To know oneself, one should assert oneself.
Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.
Never complain and never explain.
Be gentle to all and stern with yourself.
If you've got a talent, protect it.
The most effective way to do it, is to do it.
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
If you're going through hell, keep going.
Always desire to learn something useful.
Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.
It always makes me sad when I think of how I saw Wagner wasting his vitality, not only by singing their parts to some of his artists, but acting out the smallest details, and of how few they were who were responsive to his wishes.