Neil deGrasse Tyson Quotes

The hardest struggle of all is to be something different from what the average man is. I don't believe in 'super-men,' for the world is full of capable men, but it's the fellow with determination that wins out.

Everybody faces obstacles. And I looked to people who had been through many to succeed in life. Abraham Lincoln, born to a poor family, faced defeat through most of his life. Lost eight elections, failed two businesses, had a nervous breakdown, and still became president.

Wally Amos is the classic example of a man who gets up again and again.

Antwone's story was a story of hope and that's what appealed to me. I needed hope myself at that time. I think all actors give up at some time and think they're never going to make it.

You can't give up! If you give up, you're like everybody else.

I was told I would become nothing. Now I am showing people how big nothing is.

You can see that all these people who did really great things failed six times or didn't get going until they were much older. I think that's much more instructive and educational.

You need people to encourage you along the way, both during your success and failures, because there will be both.

Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.

Don't get hung up on the hard times, the challenges. Tell your story by highlighting the victories. Because it's your victories that will inspire, motivate, encourage other people to live their stories in grander ways.

People do look up to me and it makes me feel good. I made it out of a bad situation and I didn't mind bettering myself and I think that is what people respect. Most people go backwards but I was able to look at the big picture.

All the people who knock me down, only inspire me to do better.

Failure can be an incredibly motivating force.

Failure makes success so much sweeter, and allows you to thumb your nose at the crowds.

Failure either breaks people or it makes them succeed.

I love the underdog stories. I love people who refuse to give up.

There's no more powerful lesson than knowing that your setbacks will one day help you succeed.

I was told by thousands of people I would never make it.

You learn from being out of the team, but it makes you desperate for another chance, and when it comes along, you just have to grab it. Don't let go.

There was a phase when I cried for days and doubted my decision to be an actor when my films were not doing well. But soon I stood up and decided to do something that could set me apart. I decided to excel in what others didn't have, I focused on my actions and my fitness.

I wasn't a kid who won every tournament I was playing, and I think that helped me - it motivated me a lot to know what it felt like not to win.

I'm just a Parma kid who lived in the Sandpiper and went to Normandy. If I can do it, you can do whatever you set as your goal.

There are a lot of people who came out of adverse situations and made it. Use it as motivation. Use it to drive you.

You learn more from defeats and it makes you hungry to go and improve the next time. That's the way I have dealt with things during my whole career.

Because of her life, I've been able to say, 'If Oprah can make it, I can make it.' I look at Oprah and was saying to a friend, 'If you wanted to have a checklist for all the reasons why someone would give up or say, 'I'm not going to make it,' or, 'I'm not worthy,' she pretty much has had all of those things on her list.'