Marlene Dietrich

"Life is a performance, and I've always been a good performer."

"The world needs more people who are willing to be different."

"I've never let anyone else define what success means for me."

"A good story is worth more than a thousand facts."

"The measure of a person is not what they have, but what they do with what they have."

"I always knew that talent alone was not enough; you need determination."

"There's nothing wrong with reinventing yourself if it feels right."

"I've learned that the best conversations happen late at night with good friends."

"Power is not about controlling others; it's about controlling yourself."

"The only thing I regret is not being brave enough sooner."

"I believe that every person deserves to feel beautiful."

"Success is not a destination; it's a way of living."

"I've always thought that mystery is more attractive than transparency."

"The greatest gift you can give someone is your attention."

"I never wanted to be famous; I wanted to be remembered."

"Life teaches you lessons if you're paying attention."

"The woman who follows the crowd will never lead."

"I've learned that forgiveness is more for you than for the other person."

"The best investment you can make is in yourself."

"I don't need permission to be who I am."

"I wish that all of nature's richness was not for everyone to enjoy, but was read only by me on quiet afternoons in the shade of my technological wonderland."

"The average man is more interested in a woman who is interested in him than he is in a woman with beautiful legs."

"Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not rehash his sins for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"I've been things and seen places."

"Darling, a lot of people think I'm sexy because I'm mysterious. But the real mystery is why they're so interested."

"It's been my philosophy in life that if you want something, you have to work for it. But sometimes I wonder if my philosophy isn't just a bourgeois luxury."

"Life is not a problem to be solved, but a stage to perform on."

"The only thing a man ever wants is what he can't have. The moment he gets it, he doesn't want it anymore."

"I love acting. It is so much more real than life."

"If there is a God, he must spend a lot of his time being disappointed in what he's created."