Cristina Yang

"I'm not just a female surgeon. I'm a surgeon."

"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

"I want to be extraordinary."

"Medicine is a science, not an art. There are rules."

"I need to focus on my career. That's what matters."

"Be brave. Live boldly. Don't settle."

"I thrive on chaos. It's where I do my best work."

"You can't help people if you don't know what you're doing."

"Dance it out."

"The key to being a good doctor is knowing your limitations."

"I want a life that matters."

"Excellence requires commitment."

"I don't do relationships. I do work."

"Fear is a choice."

"Success isn't about being the best. It's about being better than yesterday."

"You have to want it badly enough to sacrifice everything."

"I'm a surgeon first, everything else second."

"Change is inevitable. The question is whether you'll adapt."

"Knowledge is power, but only if you use it."

"I don't believe in luck. I believe in preparation and opportunity."

"People don't want to hear the truth. They want to hear what makes them feel better."

"Medicine requires both head and heart."

"I chase what fascinates me, not what's safe."

"Perfection is the enemy of progress."

"I need to be needed."

"Taking risks is the only way to grow."

"I don't do anything halfway."

"Ambition isn't a character flaw; it's a virtue."

"Time waits for no one, so use it wisely."

"I'd rather fail at something I love than succeed at something I don't."