Wisdom in fragments

Every human being on the planet- genetically- is 99.9 percent identical. Of the remaining 0.1 percent, only 10-15% accounts for the differences we see between asserted 'races' of humans.

More girls have been killed in the past fifty years, precisely because they were girls, than men were killed in all the battles of the twentieth century.

Pulitzer Prize Winner & Co-Author of Half the Sky

Our contemporary society uses this statistically insignificant variation to support the 'reasoning' behind cultural, social, economic and political practices that cause hundreds of millions of people, every day, to face discrimination.

The difference now is that our actions are not isolated. Developments in communication mean that we now engage in a subtle yet continual process of peer-review which assesses the morality of our conduct as societies and individuals.

I am a proud Jamaican who can run fast and make people smile. I try to be myself whether I am hanging out with my friends or on the world stage. I try to enjoy life and treat people with respect.

Jamaican Sprinter & Olympic Gold Medalist, Fastest Human Ever

I have shown that anything is possible. I always tell people not to limit themselves. Find out what you are good at or interested in and work hard to be successful in that. Have fun when you are doing it and life is better.

Jamaican Sprinter & Olympic Gold Medalist, Fastest Human Ever

I am not someone who puts a lot of pressure on myself. I love a challenge and live for the big stage of an Olympic Games or World Championships. Some people get nervous for the big events but I look forward to them.

Jamaican Sprinter & Olympic Gold Medalist, Fastest Human Ever

Success for me has been the ability to change my life, change my family's life and help a lot of other people. Athletics has brought me fame and fortune and I enjoy using it to help those around me and those less fortunate.

Jamaican Sprinter & Olympic Gold Medalist, Fastest Human Ever

I do what I do because I am good at it, I enjoy it and I have been successful doing it. God gave me a talent and I have worked extremely hard to fulfil this talent.

Jamaican Sprinter & Olympic Gold Medalist, Fastest Human Ever

I believe many of our new generation of entrepreneurs put too much significance on money, and not enough on ideas. If you have a great idea, and the skills to execute that idea, the money will come.

The key to being successful in business is trust, you have to trust the people you work with. This trust must co-exist with competence. First and foremost the people in your business have to be extremely competent at what they do, and then it's up-to you as a leader to have trust in them.

If you are someone who has generated wealth, you have the responsibility to make sure this money is used to benefit the community. This is something that exists in all philosophies, cultures, and all religions. You have an obligation to the people around you, and your society.

I believe that entrepreneurship is something you're born with, or not. I've met many highly intelligent, and incredibly bright people who have not been able to develop their ideas into sensible businesses. Entrepreneurship is not related to intelligence, it's something you have or don't have.

Without truthfulness I would never have been able to grow anything of any significance, I would have been 'found out.' Having truthfulness and ethics within a business creates trust among employees at all levels and is critical.

Billionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer

I used to say to all my people that yes- we can celebrate our successes, and we have to succeed, but the failures are what will sink the business or hold it back.

Billionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer

You cannot run a business without great people, who are incentivised to be great; and so, you must protect them, and pay them appropriately.

Billionaire British entrepreneur and founder of Phones 4u mobile retailer