“Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”

“No job is beneath you.You ought to be thrilled you got a job in the mailroom And when you get there, here's what you do: Be really great at sorting mail. ”

“People lie for lots of reasons, often because it seems like a way to get what they want with less effort.”

“Well, you can’t have just some of me, Jai,” I told her. “You appreciate the part of me that didn’t get angry because two ‘things’ we own got hurt. But the flip side of that is my belief that you don’t repair things if they still do what they’re supposed to do. The cars still work.Let’s just drive ’em.”

“If you want something bad enough, never give up (and take a boost when offered).”

“Be good at something. It makes you valuable. Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome.”

“Another way to be prepared is to think negatively. Yes, I'm a great optimist. but, when trying to make a decision, I often think of the worst case scenario. I call it 'the eaten by wolves factor.' If I do something, what's the most terrible thing that could happen? Would I be eaten by wolves? One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist, is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose. There are a lot of things I don't worry about, because I have a plan in place if they do.”