Follow your own passion – not your parents’, not your teachers’- yours.

The essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough.

I always said that mega-mergers were for megalomaniacs.

A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it’s better than no inspiration at all.

I want good people to come here from all over the world, but I want them to do so legally. We can expedite the process, we can reward achievement and excellemce, but we have to respect the legal process. And those people who take advantage of the system and come here illegally should never enjoy the benefits of being a resident–or citizen–of this nation. So I am against any path to citizenship for undocumented workers or anyone else who is in this country illegaly. They should–and need to–go home and get in line.

Better to put your heart on the line, risk everything, and walk away with nothing than play it safe. Love is a lot of things, but ‘safe’ isn’t one of them.

A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor must we ever do evil that good may come of it.

I remember flying in, driving down 101 in a cab, and passing by all these tech companies like Yahoo! I remember thinking, ‘Maybe someday we’ll build a company. This probably isn’t it, but one day we will.’

The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.

It is possible to have a strong self-love without any self-satisfaction, rather with a self-discontent which is the more intense because one’s own little core of egoistic sensibility is a supreme care.

I’ll always remember when I first heard Lester [Young]. I’d never heard anyone like him before. He was a stylist with a different sound. A sound I’d never heard before or since. To be honest with you, I didn’t much like it at first.

I married the first man I ever kissed. When I tell this to my children, they just about throw up.

Everybody came. Everybody came to the Cotton Club.

There’s no point regretting things. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. Life’s too short to worry about things I’ve said.

Listening is the key to everything good in music.

Both marriage and death ought to be welcome: The one promises happiness, doubtless the other assures it.

I believe that President Trump of the United States does not need any advice because one has to possess certain talent and go through this trial to be elected, even without having the experience of such big administrative work. He has done this.

If I had to think where I could live if not Moscow, London would be my first choice and second would be New York.

If what you’re doing isn’t working, change it.

What Englishman will give his mind to politics as long as he can afford to keep a motor car?

I believe that the presidential term should be limited.