it make no sense to talk about rights without also talking about responsibilities

Sometimes you can't pay it back, so you just have to pay it forward.

Anything is possible, and that’s something we should not lose sight of. The inspiration and the permission to dream is huge.

I was hugely impressed... was the ultimate example of a man who knew what he didn't know, was perfectly willing to admit it, and didn't want to leave until he understood. That's heroic to me. I wish every grad student had that attitude.

Want to have a short phone call with someone? Call them at 11:55 a.m., right before lunch. They'll talk fast. You may think you are interesting, but you are not more interesting than lunch.

People lie for lots of reasons, often because it seems like a way to get what they want with less effort.

One thing that makes it possible to be an optimist is if you have a contingency plan for when all hell breaks loose.