How we feel about ourselves, the joy we get from living, ultimately depends directly on how the mind filters and interprets everyday experiences. Whether we are happy depends on inner harmony, not on the controls we are able to exert over the great forces of the universe.

We cannot deny the facts of nature, but we should certainly try to improve on them.

Each of us is born with two contradictory sets of instructions: a conservative tendency, made up of instincts for self-preservation, self-aggrandizement, and saving energy, and an expansive tendency made up of instincts for exploring, for enjoying novelty and risk-the curiosity that leads to creativity belongs to this set. But whereas the first tendency requires little encouragement or support from outside to motivate behaviour, the second can wilt if not cultivated.

For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.

The task is to learn how to enjoy everyday life without diminishing other people's chances to enjoy theirs.

Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time... Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.

We can either help to make this world a more incredible place than it has ever been, or we can hasten its return to inorganic dust.