There was a culture that came out of the self-esteem movement which was don't anybody keep track of the goals. The kids keep track, but nobody keep track of the goals because we don't want the kids to have the experience of losing. And in depriving them losing, thinking it scarred them to lose, we made losing so taboo, so unspeakable, that we instead made losing more scary to kids, not less scary.

There is nothing more genuine than breaking away from the chorus to learn the sound of your own voice.

Failure is hard, but success is far more dangerous. If you're successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever.

Books have been my classroom and my confidant. Books have widened my horizons. Books have comforted me in my hardest times. Books have changed my life.

Interests evolve into hobbies or volunteer work, which grow into passions. It takes time, more time than anyone imagines.

Allow for many paths to your goal. Do not fixate on one path, because then you are likely to give up when that path is blocked.

Children key off their parents’ reaction more than the argument or physical discipline itself.