Oprah Winfrey was the first African American woman to become a billionaire. Read more: Oprah Winfrey biography
Selected Oprah Winfrey Quotations
• I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed. Sojourner Truth was a bridge. Harriet Tubman was a bridge. Ida B. Wells was a bridge. Madame C. J. Walker was a bridge. Fannie Lou Hamer was a bridge.
• I don't think of myself as a poor, deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to make good.
• My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
• Become the change you want to see - those are words I live by.
• Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.
• The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path with take on greater meaning.
• In every aspect of our lives, we are always asking ourselves, How am I of value? What is my worth? Yet I believe that worthiness is our birthright.
• Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.
• The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work.
• I think education is power. I think that being able to communicate with people is power. One of my main goals on this planet is to encourage people to empower themselves.
• I believe that everyone is the keeper of a dream - and by tuning into one another's secret hopes, we can become better friends, better partners, better parents, and better lovers.
• Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.
• I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear.
• Right now you are one choice away from a new beginning -- one that leads you toward becoming the fullest human being you can be.
• You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.
• Follow your instincts. That's where true wisdom manifests itself.
• The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.
• I know that you cannot hate other people without hating yourself.
• Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.
• I don't believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.
• Turn your wounds into wisdom.
• If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough.
• Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you need is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
• Though I'm grateful for the blessings of wealth, it hasn't changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I'm just wearing better shoes.
• For everyone of us that succeeds, it's because there's somebody there to show you the way out. The light doesn't always necessarily have to be in your family; for me it was teachers and school.
• Always continue the climb. It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, if you first get to know who you are and are willing to work with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it.
• Don't live your life to please other people.
• It doesn't matter who you are, or where you came from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.
• That guy just cut right in front of me. But I'm not going to let it bother me. No. I'm on my way to work and I decided it doesn't matter who wants to cut in front of my lane today. I'm not going to let it bother me one bit. Once I get to work, find myself a parking space, if somebody wants to jump ahead of me and take it, I'm going to let them.
• I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that's how I operate my life.
• They say getting thin is the best revenge. Success is much better.
• Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.
• Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
• My idea of heaven is a great big baked potato and someone to share it with.
• Mr. Right is coming. But he's in Africa and he's walking.
• You can have it all. You just can't have it all at one time.
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About These Quotes
Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection © Jone Johnson Lewis 1997-2005. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote.
Citation information:
Jone Johnson Lewis. "Oprah Winfrey Quotes." About Women's History. URL: http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/oprah_winfrey.htm . Date accessed: (today). (More on how to cite online sources including this page)
