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Memento: 10 best quotes from christopher nolan’s classic.

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As fans wait with bated breath for the release of Oppenheimer in 2023, the spotlight once again is back on Christopher Nolan and discussion around its titular character, played by Cillian Murphy. Fans of Nolan's later work outside of Batman will know of his trademark non-linear storytelling as a director, and this could not be more true for the Guy Pearce-led classic, Memento .

Anyone who's watched the film knows its philosophically driven murder-mystery narrative, questioning how memories can be reconstructed for self-comforting facades. Its dialogue presents the movie's thesis without subtlety, allowing it to be easy to follow amidst its backward order, and leading to many memorable quotes that question the human condition, lead to nail-bitting moments, or are surprisingly funny.

"I have to believe in a world outside my own mind."

Leonard while driving to the tattoo parlor..

This is the start of the movie's ending monologue by Pearce's character Leonard, who summarizes the point of his character. Leonard's life is in shambles; if Teddy is to be believed, he killed his wife when he overdosed her with insulin and killed many 'John Gs' as a form of escapism from his condition.

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In the monologue, Leonard comes to terms with his dark secret of falsifying a murder mystery, and that he's invented a world where he must find his wife's killer. The world he wants to believe is still moving is his creation, closing his eyes to the truth and believing in his interpretation of it. This great line and moment continue off of an earlier quote to Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) to justify avenging his wife, telling her that actions aren't meaningless without memories, and rhetorically asks, "The world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes, doesn't it?"

"Memory can change the shape of a room."

Leonard explaining investigation to teddy..

A quote in conjunction with his final monologue, this one is said to Teddy in the film's first act. This is part of Leonard's explanation of how people have the ability to distort their own memories subconsciously, and initially, it presents his prowess as an investigator.

On rewatch, the meaning of this Nolan quote changes : now it's about how he chooses to interpret events differently to protect himself from the truth and evade existential questions about his own life, creating a double meaning to this great quote.

"Oh, I'm Chasing This Guy. No. He's Chasing Me."

Leonard losing his memory while being chased..

The movie's funnier moments are rare between the tense action and mystery sequences, but they're funny exactly because of that. Seeing Leonard learn on the fly is a brilliant bit of blindsiding humor with Pearce's monotone delivery, but also captures the element that makes the film's structure work: the audience's state of confusion as they piece together the story's events as Leonard does — and some don't like Nolan's movies for how they do just this .

Memento is incredibly effective at slipping in jokes before cutting back to the importance of the scene, and without losing its gripping atmosphere. This quote, in particular, is just a joy for being a little nugget of hilarity that could only work in this unique premise.

"I Can Say Whatever The F*** I Want, And You Won't Remember."

Natalie revealing her true colors..

Carrie-Anne Moss said in a 2019 interview that this was her best work, and it's easy to see why. Although she's not the centerpiece of the film, Natalie is the best woman in any of Nolan's work, especially (but unfortunately) because many women are dead wives in Nolan's movies .

Moss presents a range of emotions, delivering her script with anger, pity, quiet contempt, and then fake distress. "We'll still be best friends, or maybe even lovers" hits hard when the audience knows they do sleep together in the future, and finally watch the tragedy of his manipulation unfold. It's some of the best acting in the movie, and the most memorable moment of the film because of the insidious script.

"Remember Sammy Jankis."

Leonard's method of remembering his condition..

The subplot of the movie ambiguously refers to Leonard's condition and is the main storyline of the black and white chronological scenes.

Related: 10 Cliches In Almost Every Christopher Nolan Movie

The quote is so memorable for being repeated at length, getting across how Leonard has conditioned himself to make new memories and subconsciously misconstrue Sammy's life to be his — even Teddy gets vocally sick of it. It's both his way of understanding his condition and verifying who he can trust, even if it works against him when it comes to killing James F. Grantz (Larry Holden) who learns Sammy's story via the phone.

"You Lie To Yourself To Be Happy. There's Nothing Wrong With That."

Teddy while being confronted by leonard..

The genius of Teddy's character is that, even by the end of the film, it's not clear whether he's exposing the truth and sympathizing with Leonard when he is saying this, or continuing to be a pathological liar.

