Toni Morrison Quotes

Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself, 'What makes me come alive?' Because what the world - a wife, a child - needs is men who have come alive.

I want to do work of meaning that speaks to a greater depth of who I am.

You remember our talk about purpose and meaning?" he asked me, the smile disappearing. "Well, I think this might be mine. I think this is what I was meant to do, Georgina.

Love the calling you have, not the one you wish you had.

My friends don't understand, whether it's belonging to a country club or playing golf, or whatever a vacation is, that should make you happy. And it's like, "No, happiness is much deeper." I think people have to struggle to find things that give them purpose, the real meaning. Why am I alive? Why did God bless me with these skills or these resources? What am I to do with them? If God just lets some person be very fortunate, let's say financially, it's kind of a funny God.

Many people know what they want to have, but have no idea of who they want to be. Getting 'things' simply will not fulfill you. Only living and doing what you believe is 'the right thing' will give you that sense of inner strength that we all deserve.

Forget purpose. It’s okay to be happy without one. The quest for a single purpose has ruined many lives.

I want the joy of knowing that I am doing something with my life, the joy of battle.

The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.

Life: my favorite occupation.

The more you create authentic power, the more the characteristics of authentic power become yours, and the more meaning, purpose and joy enter your life.

Boredom is a fearsome prospect. There's a limit to the number of cars and microwaves you can buy. What do you do then?

My story of success and failure is not just about music and being famous. It's about living and loving and trying to find purpose in this crazy world.

I like to spread myself out. Since I was a kid, I always recognized some void.

We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.

Because if you've found meaning in your life, you don't want to go back. You want to go forward.

The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.

When ambition ends, happiness begins.

This is why I belong, and why I believe. I commend to all this same search for happiness and for the truth.

You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.

Work certainly does help fill a void.

When you have won everything in your career, what's left? Why go on?

The essence of life is finding something you really love and then making the daily experience worthwhile.

I'm relevant because I fill a void for people who aren't doing what they want to do in life.

Everyone wants that sense of fulfilling a purpose in some way.