People are more important than things.

I'll take an earnest person over a hip person every day, because hip is short-term, earnest is long term.

To-Do lists help us break life into small steps.

Advice is very easy to give, and even easier not to follow, so I don't fool with it.

Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough, and people will surprise and impress you. It might even take years, but people will show you their good side. Just keep waiting.

I understand the arguments about how the billions of dollars spent to put men on the moon could have been used to fight poverty and hunger on Earth. But, look, I'm a scientist who sees inspiration as the ultimate tool for doing good. When you use money to fight poverty, it can be of great value, but too often, you're working at the margins. When you're putting people on the moon, you're inspiring all of us to achieve the maximum of human potential, which is how our greatest problems will eventually be solved. Give yourself permission to dream.

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