Pantoliano's performance throughout the movie is key to the character's success, and it's no different in this final reveal of Leonard's grief-stricken past. His cheery condescension makes this important speech memorable and blur the lines of whether it's true or another one of his lies to throw Leonard off track. This may make things confusing in the movie , but that's part of the fun.

"What's the last thing that you do remember?"/"My wife..."/ "That's sweet."/ "...Dying."

Leonard explaining his condition at the bar..

This darkly comedic and simultaneously sad line is the first proper introduction between Leonard and Natalie.

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It's the funniest exchange in the movie that was even used in the film's trailer, and again benefits from Pearce's dry delivery before it cuts right back to the somber tone of the scene. Moss was also great in this scene, subtly interrogating Leonard, speaking with possibly performative sympathy to find out about her boyfriend and abusing his condition so that he drinks a jar of spit.

"Why Are You Asking Me? I Can't Remember What I've Done."

Leonard answering the phone after seeing his bloody picture..

Pearce plays almost every scene composed but finally breaks in this one, his character confused by his own bloody image. As someone who wants to appear in control of his life, Leonard feigns confidence and, in several scenes, pretends to know people.

Just like he described with Sammy, he looks at people with fake familiarity in his eyes to get a pat on the head, but he doesn't understand what's going on. This is elaborated further when in another scene he says, "You wanna know the truth about my condition, officer? You don't know anything. You feel angry, you don't know why. You feel guilty, you don't know why." Leonard is aimless, and this quote shows him at his most vulnerable.

"I Take It I've Told You About My Condition."

Leonard, usually to teddy..

The line Leonard repeats to Teddy, to which he always replies, "Only every time I see ya!" Leonard doesn't say the exact phrase to everyone, but often similarly repeats it, realizing his looping dialogue too late into conversations.

It's a cute, natural touch to the character. If there's a reason the quotes in Memento are memorable it's because they're often repeated, just as Leonard has been repeating the process of killing John G.

"Don't Believe His Lies."

The lie that leads to the final john g..

Written behind the picture of Teddy, and made to lie to his future self in order to get revenge and false closure. Of all the lines from the movie, this one is easily the most memorable, even having reached meme status.

This line proves to be Teddy's undoing, as attempts to manipulate him after the death of Jimmy Grantz fail after one look at his note, and it ultimately kills Teddy. It's even better on rewatch, as the smug Leonard decides to not believe some of Teddy's genuine truths all because he doesn't recognize his own lie.

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• Memento (2001)

• 38 Memento Quotes: The Ultimate Collection from the Movie
• December 3, 2023

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One of Christopher Nolan’s early films, Memento has themes of memory, revenge, manipulation, identity and the past. In the movie, a man suffering from short-term memory loss is on a mission to hunt down and kill the man who murdered his wife. Here’s a collection of some of the best quotes from the film.

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Memento quotes from leonard.

“I can’t remember to forget you.” Leonard Shelby

“OK, so what am I doing? Oh, I’m chasing this guy. No…he’s chasing me.” Leonard Shelby

“I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can’t remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world’s still there. Do I believe the world’s still there? Is it still out there? Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I’m no different.” Leonard Shelby

“I’m not a killer. I’m just someone who wanted to make things right. Can’t I just let myself forget what you’ve told me? Can’t I just let myself forget what you’ve made me do. You think I just want another puzzle to solve? Another John G. to look for? You’re John G. So you can be my John G. Will I lie to myself to be happy? In your case Teddy, yes I will.” Leonard Shelby

“Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They’re just an interpretation, they’re not a record, and they’re irrelevant if you have the facts.” Leonard Shelby

“My wife deserves vengeance. Doesn’t make any difference whether I know about it. Just because there are things I don’t remember doesn’t make my actions meaningless. The world doesn’t just disappear when you close your eyes, does it?” Leonard Shelby

“We all lie to ourselves to be happy.” Leonard Shelby

“Memory’s not perfect. It’s not even that good. Ask the police. Eyewitness testimony is unreliable. The cops don’t catch a killer by sitting around remembering stuff. They collect facts, they make notes and they draw conclusions. Facts, not memory.” Leonard Shelby

