Oprah Winfrey

Quotes are word for word from the source.

• Giving to others

  “I never think about what I want. It's about what you want to give to other people.”

  Our noteOprah discusses her philosophy on personal desires and contribution to others.

• Energy and consequences

  “All the energy that you spend, trying to hurt somebody else, that energy will turn around and slap you in the face.”

  Our noteOprah speaks during her show's finale about the nature of intentions and energy.

• Energy as guidance

  “When you pay attention to what feeds your energy, you move in the direction of the life for which you were intended.”

  Our noteOprah writes about discovering one's life direction and purpose.

• Power of belief

  “What I know for sure is you become what you believe.”

  Our noteOprah explains the connection between self-belief and personal outcome.

• Self competition

  “I was nervous about the competition and then I became my own competition raising the bar every year, pushing, pushing, pushing myself as hard as I knew.”

  Our noteOprah describes her mindset during the early years of her television show.

• Redefining failure

  “there is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.”

  Our noteShe explains how to view setbacks when things don't go as planned.

• Learning from mistakes

  “learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are.”

  Our noteOprah emphasizes the educational value of professional and personal errors.

• Purpose of Media

  “I was here on Earth to use television and not be used by it; to use television to illuminate the transcendent power of our better angels.”

  Our noteOprah reflects on her realization about her true purpose in the television industry.

• Authenticity in Branding

  “I figured out, oh gee, I can be a much better Oprah than I could be a pretend Barbara.”

  Our noteOprah describes the moment she stopped trying to imitate another famous broadcaster.

• True Success Goal

  “But no matter what challenges or setbacks or disappointments you may encounter along the way, you will find true success and happiness if you have only one goal, there really is only one, and that is this: to fulfill the highest most truthful expression of yourself as a human being.”

  Our noteOprah defines the ultimate goal for graduates facing future uncertainty.