Everyone takes pause at 40. It’s the age you have to assess everything in your life. It’s the fictitious marker that’s always coming up when you’re young. The world really does look at you to kind of have it together by 40, and be successful by 40. Whatever success means. 645
It’s ironic that at age 32, at probably the greatest moment of my career, with The Godfather having such an enormous success, I wasn’t even aware of it, because I was somewhere else under the deadline again. 652
I’ll tell you, there is nothing better in life than being a late bloomer. I believe that success can happen at any time and at any age. 617
Never say never, but the thought of electively cutting oneself is beyond my grasp, and I also object to it politically. Denying the lines on our faces makes a comment about age and wisdom I don’t care to make. 648
I feel increasingly like age is very irrelevant. Quite often, cynicism is confused with wisdom, and my scorn is confused with a knowing, which I don’t have. 668
I probably wouldn’t be a songwriter if I didn’t grow up the way I did. It was difficult and it was at times very scary to grow up in a household so unsettled and at times very violent. But, it also, I guess it earned me a sort of wisdom at a young age that’s served me well. 606
In my cranky old age, I actually prefer recording alone now, on ‘The Simpsons,’ for example, because I find that the director can just focus on what I’m doing and I can do a lot of variations. A lot of times, when I record with a group, I’ll stay after class for another hour or two. 620
I like to be alone so I can write. But focus can hurt you. I don’t want to be some stress casualty in early middle age. 663
Remember in 1973 the same science chatter said that the coming Ice Age is going to occur, we’re going to lose millions of people. And the politicians knew how to solve it, they just didn’t have the courage to solve it; they were going to put coal dust on the Arctic. 599
When somebody who makes movies for a living – either as an actor, writer, producer or director – lives to be a certain age, you have to admire them. It is an act of courage to make a film – a courage for which you are not prepared in the rest of life. It is very hard and very destructive. But we do it because we love it. 2.35K
Keep courage. Whatever you do, do not feel sorry for yourself. You will win in a great age of opportunity. 903
In my old age, I have been thinking about this, and I have reached the conclusion that those who have physical courage also have moral courage. 640
In fact, my courage and my bravery at a young age was the thing I was bullied for, a kind of ‘Who do you think you are?’ 671
It is a blessed thing that in every age some one has had the individuality enough and courage enough to stand by his own convictions. 633
