Happiness, in one sense, is a function of how closely our world conforms to the infinite variety of human preference.

Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else's head.

Bad improvisers block action, often with a high degree of skill. Good improvisers develop action.

I don't really collect books. I tend to lose interest in them the minute I've read them, so most of the books I've read are left in airplanes and hotel rooms.

Look at the world around you. It may seem like an immovable, implacable place. It is not. With the slightest push - in just the right place - it can be tipped.

Asian culture has a profoundly different relationship to work. It rewards people who are persistent.

In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.