I came to accept during my freshman year that many of the gaps in my knowledge and understanding were simply limits of class and cultural background, not lack of aptitude or application as I’d feared.
SONIA SOTOMAYORAn alcoholic father, poverty, my own juvenile diabetes, the limited English my parents spoke – although my mother has become completely bilingual since. All these things intrude on what most people think of as happiness.
More Sonia Sotomayor Quotes
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A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence.
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There are no bystanders in this life.
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My diabetes is such a central part of my life… it did teach me discipline, it also taught me about moderation. I’ve trained myself to be super-vigilant because I feel better when I am in control.
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In every position that I’ve been in, there have been naysayers who don’t believe I’m qualified or who don’t believe I can do the work. And I feel a special responsibility to prove them wrong.
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Success is its own reward, but failure is a great teacher too, and not to be feared.
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Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see.
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There are uses to adversity, and they don’t reveal themselves until tested. Whether it’s serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.
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We apply law to facts. We don’t apply feelings to facts.
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Experience has taught me that you cannot value dreams according to the odds of their coming true. Their real value is in stirring within us the will to aspire.
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I do believe that every person has an equal opportunity to be a good and wise judge regardless of their background or life experiences.
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It really takes growing up to treasure the specialness of being different.
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I do know one thing about me: I don’t measure myself by others’ expectations or let others define my worth.
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To me, lawyering is the height of service – and being involved in this profession is a gift.
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The President Barack Obama had suggested that I not watch the news during the confirmation process. I assiduously followed his advice.
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Remember that no one succeeds alone. Never walk alone in your future paths.
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