Oprah Winfrey Named Greatest African-American Philanthropist

Business Week has named Oprah Winfrey the greatest African-American philanthropist in American history. Born into poverty, Oprah was abused during her childhood and ran away from home at age 13. Despite her early trauma, Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential woman of her generation.

The following are 14 of her most famous quotations on creating and living your best life.

1. Luck: “I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.”
2. Know your purpose: “You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job and not be paid for it.”
3. Find your calling: “Everybody has a calling. And your real job in life is to figure out as soon as possible what that is, who you were meant to be, and to begin to honor that in the best way possible for yourself.”
4. Follow your own path: “Often we don’t even realize who we’re meant to be because we’re so busy trying to live out someone else’s ideas. But other people and their opinions hold no power in defining our destiny.”
5. Vision: “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.”
6. Dreams: “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 will take on greater meaning.”
7. Do your best: “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.”
8. Make a difference: “You have to know what sparks the light in you so that you, in your own way, can illuminate the world.”
9. Wealth: “The reason I’ve been able to be so financially successful is my focus has never, ever for one minute been money.”
10. Celebrate life: “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
11. Choose excellence: “The choice to be excellent begins with aligning your thoughts and words with the intention to require more from yourself.”
12. Be limitless: “Every time you state what you want or believe, you’re the first to hear it. It’s a message to both you and others about what you think is possible. Don’t put a ceiling on yourself.”
13. Make a difference: “What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people’s lives.”
14. Take action: “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.”