David O. Russell Quotes

Some of the best advice I was ever given was: 'Don't believe your own hype.'

Now, I'm not the kind of guy who likes to look in the mirror and say, 'Oh, you're the best.'

Only madmen and fools are pleased with themselves; no wise man is good enough for his own satisfaction.

I don't wake up each morning saying, 'Oh, wow, it's me. I think I'm the cat's meow. I'm the best.'

I think one thing that's important to maintain is a sense of fear, always doubting yourself... a good dose of insecurity helps your work in some ways.

The only players I hurt with my words are the ones who have an inflated opinion of their ability. I can't worry about that.

I don't know that I'd agree I was our best player.

I think generally I'm a pretty good person if I had to grade myself. Or toot my own horn.

Success can make you go one of two ways. It can make you a prima donna - or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities, let the nice things come out.

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that arrogance is one of my flaws.

I hope I don't have a big ego. I try to keep that in check. But I am a prideful person, I will say.

Forget 'full of myself,' I'm not remotely impressed with myself.

One who is shy will never gain knowledge, nor one who is proud.

I'm never impressed with myself!

I certainly had an arrogant streak. And I certainly was defensive in certain cases. Maybe I'm still arrogant, but I try not to be.

Overconfidence has never been my problem.

I am not immersed in self-admiration.

I've never been a big fan of me, me, me.

I hope I don't have an ego.

You have to think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, but you have to know that you're not.

If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means that you are very conceited indeed.

If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and if you shall seem to someone to be a person of importance, distrust yourself.

The humble man makes room for progress; the proud man believes he is already there.

Without humility, we keep all our defects; and they are only crusted over by pride, which conceals them from others, and often from ourselves.

My dad always had this little sign on his desk: 'The bigger your head is, the easier your shoes are to fill'. He really drilled that in.