Enjoy your time in public service. It may well be one of the most interesting and challenging times of your life.

Don't do or say things you would not like to see on the front page of The Washington Post.

Napoleon was asked, "Who do you consider to be the greatest generals?" He responded saying, "The victors.

Be precise. A lack of precision is dangerous when the margin of error is small.

Control your own time. Don't let it be done for you. If you are working off the in-box that is fed you, you are probably working on the priority of others.

Most of the 50 or so invitations you receive each week come from people inviting the President's Chief of Staff, not you. If you doubt that, ask your predecessor how many he received last week.

They will do more whether we do what we're doing or whether we don't do what we're doing. And the idea that you could appease them [terrorists] by stopping doing what we're doing or some implication that by doing what we're doing we're inciting them to attack us is just utter nonsense. It's just - it's kind of like feeding an alligator, hoping it eats you last.