Quotes by Colin Powell

"Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it."

"Giving back involves a certain amount of giving up."

"Experts often possess more data than judgment."

"But just as they did in Philadelphia when they were writing the constitution, sooner or later, you've got to compromise. You've got to start making the compromises that arrive at a consensus and move the country forward."

"If a leader doesn't convey passion and intensity then there will be no passion and intensity within the organization and they'll start to fall down and get depressed."

"Never neglect details. When everyone's mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant."

"The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort."

"Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it."

"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work."

"I don't know that there is much the United States can do except work with the international community."

"Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard."

"What you're seeing with Occupy Wall Street and the others are people who are unhappy and they're directing their unhappiness now toward Wall Street and toward those they think are doing too well in our society."

"You should see what our Founding Fathers used to say to each other and in the early part of our nation. But what they were able to do, especially in Philadelphia in 1787, four months, they argued about what a House should be, what a Senate should be, the power of the president, the Congress, the Supreme Court. And they had to deal with slavery."

"Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff."

"War should be the politics of last resort. And when we go to war, we should have a purpose that our people understand and support."

"The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and security will be met - or action will be unavoidable. And a regime that has lost its legitimacy will also lose its power."

"It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning."

"I respect the fact that many denominations have different points of view with respect to gay marriage and they can hold that in the sanctity in the place of their religion and not bless them or solemnize them."

"In terms of the legal matter of creating a contract between two people that's called marriage, and allowing them to live together with the protection of law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country."

"Today I can declare my hope and declare it from the bottom of my heart that we will eventually see the time when that number of nuclear weapons is down to zero and the world is a much better place."