“If we talk for too long, I’ll forget how we started. Next time I see you, I’m not gonna remember this conversation. I don’t even know if I’ve met you before…I’ve told you this before, haven’t I?” Leonard Shelby

“You can just feel the details. The bits and pieces you never bothered to put into words. And you can feel these extreme moments, even if you don’t want to. You put these together, and you get the feel of a person. Enough to know how much you miss them…and how much you hate the person who took them away.” Leonard Shelby

“So where are you? You’re in some motel room. You just wake up and you’re in a motel room. There’s the key. It feels like maybe it’s just the first time you’ve been here, but perhaps you’ve been there for a week, three months. It’s kind of hard to say. I don’t know.” Leonard Shelby

“It’s just an anonymous room. There’s nothing in the drawers. But you look anyway. Nothing except the Gideon bible, which I, of course, read religiously.” Leonard Shelby

“I know what that’s going to sound like when I knock on it. I know what that’s going to feel like when I pick it up. See? Certainties. It’s the kind of memory that you take for granted.” Leonard Shelby

“I always thought the pleasure of a book is not knowing what happens next.” Leonard Shelby

“I don’t want to wake up in the morning, thinking she’s still here. I lie here not knowing how long I’ve been alone. So how…how can I heal? How am I supposed to heal if I can’t feel time?” Leonard Shelby

“I was an investigator. I’d investigate the claims to see which ones were phony. I had to see through people’s bullshit. It was a useful experience, ’cause now it’s my life.” Leonard Shelby

“She’s gone. And the present is trivia, which I scribble down as f*cking notes.” Leonard Shelby

“He killed my wife. He took away my f*cking memory. He destroyed my ability to live.” Leonard Shelby

“I want my f*cking life back!” Leonard Shelby

“When I looked into his eyes I thought I saw recognition. Now I know. You fake it. If you think you’re supposed to recognize somebody you, you just pretend. You bluff it to get a pat on the head from the doctors. You bluff it to seem less like a freak.” Leonard Shelby

“If we can’t make memories, we can’t heal.” Leonard Shelby

“I was the only guy who disagreed with the cops, and I had brain damage.” Leonard Shelby

“Now…where was I?” Leonard Shelby

“I have this condition.” Leonard Shelby

“Sammy Jankis wrote himself endless notes. But he’d get mixed up. I’ve got a more graceful solution to the memory problem. I’m disciplined and organized. I use habit and routine to make my life possible. Sammy had no drive. No reason to make it work.” Leonard Shelby

“Awake. Where am I?” Leonard Shelby

Memento Quotes from Teddy

“You don’t want the truth. You make up your own truth.” Teddy

“But when you killed him I, I was so convinced that you’d remember. But it didn’t stick…like nothin’ ever sticks, like this won’t stick.” Teddy

“I guess I can only make you remember the things you want to be true.”

“When she offers to help, it’ll be for her own reasons. I’m not lying. Take my pen, write this down. Do not trust her.” Teddy

“You know, I’ve had more rewarding friendships than this one. Although I do get to keep telling the same jokes.” Teddy

“You don’t know who you are anymore.” Teddy

“So you lie to yourself to be happy. There’s nothing wrong with that, we all do it.” Teddy

“That’s who you were. Maybe it’s time you started investigating yourself.” Teddy

“It’s beer o’clock, and I’m buying.” Teddy

“Someone has to pay, Lenny. Somebody always pays.” Teddy

Memento Quotes from Natalie

“Is that what your little note says? It must be hard living your life off a couple of scraps of paper. You mix your laundry list with your grocery list, you’ll end up eating your underwear for breakfast.” Natalie

“You sad, sad freak. I can say whatever the f*ck I want, and you won’t remember. We’ll still be best friends. Or maybe even lovers.” Natalie

Have any other favorite Memento quotes you’d add? Let me know in the comments!

Note: Memento is part of our list of “ Movies That Make You Question Reality .”

