Stephen Sondheim Quotes

Dreams and expectations also have the very dark flipside of disappointment, broken dreams.

I am a genius. Then it amused me to keep saying so, but now it does not. I expected to be happy sometime. Now I know I shall never be.

There was a time in my life when I used to plan elaborately; not anymore. I gave up when I realised nothing was going my way.

I guess that I have nothing more to aspire for.

I don't like setting goals - I don't like to be disappointed.

Mind the gap - it's the distance between life as you dream it and life as it is.

Expectations are the most perilous form of dream, and when dreams do realise themselves it is in the waking world: the difference is subtly but often painfully felt.

The look of disbelief that ran across the boy's face was somehow more disturbing than the despair it had replaced. This creature had given up hope long ago; he probably begged out of habit rather than expectation.

Dreams fulfilled are imperfect.

I, myself, often wished to be spared the expectation of better days ahead or such.

Yes, what is it like? Certainly not like she dreamed. But maybe that's okay. We want what we want. At home, she works herself into a frenzy worrying about what she isn't--and perhaps loses track of just where she is.

And I am left behind Corrupted crushed and blind All for a dream That in truth was never really mine.

He could not play the game without hope; could not play the game without a dream. They had taken it all away from him now, they had turned away from him and there was nothing for him now...He was alone and there was nothing for him.

Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true. When will you realize... Vienna waits for you.

Without dreams, there could be no despair.

Nothing was ever how you wanted it to be. Not anymore. Not for me.

I don't have much in me left for Somalia, because the country is so broken, it's not realistic to daydream about it.

I do not write often now - not for want of something to say, but from a loathing of all I see and hear. Why dwell upon it?

I had planned to accomplish something considerable, and this is the end.

Reality is the name we give to our disappointments.

We have to achieve what we can, and if we haven't yet learned that we are not always going to get our way this could be frustrating.

I think by now I have made it fairly clear that I am not very happy with the word hope. I don't believe in people just hoping.

Because thou must not dream, thou need not despair.

You have to look at the discrepancy between what you hoped and imagined and the reality of yourself and all your shortcomings.

Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect.