“Self esteem comes from achievements. Not from lax standards and false praise.”

I think America is still a bright, shining city on the hill – not because we’re perfect but because we struggle in our imperfections every day.

Out of struggle very often comes victory.

Defeating human trafficking is a great moral calling of our time.

But the truth of the matter is, we’re an open society, we want to remain an open society, and there will continue to be vulnerability. That’s why we have to meet the threats when they are not yet taking place on our territory and on our soil.

I was born in segregated Birmingham, Alabama. I didn’t have a white classmate till we moved to Denver.

Differences can be a strength.

Every life is worthy and every life is capable of greatness. We have an obligation to make sure that opportunity for greatness is there.

Democracy is the most realistic way for diverse peoples to resolve their differences, and share power, and heal social divisions without violence or repression.

You will make a difference in the world, but not immediately. Your first obligation is to find something you like doing, because if you like doing it, you’ll do it well.

People want to psychoanalyze me, but the fact is, I’m not that complicated. I’m pretty straightforward. And I’m not all that self-reflective, because I tend to be a doer.

So I think, if September 11 taught us anything, it taught us that we’re vulnerable, and vulnerable in ways that we didn’t fully understand.

It’s bad policy to speculate on what you’ll do if a plan fails when you’re trying to make a plan work.

When diplomacy has been exhausted, the Security Council must become involved. Questions about Iran’s nuclear activities remain unanswered, despite repeated efforts by the IAEA.

I firmly believe you never should spend your time being the former anything.

History’s long arc is different than the today’s headlines.

In America, with education and hard work, it really does not matter where you came from; it matters only where you are going.

My mom always told me that if you work hard, you can achieve anything. And it’s true. It’s one of the truest things ever.

From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.

There are no limits on what you can achieve with your life, except the limits you accept in your mind

A goal is different from a wish. You may wish to be rich, but there’s no responsibility for it. With a goal, it’s on you to achieve it.

Will you be remembered, how would you be remembered, why wouldn’t you fight for the greatest achievement ever?

Achievements on the golf course are not what matters, decency and honesty are what matter.

As long as white people put people of color, African Americans and Latinos, in the same dispensable bag, and look at our children of color as insignificant and treat women of color as not as deserving of protection as white women, we will never achieve true equality.

Picture yourself in your minds eye as having already achieved this goal. See yourself doing the things you’ll be doing when you’ve reached your goal.