You might also enjoy one of our other movie quote collections:

• Waking Life Quotes
• Fight Club Quotes
• Donnie Darko Quotes
• Matrix Quotes
• Interstellar Quotes

Originally Published: September 22, 2020

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Memento Quotes

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I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. (Leonard Shelby, Memento)

I always thought the joy of reading a book is not knowing what happens next. (Leonard Shelby, Memento)

My life is like a memento mori painting from European art: there is always a grinning skull at my side to remind me of the folly of human ambition.

I think one of the geniuses of Bound and The Matrix and Memento is the complete collaboration of the effort. There were no rotten apples.

I just saw Memento. It's very, very good. I watch a lot of French films.

When I got the script for Memento, I read it and I got killed off on page one and I fired my agent.

When a film like Chris Nolan's Memento cannot get picked up, to me independent film is over. It's dead.

In memory, you can access something from the past, anything that you've experienced that you remember - it's there. Now, you might have a memento of it in a photograph or in a film or a building or some clothes that you wore. There might be something that connects you to this memory. But all of us are just all caught in this time, whatever that is.

It is a nostalgic time right now, and photographs actively promote nostalgia. Photography is an elegiac art, a twilight art. Most subjects photographed are, just by virtue of being photographed, touched with pathos. ... All photographs are memento mori. To take photograph is to participate in another person's mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment and freezing it, all photographs testify to time's relentless melt

...mementos of this world, in which the things worth being were so easily exchanged for the things worth having.

Sometimes I would see them not as mementos of the blissful hours but as the tangible precious debris of the storm raging in my soul.

Memento mori - remember death! These are important words. If we kept in mind that we will soon inevitably die, our lives would be completely different. If a person knows that he will die in a half hour, he certainly will not bother doing trivial, stupid, or, especially, bad things during this half hour. Perhaps you have half a century before you die-what makes this any different from a half hour?

In the future, artists will get record deals because they have fans-not the other way around...The only memento 'kids these days' want is a selfie. It's part of the new currency, which seems to be 'how many followers you have on Instagram'.

In fact I no longer value this kind of memento. I no longer want reminders of what was, what got broken, what got lost, what got wasted. There was a period, a long period, dating from my childhood until quite recently, when I thought I did. A period during which I believed that I could keep people fully present, keep them with me, by preserving their mementos, their "things," their totems.

With the death of my father, it wasn't just the objects of everyday life that had changed; even the most ordinary street scenes had become irreplaceable mementos of a lost world whose every detail figured in the meaning of the whole.

Celebration is big for me. From my younger days, when I used to win mementos while playing basketball, I have always believed in sharing my success. It has to be there. It lifts the energy levels of the entire side if you are positive and vocal when a wicket falls.

We are warned by the Word both of our duty, our danger, and our remedy. On the sea of life there would be many more wrecks if it were not for the divine storm-signals which give to the watchful a timely warning. The Bible should be our Mentor, our Monitor, our Memento Mori, our Remembrancer, and the Keeper of our Conscience.

Photography is there to construct the idea of us as a great family and we go on vacations and take these pictures and then we look at them later and we say, 'Isn't this a great family?' So photography is instrumental in creating family not only as a memento, a souvenir, but also a kind of mythology.

No wreaths please - especially no hothouse flowers. Some common memento is better, something he prized and is known by: his old clothes - a few books perhaps.

A garter. You’re supposed to take it off and keep it as a memento. K-k-kinda like a trophy for going far sexually with a girl. It’s stupid, really. And kind of d-d-degrading if I think about it too m-m-much.” “I know what it is,” he says, amusement evident in his voice. “I just wanted to hear your explanation.

I do like to keep mementos from my work, whether they be photos, the backs of make-up chairs or even props and clothes.

The world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes, does it?

The postcard is sacred to me. It makes me sad that no one sends them very much anymore because of email and texting. I still like to buy them, but they've lost their original function and now just seem like reminders or mementos of what they used to be.

Recording a scene with paint rather than film sinks you more deeply into your surroundings. You have to look a little harder and a little longer. And you end up with a memento.

