The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.

Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose.

It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.

This is a fantastic time to be entering the business world, because business is going to change more in the next 10 years than it has in the last 50.

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.

Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana.

Everyone needs a coach. It doesn't matter whether you're a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast, or a bridge player.

In business, the idea of measuring what you are doing, picking the measurements that count, like customer satisfaction and performance ... you thrive on that.

Of my mental cycles, I devote maybe 10 percent to business thinking. Business isn't that complicated. I wouldn't want to put it on my business card.

Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world ... if you do so, you are insulting yourself.

We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next 10. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction.

Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other.

If you show people the problems and you show people the solutions, they will be moved to act.

Whether it's Google or Apple or free software, we've got some fantastic competitors and it keeps us on our toes.

To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.

Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning.

A bad strategy will fail no matter how good your information is, and lame execution will stymie a good strategy. If you do enough things poorly, you will go out of business.

Business people need to shake off the notion that information is hard to get.

Only a few businesses will succeed by having the lowest price, so most will need a strategy that includes customer services.

Customers want high quality at low prices and they want it now.

A company's ability to respond to an unplanned event, good or bad, is a prime indicator of its ability to compete.

Reward worthy failure - experimentation.

Hollywood don't always pay a lot of money. Because we're English they think we're cheap!

There are many more serial killers living outside the prison walls than inside.

Enterprise Washington is economic development in areas of high unemployment around the state of Washington.

Faith allows things to happen. It is the power that comes from a fearless heart. And when a fearless heart believes, miracles happen.

Why should anybody be interested in some old man who was a failure?

I believe that people of substantial wealth potentially create problems for future generations unless they themselves accept responsibility to use their wealth during their lifetime to help worthwhile causes.

True freedom requires the rule of law and justice, and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denial of rights to others.

We're kind of defined by our mistakes.

I've learned never say never.

The transactions between me and the people that I photograph are very, very collaborative.

Invented languages have often been created in tandem with entire invented universes, and most conlangers come to their craft by way of fantasy and science fiction.

Cerner's focus over the last 20 years has been to provide healthcare, predominately healthcare providers, with advanced clinical and management information systems. Our mission is to connect the appropriate persons, knowledge, and resources at the appropriate time and location to achieve the optimal health outcome.

My kids can't eat awards.

'Movement is life;' and it is well to be able to forget the past, and kill the present by continual change.

Ive always gotten good grades you know with my teachers and my English teachers cause I was able to theyd say What did you do for the summer Im able to explain it to them in a written form. And my teachers always patted me on the back for that being able to take whats in my mind and put it on paper.

There was a point where there was a vision that we'll get to a certain age, and then we'll retire and be happy. Now that's like, that's being compromised every day. So I think we have to start living happy now and stop waiting for the forty years because by then you'll be so sick, you wouldn't enjoy it anyway.

I'd love to work with Sir Anthony Hopkins, but if that doesn't happen, I'd sneak on to a film set and watch him at work. He is a compelling actor.

A man can't ride your back unless it's bent.

We have two dogs, Mabel and Wolf, and three cats at home, Charlie, George and Chairman. We have two cats on our farm, Tom and Little Sister, two horses, and two mini horses, Hannah and Tricky. We also have two cows, Holy and Madonna. And those are only the animals we let sleep in our bed.

We are prepared for some things, and we receive just as fast as we prepare ourselves.

No real fairytale scared me, but Freddy Krueger did. 'Nightmare on Elm Street' scared the living hell out of me, but no fairytale. Maybe 'Hansel and Gretel' a little bit when they were walking through the forest and they met the witch. But I liked being scared, I really enjoy being scared.

Do what you love and the money will follow.

I'm sure I wouldn't have been asked to judge the Man Booker if it weren't for 'Downton.'

My first trimester I was so exhausted. I could sleep 10 hours, then wake up, look in the mirror and still have eyes like a hound dog! I felt like the life was sucked out of me, no matter how much sleep I got. It was obvious that my body was really busy doing something else and 'beauty sleep' didn't exist anymore!