Psychology

Training helps you turn fear from something that paralyses you or makes you flee into something that spurs you to take the right decisions in very difficult situations.

I think this is something that would have been a lot less controversial just a few decades ago, when people still remembered that, yes, the material side of war is obviously important, but it's only ever one aspect of it. And so, I'd say the big difference here is that we have to recognise that if we ignore or downplay the human side, we could lose.

Data is showing that the amount of information we're sending them without hope, and the ratio of hope versus negativity, is shutting down the next generation, which is terrifying. And so it's not like, 'Oh my gosh, there's a fire—they're going to go put the fire out.' They're like, 'Oh my gosh, what's the point? The fire is too big.'

What happened was that people saw their place going down while London was booming. It's not countrywide; it's not that everyone in the country is poorer. London's doing fine. So people ask: why are they not doing fine when London's doing fine? They start to blame each other.

Economist specializing in poverty, conflict, and development in Africa

I once got a troll who read something about me and tweeted, 'The only thing I want to read about you is your obituary...' my comeback, 'well, at least I'll get one mate!' – that accepts his position (that he only wants to read my obituary) and turns it back at him without aggression. That's how you have to do it, that's the basic rule.

British comedian, writer, and television personality; co-founder of Fantasy Football League

I looked at these people as hecklers... as a comedian, that's what you do. You rebound heckling with comedy. I had to think of funny, witty ways to make them look foolish for giving the abuse. The way I did that (and still do it today) is to retweet or screenshot what they said, however vile, extreme or unpleasant – and think of something to say back which defuses it, disarms them, and makes them look stupid.

British comedian, writer, and television personality; co-founder of Fantasy Football League

Humanity has always been concerned with the end of the world!

Co-Founder of Skype & Estonian Entrepreneur & Technologist

What failure really means is that you are trying to live life, and the fact that you fail means that you are trying. As soon as you try to avoid failure, you are facing the wrong direction.

Co-Founder of Pixar & Pioneer in Computer Graphics

We always have this mix in each area, but people tend to categorise creativity by discipline rather than by the individuals within those disciplines.

Co-Founder of Pixar & Pioneer in Computer Graphics

Changing the mood has an economic impact superior to many measures because companies and families, when they have more confidence, they act differently.

Former Prime Minister of Portugal (2015-2024)

Uncertainty and fear are enemies of economic growth. To change motivation, it is important to give hope and make people believe. But also to give concrete results. It is important to value the positive instead of only highlighting the worst.

Former Prime Minister of Portugal (2015-2024)

There are cultures in which a young man, to signal his interest in a woman, would camp outside her house for any number of days. The ones who aren't really interested say, '...to hell with it, it's not worth it!' – In this sense, signalling screens people out.

Nobel Prize-winning economist; Stanford provost and NYU president

I looked at her and said, 'that's impossible! If I had stolen these pears from you… you would never have seen me!'

Nobel Prize Winner for Gene Targeting in Mice

A child doesn't even question their situation- I was thrown into a situation and had to respond to it; if I needed food, I had to get food… If I needed shelter, I had to find shelter.

Nobel Prize Winner for Gene Targeting in Mice

I never had an ethical dilemma with what was going on as a child, it was about pure survival. The kids that survived were the ones who were clever enough to continually get a meal.

Nobel Prize Winner for Gene Targeting in Mice

I didn't have a childhood- I didn't play- every day was about survival. I was always moving to a different-place on a weekly/monthly basis.

Nobel Prize Winner for Gene Targeting in Mice