Chris Gardner

“We can all learn something from people we admire.”

“So many men have holes in their souls the shape of their fathers. You can pass that on to your kid, or you can do something about it, and I'm seeing a lot of men doing something about it.”

“Everything that I learned in the Navy, I took it with me into the next phase of my life.”

“No matter what you accomplish, when you're doing something you're truly passionate about... the opportunities are always going to be bigger.”

“You're never too old to do something new.”

“Don't wait for the perfect time to start making changes to your life; the time is now.”

“I'm encouraged by what I see of men trying to be there for their children.”

“I chose to embrace the spirit of my mother, who, though she had too many of her own dreams denied, deferred, and destroyed, she still instilled in me, her child, that I could have dreams and that I did have a responsibility and the power.”

“Remember: If you don't schmooze, you lose. Used wisely, a bit of chitchat helps create a personal connection with your boss and colleagues.”

“Be bold enough to find the one thing that you are passionate about. It might not be what you were trained to do. But be bold enough to do the one thing. Nobody needs to dig it but you.”

“Finding gainful employment to pay for housing is hard for any veteran experiencing homelessness. It's even more difficult for veterans who've also had encounters with police and stints in jail.”

“Your net worth can fluctuate, but your self-worth should only appreciate.”

“Everybody got a dream. What's the plan?”

“I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically connected family. I had no money of my own. Who is going to do business with you?”

“Fortunately, our digital age has created some wonderful tools for finding employers and showing your strengths. But when it comes to discovering or keeping a job, nothing beats good old-fashioned face time and up-to-date skills.”

“Long before I achieved financial success and became the subject of a Hollywood film, I was a veteran, a single father, and a working person who was homeless.”

“Probably the hardest question I get asked is, 'How do I choose between passion and practicality?' I can't answer that. I had to do both. I was passionate about pursuing a career in financial services. But I was also passionate about feeding my child.”

“You can blame outside factors or make excuses about why things didn't work out, but that doesn't change anything.”

“If you're having a hard time recognizing your gifts, look to someone else you know who's been resourceful. You may be surprised by how your own strengths rise to the surface by watching someone else.”

“I say to people all the time, it is OK to fail. Some of the greatest successes in the history of America started out as failures.”