I once won a second prize in a history concert. My parents came to the ceremony. Somebody else had won the prize for best all-around student. Afterwards my father said to me, 'Never, ever disgrace me like that again.' When I tell my Western friends, they are aghast. But I adore my father. It didn't knock my self-esteem at all.

My goal as a parent is to prepare you for the future, not to make you like me.

Both of my girls have very high self-esteem because they were both able to master certain things; I should think that's good for their confidence.

As a purely mathematical fact, people who sleep less live more.

Most things are difficult at the beginning and they become fun, something you love, only after you've worked at them.

Some parents let their kids sleep at other people's houses, where they drink alcohol, watch TV for hours and God knows what else. But if you say you have to get all A's and practice the violin for two hours, then they consider that abusive. That upsets me.

Be modest, be humble, be simple.Make sure you come in first so that you have something to be humble about.