“Geniuses and prophets do not usually excel in professional learning, and their originality, if any, is often due precisely to the fact that they do not.”

“Excellence" is not a gift, but a skill that takes practice.We do not act "rightly" because we are "excellent",in fact we achieve "excellence" by acting "rightly".”

“From the standpoint of education, genius means essentially 'giving birth to the joy in learning.' I'd like to suggest that this is the central task of all educators. It is the genius of the student that is the driving force behind all learning. Before educators take on any of the other important issues in learning, they must first have a thorough understanding of what lies at the core of each student's intrinsic motivation to learn, and that motivation originates in each student's genius.”

“Learn the lesson that, if you are to do the work of a prophet, what you need is not a sceptre but a hoe.”

“Do not become a mere recorder of facts, but try and penetrate the mystery of their origin.”

“It wasn't an excuse. It was a fact. He'd had to make his way alone, and no one—not rock stars, not professional athletes, not software billionaires, and not even geniuses — ever makes it alone.”