“Good leaders must know how to reward those who succeed and know when to retrain, move, or fire ineffective staff.”

Don’t just count your days, make your days count.

One important element of leadership is taking care of the troops.

Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.

I regret that the presentation I made at the UN turned out to be wrong. It was wrong on the stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, but pretty much right on intentions and capabilities.

Always be looking for the opportunities, and always be optimistic about what you can do with that opportunity.

The essence of leadership is building bonds of trust in your organization.

Maybe we don’t put our young people in situations often enough where they’re allowed to fail. When you fail you gain experience, and with enough experience, you don’t fail as often.

Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes.

But just as they did in Philadelphia when they were writing the constitution, sooner or later, you’ve got to compromise. You’ve got to start making the compromises that arrive at a consensus and move the country forward.

The freedom to do your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.

You know you’re a good leader when people follow you out of curiosity.

Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant.

The most important thing I learned is that soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.

First you train the followers to accomplish the mission. Second, you resource them: Make sure that they have the tools to do the job. Third, you reward them: You give them medals or bonuses.

Look for intelligence and judgment and, most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego and the drive to get things done.

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.

I want to do good work. I want the opportunity to work with good people, and the only way I’m gonna do that is to commit 110% – you get out what you put in.

I got good grades in school, but I’m not sure if I’m smart or if it just means I can study. I’ve never taken one of those IQ tests, and I don’t want to. It’s so pointless. As long as you enjoy life and have fun and you’re healthy and happy, that’s what matters.

I discovered martial arts, first judo and then karate, and I became quite good at it, because I had something to prove. And more than anything, I needed to feel safe.

The sign of a good society is where talent is respected.

I’m not good at future planning. I don’t plan at all. I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow. I don’t have a day planner and I don’t have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future.

There’s a long history of all kinds of cop films… But all these films are really about the same thing: the good guys triumphing over the bad guys.

I’ll eat anything. I love food in general. I love traditional Mexican, carne asada. Just meat, beans, rice, and some good salsa.

The third rule of life is this: Everything you buy today is smaller, more expensive, and not as good as it was yesterday.