Mary J. Blige

“Believe in yourself when nobody else does.”

“Music makes us want to live. You don't know how many times people have told me that they'd been down and depressed and just wanted to end it all. But then they heard a song and it saved them.”

“If you're not getting better, you're getting worse.”

“You can't get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and thank God for the strength to get through it.”

“The toughest thing about success is that you've got to keep on being a success.”

“Don't be a follower. Be a leader. Live your life and create your own unique style.”

“You've got to be happy with yourself. You can't be a victim.”

“I've been through a lot, and I've survived. That's my legacy.”

“No matter what, I will always be a work in progress.”

“Humility is the number one thing. It's the number one thing that I've been taught.”

“You can have it all, but you can't have it all at once.”

“The best thing to do is to be your own boss, the king of your own world.”

“I know who I am. I am not perfect. I'm not the most beautiful woman in the world. But I'm one of them.”

“Whatever is going on in your life, you can overcome it. Life is waiting for you.”

“It's not about the things you tell yourself, but the things you do.”

“I'm a real person, and I'm not going to be a robot for anyone.”

“I don't regret any of my dysfunctional family stuff. It made me who I am today.”