Anna Quindlen Quotes

You don't ever want to say to a young person, You can't, or, You are no good. Some people might be able to do it, but I don't think I am a policeman for literature. So I tell them, Sweat it out, do your best.

I've always thrived on the encouragement of others.

Obviously, you have to find the confidence within yourself to pursue your ideas, but there's nothing wrong with having people around you who are going to say, 'I think that's a great idea,' or, 'I think you're doing the right thing.'

I remember I rapped for a friend, and my friend really encouraged me and was blown away, like 'Whoa, that was dope!' Ever since then, I kept going.

You don't need to be criticised to play well or things like that.

It's much nicer to be praised than to be damned. But you have to have a certain sense of your own priorities and ideas about what works and what doesn't because otherwise, if you're just looking for eternal validation all the time, you can be motivated by the wrong things and I don't think it's as personally satisfying in your own work.

Lavish praise on people and people will flourish; criticize people and they'll shrivel up.

Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.

I think you can challenge people, but you don't want to break people down. But you've got to sometimes just pull them aside and say, you know, you're OK but you could be better.

Help People Reach Their Full Potential Catch Them Doing Something Right

All I need as payment is a smile. That just really pushes me forward so that I'm always capturing the next opportunity to develop myself.

Stop telling people how far they have left to go. Instead tell them how far they’ve come.

It's one thing believing in yourself, it's another thing having other people believe in you, and that is the greatest gift, honestly.

I didn't know how capable I was until the people around me in acting school would say I was good.

The willingness to keep learning is, I think, the most important thing about trying to be good at anything. You never want to stop learning.

I guess other people's compliments motivate you.

There is no stimulus like that which comes from the consciousness of knowing that others believe in us.

So, to praise others for their virtues can but encourage one's own efforts.

I don't intimidate anyone. Instead, I try to get people to believe in themselves.

I think we'll all keep pushing each other, which is a great thing.

As a small business owner for the last 15 years, when I think of what truly changed my life, it was my faith, a strong family, my mom did a really, really good job of encouraging me in very clear and discernible ways.

It's nice when they say I inspire them, it inspires me.

One good step breeds another one.

Expect people to be better than they are; it helps them to become better. But don't be disappointed when they are not; it helps them to keep trying.

I take praise as not just a reward and a result but also as the beginning of a new process.