I think the enemy is self-censorship. In a free society the biggest danger is that you're afraid to the point where you censor yourself.

I push every day against forces that say you have to go faster be more effective be more productive you have to constantly outdo yourself you have to constantly outdo your neighbor - all of the stuff that creates an incredibly productive society but also a very neurotic one.

The little things I can obey. But the big things - how we think what we value - those you must choose yourself. You can't let anyone - or any society - determine those for you.

You have to promote yourself you have to have this smile on your face all the time and be this nice guy - which I am!

Even if you're unhappy just pretend that you're happy. Eventually your smile will be contagious to yourself. I had to learn that. I used to think 'I'm being fake ' but you know what? Better to be fake and happy than real and miserable.

If you force yourself to smile within a couple minutes you feel happy.

Allowing yourself to smile takes 99% of the effort.

There are so many stories to tell in the worlds of science fiction the worlds of fantasy and horror that to confine yourself to even doing historical revisionist fiction whatever you want to call it - mash-ups gimmick lit absurdist fiction - I don't know if I want to do that anymore.

Science is a method to keep yourself from kidding yourself.

Shun no toil to make yourself remarkable by some talent or other yet do not devote yourself to one branch exclusively. Strive to get clear notions about all. Give up no science entirely for science is but one.