Maya Angelou

I've learned that life is tough, but I am tougher.

I've learned that the world is full of amazing people, if you just take the time to look.

I've learned that you can always find something to be grateful for, even on the darkest days.

I've learned that the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.

I've learned that the most important thing in life is to be true to yourself.

I've learned that the only way to do great work is to love what you do.

I've learned that success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.

I've learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

I've learned that you can't control everything, but you can control your attitude towards everything.

I've learned that if you want something, you have to work for it. There are no shortcuts to success.

I'm a black woman, and I'm a writer, and I'm a poet, and I'm a dancer, and I'm a singer, and I'm a director, and I'm an actress, and I'm a producer. And I'm not going to be contained by anybody's idea of what I should be.

I'm not a victim. I'm a survivor. And I'm not going to be a victim of America, or of racism, or of sexism, or of ageism, or of any other -ism.

I believe that the most important thing a person has is their integrity. And once you lose that, you've lost everything.

I'm a feminist. I've been a feminist all my life. I've been a feminist since I was a little girl.

I'm not a political person. I'm a human being. And I'm concerned about human beings.

I have a lot of anger, but I don't let it consume me. I use it to fuel my work.

I'm a survivor, not a victim. I'm a black woman, and I'm proud of who I am.

I'm not interested in being famous. I'm interested in being good at what I do.

I'm not a religious person. I'm a spiritual person. I believe in a higher power, but I don't believe in organized religion.

I'm a teacher. I've been a teacher all my life. I teach through my writing, through my speaking, through my singing, through my dancing, through my acting.