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The Best 'Memento' Quotes, Ranked

Best Memento quotes, with movie clips, ranked by fans. This list of great movie quotes from Memento collects all of the most famous lines from the film in one place, allowing you to pick the top quotes and move them up the list. Quotations from movies are repeated all the time in other movies, on television, in speeches and in day-to-day life, so having a good knowledge of good movie quotes (and having resources useful to search movie quotes) have become essential. Many of the most notable quotes come from sources you may not even know about, some could even be the most memorable Memento quotes or come from some of the other most quotable movies of all time .

Consistently named one of the best movies of all time , Memento threads together the two story lines of a person who has lost his short-term memory and is attempting to piece the parts of his reality together as he searches for his wife's killer. As a way to remember what he has seen and done since the murder of his wife, the man tattoos himself and leaves notes for the forward progress of his story as the past is revealed in backstories. The film, to no one's surprise, was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay.

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Lists that rank the greatest, most memorable quotes from your all-time favorite movies and shows (and maybe even a few you haven’t seen).

Resources | Storytelling | Strategy

50 powerful quotes to start your presentation.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

When was the last time you attended a conference where the speaker didn’t just say: “Oh hi, my name is XYZ and today, I’ll be speaking to you about Topic X”?

Great stories possess riveting narrative arcs that begin strong and end strong. We’ve written at length about some of the best ways to end your presentation , but how does one design a presentation to start without sounding too cliche?

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a powerful and memorable quote that relates to the message of your talk.

Powerful quotes have so much power on your presentation. Not only does it help reinforce your message, it also helps boost your credibility since it implied the quote is ‘agreeing’ with your statement.

Take this TED talk by Andrew Solomon for example. Notice how he skilfully uses a quote from a book by Emily Dickinson to set the stage for his numerous anecdotes regarding the topic on Depression in his presentation:

Hence, if you’re looking to follow suit and start your next presentation strong with a powerful quote, we’ve got you covered. Here, we compiled a list of 50 quotes that you can use to boost your next presentation.

50 Powerful Quotes To Start Your Presentation:

1)   “ The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” –  Mark Twain

2) “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” –  Babe Ruth

3) “ If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” –  Albert Einstein

4) “ If you’re too comfortable, it’s time to move on. Terrified of what’s next? You’re on the right track.” –  Susan Fales Hill

5) “ Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” –  Bill Gates

6) “ You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better. You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently.” –  Steve Jobs

7) “ Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.” –  Jack Dorsey

8) “ Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” –  Oprah Winfrey

9) “ Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark.” –  Jay Danzie

10)  “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” –  Warren Buffett

11)  “Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come.” –  Richard Branson

12)  “When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse? ’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked.” –  Elon Musk

13)  “There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” –  Ray Goforth

14)   “Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.” –  Charles F. Kettering

15)  “People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want.”   – Seth Godin

16)  “Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day.”   – Gary Vaynerchuck

17)  “The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place.” –  Orison Swett Marden

18)  “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”   –  David Brinkley

19)  “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid.”   –  Einstein

20)  “The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”   –  Lilly Tomlin

21)  “ When you run a part of the relay and pass on the baton, there is no sense of unfinished business in your mind. There is just the sense of having done your part to the best of your ability. That is it. The hope is to pass on the baton to somebody who will run faster and run a better marathon.”   – N. R. Narayana Murthy

22)  “Whatever you’re thinking, think bigger.” – Tony Hsieh

23)  “When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue.”   – Josh James

24)  “What would you do if you’re not afraid?” –  Sheryl Sandberg

25)  “Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once.”   – Drew Houston

26)  “When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe’” – Tom Preston Werner

27)  “80% of your sales comes from 20% of your clients.”   – Vilfredo Pareto

28)  “You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done.”   – Russell Simmons

29)  “We are really competing against ourselves, we have no control over how other people perform.”   – Pete Cashmore

30)  “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”   – Wayne Gretzy

31)  “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”   – George Lucas

32)  “If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you.”   – Zig Ziglar

33)  “Words may inspire but action creates change.”   – Simon Sinek

34)  “It isn’t what we say or think that denies us, but what we do.”   – Jane Austen

35)  “Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action.”   – Theodore Roosevelt

