deception to restore that confidence and he will embrace the falsehood for the comfort it brings. If you would deceive, begin with doubt.

We race toward the future at the velocity of the present.

When the fear of failure triumphs over the repugnance of mediocrity, we must resign ourselves to the status quo. Every change, every opportunity to do something different will send us running to hide beneath a cover of excuses and complacency. Those few courageous souls who delve into the lands where they risk failure, will be soundly ridiculed. They will be condemned not because they dream, but rather for making their dreams real and destroying the illusion that all that can be thought has been thought, all that can be done has been done, and all that can be felt has been felt. In their enthusiastic insolence, they see life filled with infinite possibilities and they know they must chart their own course, even if they must go alone.