“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.”

It really takes growing up to treasure the specialness of being different.

If I write a book where all I’ve ever experienced is success, people won’t take a positive lesson from it. In being candid, I have to own up to my own failures, both in my marriage and in my work environment.

Some people choose not to engage the battle and then don’t seek out that kind of success. And others do.

A role model in the flesh provides more than inspiration; his or her very existence is confirmation of possibilities one may have every reason to doubt, saying, “Yes, someone like me can do this.”

If the system is broken, my inclination is to fix it rather than to fight it. I have faith in the process of the law, and if it is carried out fairly, I can live with the results, whatever they may be.

I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.

Success is its own reward, but failure is a great teacher too, and not to be feared.

I have always been actively involved in my community, belonging to organizations that promote the interests of Latinos. But I also know that the issues we confront are the same issues, in many respects, as the larger community. So what we do helps not just us but everybody.

You make your life choices understanding that you might and do have to work harder to prove yourself.

I have never, ever focused on the negative of things. I always look at the positive.

Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. Many people have no idea what the relationship is between Puerto Rico and the United States. And certainly, I have been asked if we are citizens.

Don’t mistake politeness for lack of strength.

You know, failure hurts. Any kind of failure stings. If you live in the sting, you will – undoubtedly – fail. My way of getting past the sting is to say no, I’m just not going to let this get me down.

We have to look and ensure that we’re paying attention to what we’re doing, so that we don’t reflexively institute processes and procedures that exclude people without thought.

The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to speak openly and candidly on the subject of race, and to apply the Constitution with eyes open to the unfortunate effects of centuries of racial discrimination.

I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses and government.

After we come out of the storm we shouldn’t be the same individual that walked into it, That’s what the storms, opposition & adversity is about.

People get upset not because of the adversity they face, but because their adversity reveals who they really are.

When any calamity is suffered, the first thing to be remembered is, how much has been escaped.

Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it, a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not.

How many perils doe enfold The righteous man to make him daily fall.

It is from the level of calamities, not that of every-day life, that we learn impressive and useful lessons.

He who faces no calamity gains no courage.

Any fool can tell a crisis when it arrives. The real service to the state is to detect it in embryo.