I'm a strong supporter of comfort breeds complacency. Growing up poor I wasn't comfortable, my mom had to work so hard and I woke up one day and decided I was not going to come home until I could help her pay the bills.

Sometimes you're pushing and what you want to do is not coming with ease; doors are not opening. A lot of times we're pushing against resistance. If one looks closely, there is often a message in that resistance: "Wait a minute, maybe it's not what you're supposed to be doing."

The more we give, the more we receive. It's important to give back, because the seeds you plant today, you will harvest tomorrow.

When people listen to people like me, those of us who have a platform, we have to say things that speak truth. We have to empower, inspire, build, and launch the next generation of world solutions that will positively contribute to our economic, political and social fabric and - hopefully - improve the entire nation and the world.

If you make too many things too public, then you end up living your life before the court of public opinion.

Always define your area of excellence. Establish the area where you will be the best.

It is not possible to erase racism just because African-Americans have reached a level of financial success and crossover appeal.