“Above all, he liked it that everything was one’s own fault. There was only oneself to praise or blame. Luck was a servant and not a master. Luck had to be accepted with a shrug or taken advantage of up to the hilt. But it had to be understood and recognized for what it was and not confused with a faulty appreciation of the odds, for, at gambling, the deadly sin is to mistake bad play for bad luck. And luck in all its moods had to be loved and not feared.”
Ian Fleming
This quote is about James Bond.
Casino Royale (Primary source)
Casino Royale is the debut novel in Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, introducing the British secret agent as he embarks on a high-stakes mission to bankrupt a Soviet operative.
“Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James. They are easier to fight for than principles.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“When the odds are hopeless, when all seems to be lost, then is the time to be calm, to make a show of authority—at least of indifference.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“Because people are very careful with the secrets of their own business doesn’t mean that they’ll be careful with the secrets of yours.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it’s enemy action.”
— Ian Fleming Primary source“A company’s ability to respond to unplanned events, good or bad, is a prime indicator of its ability to compete.”
— Bill Gates Primary source“One loses everything when one loses one’s sense of humor.”
— Ayn Rand Primary source“You have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish. I have no responsibility to be like they expect me to be. It’s their mistake, not my failing.”
— Richard Feynman Primary source“There isn’t always an explanation for everything.”
— Ernest Hemingway Primary source