Instead of focusing on arguing with people who say no, it might be easier to get near the people who like to say yes.

Don't find customers for your products, find products for your customers.

If you have a book to write, write it. If you want to record an album, record it. No need to wait for someone in a cubicle halfway across the country to decide if you're worthy.

Make enough mole hills, and eventually you will build a mountain.

Self sufficiency appears to be a worthy goal, but it's now impossible if you want to actually get anything done. All our productivity, leverage and insight comes from being part of a community, not apart from it. The goal, I think, is to figure out how to become more dependent, not less.

All motivation is self-motivation. Your family, your boss, or your co-workers can try to get your engine going, but until you decide what to accomplish, nothing will happen.

Being charismatic doesn't make you a leader. Being a leader makes you charismatic.