M. Russell Ballard Quotes

I'm trying to have some control over my image.

When you have the chance to present yourself vocally, you realize a kind of brand develops around that vocal, and you start to see the public consciousness of you is only about one half of your brain.

As an opinion manager, a campaign consultant, fixing personality negatives is a lot easier than fixing character negatives.

There were tactical decisions that I wish I could have done differently: mission accomplished, not revealing my drunken driving charge prior to my run for the presidency, flying over New Orleans on Katrina and the pictures being released and people saying, "he's aloof and doesn't really care."

Where would anyone in publicity be if they allowed sensitivity, restraint, breeding or good taste to stand in their way?

If you have to release bad news to the public, it would help if you are not ugly.

I'm not in the business of making us look clean, but I don't want us to look like monsters either. I think there is a little bit of hero and villain in all of us.

I am whatever you make me, nothing more.

Always maintain good relations with your public.

Being on camera, you have a responsibility to look good. If you don't, you'll hear about it.

You, quote, find your voice, unquote, when you are able to invent this one character who resembles you, obviously, and probably is more like you than anyone else on earth, but is not the equivalent to you.

Political image is like mixing cement. When it's wet, you can move it around and shape it, but at some point it hardens and there's almost nothing you can do to reshape it.

Your whole idea about yourself is borrowed-- borrowed from those who have no idea of who they are themselves.

Fame, if not double fac'd, is double mouth'd, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds; On both his wings, one black, the other white, Bears greatest names in his wild aery flight.

It is better to be seen as cruel than foolish.

[After playing Indiana Jones and Han Solo] hero image concerns me a little, though not for my sake. All it means to me is that I have a responsibility not to get caught doing anything terrible and thereby jeopardise my credentials. Not that I do terrible things, like running over dogs or anything like that. It just makes you think twice before you say or do things in public.

The Jewish press in the USA is solely responsible for our poor publicity.

Good policy always trumps bad public relations and the best PR can't trump bad policy.

People take on the shapes of the songs and the stories that surround them, especially if they don't have their own song.

In a crunch a man's reputation never counts for as much as it ought to.

It is axiomatic that if we do not define ourselves for ourselves, we will be defined by others-for their use and to our detriment.

An eminent reputation is as dangerous as a bad one.

Strength and success; they are above morality, above criticism. It seems then, that it is not what you do, but how you do it and what you call it.

Fame nowadays is little else but notoriety.

I think people who struggle to define themselves might never be satisfied because there is no definition. Living with responsibility is important, but I don't really think you have to grow up.