“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”

“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself, believe.”

“Bless yourself first before expecting God to bless you.”

“You don't psych yourself up for these things, you do them… I'm acting for the audience, not for myself, and I do it as directly as I can.”

“Give them food what you have for yourself, and clothe them by which you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do not revile them.”

“You can curse the dead or pray for them, but don't expect them to do a thing for you. They're far too interested in watching us, to see what in heaven's name we will do next.”

“It is easier with strangers, for they touch your life but for an instant. You will not disappoint them, for you owe them nothing; neither do they expect anything. Friends you can hurt, for they expect everything.”

“The Way of Mastery is to break all the rules—but you have to know them perfectly before you can do this; otherwise you are not in a position to transcend them.”

“If you want to be proud of yourself, then do things in which you can take pride”

“If you're crazy, there's two things you can do to make yourself feel better: One is to get yourself cured. The other is to make everyone you have to deal with crazy.”