“There are no “knowns.” There are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say there are things that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we do not know we don’t know.”

If you develop rules, never have more than ten.

Think ahead. Don’t let day-to-day operations drive out planning.

It is easier to get into something than to get out of it.

The way to do well is to do well.

Treat each federal dollar as if it was hard earned; it was – by a taxpayer.

What you measure improves.” A corollary rule in the military is that “You get what you inspect, not what you expect.

You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.

If it were a fact, it wouldn’t be called intelligence.

If in doubt, move decisions up to the President.

Preserve the President’s options. He may need them.

Let’s stick something in the ground and not pretend that it’s perfect.

Don’t speak ill of your predecessors or successors. You didn’t walk in their shoes.

Amidst all the clutter, beyond all the obstacles, aside from all the static, are the goals set. Put your head down, do the best job possible, let the flak pass, and work towards those goals.

If we know anything, it is that weakness is provocative.

Don’t blame the boss. He has enough problems.

The price of being close to the President is delivering bad news. You fail him if you don’t tell him the truth. Others won’t do it.

In civilizations without ships, dreams dry up, espionage takes the place of adventure and the police take the place of corsairs.

Loneliness breeds self-love.

I believe that when I die I shall rot, and nothing of my ego will survive.

Today will end and another day will come – I can’t bend time into softer motions all I can do is live.

Life is like a game, there could be many players. If you don’t play with them, they’ll play with you.

Time is by my side I’m not running forward for time is not behind.

I loved you with all my heart turns out a whole for some is barely apart.

The ‘kind’ in mankind. Show me that.