Lilith Sternin

"Philosophy asks questions; therapy charges by the hour."

"Literature is the most civilized form of human complaint."

"Politics is proof that the ambitious lack substance."

"War is when diplomacy admits its failures with explosions."

"Motivation is what you feel when you have nowhere else to go."

"Inspiration is overrated; perspiration is underappreciated."

"Every relationship is a study in tolerance and selective amnesia."

"Solitude is my natural state and I've perfected the art."

"The purpose of life is to make sense of our inevitable failure."

"Existence is what happens between disappointments."

"I'm a psychiatrist, not a magician. Though some days I wonder if there's a difference."

"The human psyche is far more complex than most people give it credit for."

"One must maintain certain standards, regardless of circumstance."

"I find myself caught between my professional obligations and my personal inclinations."

"Success requires a certain ruthlessness that most people lack."

"The pursuit of excellence is never a waste of time."

"I've learned that people are generally disappointing."

"Emotional vulnerability is not a weakness—it's a human condition."

"One cannot control others, only oneself."

"Beauty and brains need not be mutually exclusive."

"The mind is humanity's greatest asset and its worst enemy."

"I prefer honesty to comforting delusions."

"Change is inevitable; resistance is futile but entirely human."

"Happiness is often found in the most unexpected places."

"A person's worth cannot be measured by their bank account."

"Time is the one commodity we cannot recover."

"I've found that love complicates everything."

"The capacity for self-deception in humans is remarkable."

"Work provides structure and purpose to life."

"Dreams are often better than reality."