That the work involved the willingness to take chances the commitment the opportunity to get on stage and make people happy was more important than becoming famous or even what I was dancing.

Lance Armstrong the famous cyclist and more importantly cancer survivor has said 'if you ever get a second chance for something you've got to go all the way.'

Here's the thing: the unit of reverence in Europe is the family which is why a child born today of unmarried parents in Sweden has a better chance of growing up in a house with both of his parents than a child born to a married couple in America. Here we revere the couple there they revere the family.

When I do get the chance I just love to hang around at home with friends and family.

It's a war of attrition. If you have patience and a modicum of faith in yourself your chances are not too bad.

From those to whom much is given much is expected. I have been given much - the love of my family the faith and trust of the people of New York and the chance to lead this state. I am deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me.

In Britain by contrast we still think that class plays a part in determining a person's life chances so we're less inclined to celebrate success and less inclined to condemn failure. The upshot is that it's much easier to be a failure in Britain than it is in America.

Even when you have doubts take that step. Take chances. Mistakes are never a failure - they can be turned into wisdom.

I believe in trusting men not only once but twice - in giving a failure another chance.

I had the closest thing I have ever had to an out-of-body experience lying in bed one morning. I turned on the 'Today' programme and item four on the news was: 'The shadow chancellor has ruled himself out of the leadership.' I lay there thinking that's interesting then I realised it was me.

My image had always been very heterosexual very straight. So it was a nice experience for me a chance to clarify my own feelings about gay and lesbian civil rights.

Working with HBO was an opportunity to experience creative freedom and 'long-form development' that filmmakers didn't have a chance to do before the emergence of shows like 'The Sopranos.'

The work that must be done for each woman to reconnect with her psyche and to give herself a chance to live her own life is essentially the same. The realization of the equality of all races the equality of all beings is essential.

We must recover the element of quality in our traditional pursuit of equality. We must not in opening our schools to everyone confuse the idea that all should have equal chance with the notion that all have equal endowments.

It is one of the issues that will have to be worked through however let me make the point and I think anyone would accept that if you set it up properly not only will you get better environmental outcomes you have a chance to create more wealth with the available resource.

But to me the bottom line is the more education you can give yourself and the more preparation you can do the less chance of failing.

Growing up I was encouraged to get a good education get a real job doing something I enjoyed and should the opportunity present itself consider public service as just that: a chance to serve not an end in itself.

Scientific research and other studies have demonstrated that arts education can enhance American students' math and language skills and improve test scores which in turn increase chances of higher education and good jobs in the future.

Education whatever else it should or should not be must be an inoculation against the poisons of life and an adequate equipment in knowledge and skill for meeting the chances of life.

You can choose a future where more Americans have the chance to gain the skills they need to compete no matter how old they are or how much money they have. Education was the gateway to opportunity for me. It was the gateway for Michelle. And now more than ever it is the gateway to a middle-class life.

Learning is not attained by chance it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.

I grew up with not a lot of money and I definitely shopped at Goodwill. But even in my most unfortunate state I was really blessed compared to a lot of the rest of the world. I had a really great chance to follow my dreams and have them actually come true.

There has been enough suffering in our country there has been enough of children whose dreams die before they have a chance to grow and there has been enough of our elders who having served their nation are forced into indignity in their old age.

There's nothing as exciting as a comeback - seeing someone with dreams watching them fail and then getting a second chance.