“I genuinely believe that anyone can build grit or- indeed- any other trait such as kindness, empathy, curiosity, energy or cheerfulness. I don't want to say that we can all end-up being the exact same-person, but we can be different tomorrow to the person we are today.”
— Angela Duckworth
Psychologist & Author of "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

The quote archive

Wisdom in fragments

A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.

It's the disadvantages that offer a more fertile ground for learning, albeit for a smaller cohort. The depth of learning and engagement derived from tackling difficulties is substantially richer compared to that gleaned from facing advantages.

— Malcolm Gladwell

Author of "The Tipping Point" & Popular Cultural Theorist

When you engage with highly successful individuals who are open and honest about their journeys, it's invariably surprising to learn how much they attribute their achievements to good luck and favourable circumstances.

— Malcolm Gladwell

Author of "The Tipping Point" & Popular Cultural Theorist

Consider a car with malfunctioning brakes; it's unsafe to let it on the street, as it could cause harm. You'd need to confine it, but you wouldn't punish it or moralize its malfunction. Instead, you'd seek to understand why its brakes failed.

— Robert Sapolsky

Neuroscientist & primatologist known for stress research and public engagement

We must start by eliminating a culture that falsely implies the existence of agency where there is none and condones differential treatment of individuals based on a misguided notion of self-control.

— Robert Sapolsky

Neuroscientist & primatologist known for stress research and public engagement

When you examine how these myriad factors intertwine, from genetics and evolution to the proteins synthesized mere minutes ago, you see a continuous arc. In my view, there's no room in this intricate web for free will.

— Robert Sapolsky

Neuroscientist & primatologist known for stress research and public engagement

Intelligence and self-deception appear to have co-evolved, with the belief that we are fully in control of our destinies serving as a mental safeguard, despite its inaccuracy.

— Robert Sapolsky

Neuroscientist & primatologist known for stress research and public engagement

When a coach gains the player's confidence and establishes a strong partnership, they can effectively motivate the player, boost their confidence, and help them break through barriers. This can elevate a player's career to new heights.

— Patrick Mouratoglou

Tennis coach who famously coached Serena Williams

I often describe a Grand Slam as a marathon, not a sprint. It involves enduring extremely long matches, seven times over two weeks. In tennis, those who sprint don't make it to the finish line.

— Patrick Mouratoglou

Tennis coach who famously coached Serena Williams

Our role as coaches is essentially to help players utilise 100% of their potential. That, to me, is the essence of our job.

— Patrick Mouratoglou

Tennis coach who famously coached Serena Williams

Champions possess a distinct mindset, a relentless drive for excellence that sets them apart. They're not content with just doing okay; they strive for excellence constantly. Being second is not an option for them, they aim for the top.

— Patrick Mouratoglou

Tennis coach who famously coached Serena Williams

For those feeling threatened or inclined to see the world's workings as a conspiracy, it's conveniently easy to blame these perceived machinations on a Jewish elite, given the long and deep-seated history of such allegations.

— David Feldman

After the Holocaust, such thinking became widely discredited. In the post-war era, other developments also influenced attitudes towards antisemitism, leading to a significant shift in political antisemitism. However, what persisted were the cultural stereotypes – the entrenched narratives and stereotypes about Jews within the culture, ready to be drawn upon whenever they seemed relevant or useful.

— David Feldman

Often, we perceive antisemitism as an issue affecting someone else, never ourselves. However, it's a resource that a very wide range of individuals, groups and institutions have tapped into overtime.

— David Feldman

Antisemitism has been present in Christian culture for roughly two millennia. Today it's not solely a Western, European, or North American issue; it's part of a global common culture. This 'reservoir' idea conceives of culture as a resource that a very wide range of individuals, groups and institutions have tapped into overtime.

— David Feldman

This principle demands careful consideration of protection that must be given to civilians and civilian property, balancing military objectives against foreseeable collateral damage. This balance cannot be made by a formulaic algorithm – there isn't one – but by human judgment.

— Sir Geoffrey Nice KC

Prosecutor of Slobodan Milošević at the International Criminal Tribunal

Response to, and resolution of what lay behind the merciless attack, should theoretically still be for peaceful resolution in accordance with the UN Charter.

— Sir Geoffrey Nice KC

Prosecutor of Slobodan Milošević at the International Criminal Tribunal