Yamamoto Kansuke Quotes

Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.

Reason is like an officer when the King appears;
The officer then loses his power and hides himself.
Reason is the shadow cast by God; God is the sun.

Nobody makes me do anything I don't want to do. It's my decision. So the biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy. And that's how I have to deal with it.

In the never-ending battle you have all officially joined as of today, the difference is in how truly you believe, in how vociferously you promote, in how tightly you hold onto the truth that is self-evident: that of course we are all created equally yet differently, and of course we are all in this together.

Real artists ship.

Every day, every year, and for every graduating class, there is a choice to be made, the same option for all grown-ups to make: to be one of three types of Americans — those who embrace liberty for all, those who won’t, or those who are indifferent — and only the first do the work of creating a more perfect union.

Put the dwarf within you to sleep.

When people show you who they are, believe them, the first time. Not the 29th time!

I don't really need to stand out, there's room for everyone. Although I haven't built a niche yet, I'm just writing love songs.

The lion who breaks the enemy's ranks is a minor hero compared to the lion who overcomes himself.

I look at an ant and see myself: a native South African, endowed with a strength much greater than my size, so I might cope with the weight of racism that crushes my spirit.

[W]hen the President's visitors came to Guinea, we were all called on to go and entertain them. I've never seen a country that did what Sékou Touré did for artists. Even in South Africa today we are not nurtured like that.

I’ve been through hell and back, and I’m grateful for every scar, I look at the woman I was in my 20s and I see a young lady growing into confidence but intent on pleasing everyone around her. I now feel so much more beautiful, so much sexier, so much more interesting. And so much more powerful.

Womanly appearance requires neither a pretty nor a perfect face or form.

I must learn to brook being happier than I deserve.

By the way, what have you done that's so great? Do you create anything, or just criticize others work and belittle their motivations?