Evil exists primarily in the eye of the beholder

Evil usually enters the world unrecognized by the people who open the door and let it in. Most people who perpetrate evil do not see what they are doing as evil. Evil exists primarily in the eye of the beholder, especially in the eye of the victim.

All that happens to us

A writer and, I believe, generally all persons must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely. All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.

Sign of mental toughness

One sign of mental toughness is being larger than the situation. Do the circumstances dictate your mood and emotions? Or do you choose your mood and emotions, and the situation is simply something you respond to? The less your mood depends on your circumstances, the more mentally tough you are.

Ask for help at the top

Very few people dare to ask for help, ideas, or support, let alone ask people higher up the top of ‘the ladder.’ Making bold asks, whether it’s for mentorship, asking for a job, or simply to make a connection with someone a little out of your league, may frequently be met with rejection. But that doesn’t mean you won’t occasionally get what you ask for. When you do, you’ll be propelled.

What to believe

The question of what to believe is perhaps the most momentous that anyone can put to himself. Our beliefs are not luxuries, but necessities of existence. They become particularly important in times of trouble. They are like the life-boats carried by ocean ships.

If you really want to communicate something

If you really want to communicate something, even if it’s just an emotion or an attitude, let alone an idea, the least effective and least enjoyable way is to do it directly. It only goes in about an inch. But if you can get people to the point where they have to think for a moment about what you’re getting at, and then discover it, the thrill of discovery goes right through the heart.

If you can't decide between two paths

We convince ourselves that the future is knowable, yet the pivotal moments of history are surprises. If you can't decide between two paths, choose the one that offers no immediate feedback.