I never did anything worth doing by accident nor did any of my inventions come by accident they came by work.

Restlessness is discontent — and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure.

Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.

If we did all the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.

I am not discouraged because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.

Prayer is a communication to a divine being.

O love, O fire! once he drew With one long kiss my whole soul through My lips, as sunlight drinketh dew.

I've always dreamed of growing up to be Amy Poehler.

It is a matter of regret that many low, mean suspicions turn out to be well founded.

Ambition is the grand enemy of all peace.

You’ll find your one-in-a-million. But you’re sharp enough to know there’s no point in sludging through the first nine hundred, ninety-nine thousand, and ninety-nine to get to him.

I will always really work hard to write as much as I can, but I also love sitting back and waiting on those big Nashville songwriters to send me some great songs, too.

I was born not too far from Minneapolis, so it's nice to come back and visit.

Between lips and lips there are cities of great ash and moist summit, drops of when and how, vague comings and goings: between lips and lips as along a shore of sand and glass the wind passes.

Everything in this life is only a glimpse of the real thing. Love, beauty, pleasure, even pain in its true essence is only in the next.