Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.

I don't have to be perfect. All I have to do is show up and enjoy the messy, imperfect and beautiful journey of my life.

I have a deep, deep love for sneakers.

Learn to embrace your own unique beauty, celebrate your unique gifts with confidence. Your imperfections are actually a gift.

I don't think I'm even close to fulfilling my potential. And I think also that, unlike a pianist or a flutist, an actor has an instrument that is constantly changing.

You and you alone are the only person that can live the life that writes the story that you were meant to tell. And the world needs your story because the world needs your voice.

I'm not interested in living in a world where my race is not a part of who I am. I am interested in living in a world where our races, no matter what they are, don't define our trajectory in life.

You can never control how people respond to your work. You can only control your own work ethic.

As long as anyone anywhere is being made to feel less human, our very definition of humanity is at stake, and we are all vulnerable.

To meet somebody who's able to harness the level of courage it takes to walk away and to choose your own life and your own health, the well-being of your family, is really inspiring.

My understanding of Twitter was that it was a bunch of famous people telling you when they're going to the bathroom. And, that was not something I wanted to be part of.

You've always been my safe place, my escape when life gets crazy. You're my calm through every storm.

I will preach with my brush.

Morris read through the letter. Was it a shade too fulsome? No, that was another law of academic life: it is impossible to be excessive in flattery of one's peers.

Nothing surpasses my performances with small bands, especially with Charlie Parker. A small band doesn't forestall creativity.

In general, I'm careful when I'm dealing with subjects of deep cultural importance and write with abandon when I'm dealing with issues of personal dysfunction.

A certain kind of poetry looks back at experience from an older perspective.

To win, you have to risk loss.

Creation lives alone in a small temple. Only one may worship at a time.

I've never wanted to be anything but a gymnast. Maybe it is dangerous-but when you start thinking about danger, you might as well give up.

Fortitude is the disposition of soul which enables us to despise all inconveniences and the loss of things not in our power.