“It was bewildering and humbling to keep discovering how many brave things people can fail to talk themselves out of doing.”

“It is so shocking to find out how many people do not believe that they can learn, and how many more believe learning to be difficult.”

“Nowadays children look at everyone in the magazines and they want to be a basketball star or on a television show, but there is only so many people who can do those things and not that you shouldn’t aim or dream for these things, but there are so many other fantastic jobs. So it’s good to talk about how to get there and how difficult it is to get there.”

“Persons of rank do not talk about such trifles as the common people do; but the common people do not busy themselves about such frivolous things as do persons of rank.”

“It's amazing how we can do things simultaneously, like talking and not listening.”

“If men are really humble, they will realize that they discover, but do not create, truth.”

“It is admirable to consider how many Millions of People come into, and go out of the World, Ignorant of themselves, and of the World they have lived in.”

“You've no idea how long life goes on and how many, many changes it brings. Young people seem to imagine that it's over in a flash, that they do this thing, or that thing, and then die, but I can assure you they are quite wrong.”

“We don't want support for scientific research just to keep scientists busy: we want scientists to be looked upon by the public as people who can do things for them that they can't do themselves.”

“It is superfluous to be humble on one's own behalf; so many people are willing to do it for one.”