The time that leads to mastery is dependent on the intensity of our focus.

You can die from someone else's misery — emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draw misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it on you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead.

Expand your notion of what adversity is.

Nothing is stable in the realm of power, and even closest of friends can be transformed into the worst of enemies.

Be brutal with the past, especially your own, and have no respect for the philosophies that are foisted on you from outside.

Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.

It's okay to be kind of looking for what you want and trying out all kinds of different ideas and different course work, etc.