“I would not have believed anyone if they had told me that within eighteen months I would have lost 99 per cent of my $4 billion fortune and would be pursued almost to the brink of bankruptcy by seven major banks… I would have found it impossible to contemplate that I would be treated like a pariah in my home country, saddled with $1 billion in debts and hated as a man who had supposedly almost single-handedly brought down an economy. But that is exactly what happened…”— Thor Björgólfsson
The quote archive
A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.
I could have been born in the third century as a goat herder in Mongolia, or even as a goat. This is the realization that should open up a mental horizon where we can say, 'I know I'm going to die – maybe in the future, maybe in the next few minutes – and therefore every minute I'm here is precious.'
— Sheldon SolomonTerror Management Theory researcher & social psychologist
At the risk of being glib, in the United States, most of the narcissistic sociopaths are also devoutly religious...
— Sheldon SolomonTerror Management Theory researcher & social psychologist
Without what Becker called 'cultural world views' we would be overwhelmed by existential terror. Beliefs about reality that we share foster psychological equanimity by giving us a sense of meaning and value.
— Sheldon SolomonTerror Management Theory researcher & social psychologist
We're breathing, defecating pieces of meat that are no more significant or enduring than lizards or potatoes.
— Sheldon SolomonTerror Management Theory researcher & social psychologist
I had to remain in war mode. I had to continue confronting my captors, not accept what was happening to me. The relationship I had with my captors was based on suspicion.
— Ingrid BetancourtFormer Colombian Presidential Candidate & Hostage Rescue Survivor
I have always thought that if you are abducted for a week, 2 weeks, even a month- you don't know what abduction is. It's only after a certain time that you understand the weight of abduction.
— Ingrid BetancourtFormer Colombian Presidential Candidate & Hostage Rescue Survivor
My mindset changed from thinking that tomorrow I may be freed, to realising that unless I did something myself, nobody would come and rescue me.
— Ingrid BetancourtFormer Colombian Presidential Candidate & Hostage Rescue Survivor
At some point, corruption destroys the trust in a society so much that it has an impact on unity, and the social fabric of a country or nation. It affects wellbeing. It affects the capacity of a nation to be happy.
— Ingrid BetancourtFormer Colombian Presidential Candidate & Hostage Rescue Survivor
I think space made me less black and white, less uptight. I don't get as excited about things as easily. I feel like I take positions on things less easily.
— Terry VirtsNASA Astronaut & International Space Station Commander
I remember being on a spacewalk and had a few seconds to see a view that humans were not meant to see. It was like I was hearing from God. But then, I had to get back to work.
— Terry VirtsNASA Astronaut & International Space Station Commander
The perspective of seeing the Earth from space has rewired our brain. We used to have a 2-dimensional view for hundreds of thousands of years. Now with space telescopes we have a 4-dimensional view of our universe.
— Terry VirtsNASA Astronaut & International Space Station Commander
Nothing prepares you to actually see the Earth from space. I spent more than 7 months in space, and even on my last day that view never got old.
— Terry VirtsNASA Astronaut & International Space Station Commander
I learned you always have to use the language of the people you want to convince. If you speak to heads of states and corporations about the costs, that will be incurred to protect the environment, they will never invite you again. If you come and speak their language about job-creation and profit, they will welcome you with open arms.
— Bertrand PiccardSwiss Adventurer & Pilot of Solar-Powered Aircraft Solar Impulse
We must not only use the emotional part of exploration, but also the state of mind of exploration which encourages us to get out of our bad habits, beliefs, everything we know, our comfort zone, and even our way of thinking. The mindset of exploration encourages us to find new solutions.
— Bertrand PiccardSwiss Adventurer & Pilot of Solar-Powered Aircraft Solar Impulse
The brain doesn't make a distinction about whether it's work or home. The key is to practice, practice, practice so that the skills become spontaneous and automatic.
— Daniel GolemanPsychologist who popularized the concept of emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence however is a skill that is learned and learnable. We learn it in life- and we can be trained in it. It's not enough to have someone come and talk to your team about why it's important however, it's something that needs practice, something that you have to work at.
— Daniel GolemanPsychologist who popularized the concept of emotional intelligence