36)  “There is only one boss. The customer.” – Sam Walton

37)  “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama

38)  “You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.” –  Frank Lloyd Wright

39)  “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

40)  “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” – Bob Marley

41)  “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.”    – Seneca

42)  “If you think you are too small to make an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” – Ekaterina Walter

43)   “If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” – Mark Zuckerberg

44)   “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” –  Thomas Edison

45)  “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”  – Abraham Lincoln

46)  “Don’t build links. Build relationships.”   – Rand Fishkin

47)   “100 percent of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in.”   –  Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Legend

48)  “If you’ve got an idea, start today. There’s no better time than now to get going. That doesn’t mean quit your job and jump into your idea 100 percent from day one, but there’s always small progress that can be made to start the movement.” – Kevin Systrom, Founder of Instagram

49)   “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.”   –  Jack Welch, Former CEO of GE

50)    “You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people. They’re not going to buy it unless they know about it.”  –   Herb Kelleher, Founder of Southwest Airlines.

There you have it!

Phew! – now you have an additional 50 powerful quotes that you can add in your presentation arsenal. Leave an unforgettable impression on your presentation with these quotes starting today!

Comment down your favourite quote. And let us know if you have any that we didn’t add to the list!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

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• Leonard Shelby : [ running ] OK, so what am I doing?
• [ sees Dodd also running ]
• Leonard Shelby : Oh, I'm chasing this guy.
• [ Dodd shoots at Leonard ]
• Leonard Shelby : No... he's chasing me.
• Leonard Shelby : I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. Do I believe the world's still there? Is it still out there?... Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different.
• Leonard Shelby : We all lie to ourselves to be happy.
• Leonard Shelby : I'm not a killer. I'm just someone who wanted to make things right. Can't I just let myself forget what you've told me? Can't I just let myself forget what you've made me do. You think I just want another puzzle to solve? Another John G. to look for? You're John G. So you can be my John G... Will I lie to myself to be happy? In your case Teddy... yes I will.
• Teddy : You don't want the truth. You make up your own truth.
• Leonard Shelby : Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They're just an interpretation, they're not a record, and they're irrelevant if you have the facts.
• Leonard Shelby : If we can't make memories, we can't heal.
• [ last lines ]
• Leonard Shelby : Now... where was I?
• Natalie : What's the last thing that you do remember?
• Leonard Shelby : My wife...
• Natalie : That's sweet.
• Leonard Shelby : ...dying.
• Leonard Shelby : I can't remember to forget you.
• Leonard Shelby : I don't even know how long she's been gone. It's like I've woken up in bed and she's not here... because she's gone to the bathroom or something. But somehow, I know she's never gonna come back to bed. If I could just... reach over and touch... her side of the bed, I would know that it was cold, but I can't. I know I can't have her back... but I don't want to wake up in the morning, thinking she's still here. I lie here not knowing... how long I've been alone. So how... how can I heal? How am I supposed to heal if I can't... feel time?
• Leonard Shelby : Remember Sammy Jankis.
• [ repeated line ]
• Leonard Shelby : I have this condition.
• Leonard Shelby : I don't think they'd let someone like me carry a gun.
• Teddy : I fucking hope not.
• Natalie : But even if you get revenge you're not gonna remember it. You're not even going to know that it happened.
• Leonard Shelby : My wife deserves vengance. Doesn't make a difference whether I know about it. Just becuase there are things I don't remember doesn't make my actions meaningless. The world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes, does it? Anyway, maybe I'll take a photograph to remind myself, get another freaky tattoo.
• Leonard Shelby : We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different.
• [ finding a beaten man in his closet ]
• Leonard Shelby : ...who did this to you?
• Dodd : What?
• Leonard Shelby : Who did this to you?
• Dodd : You did.
• Teddy : Hey! Hey, that's not your car!
• Leonard Shelby : [ takes a picture of the Jaguar ] It is now.
• Teddy : Jesus Chri- you can't take it!
• Leonard Shelby : Why not?
• Teddy : Because the guy you killed owns it; somebody will recognize it!
• Leonard Shelby : Well, I rather be mistaken for a dead guy than a killer.
• Leonard Shelby : There are things you know for sure.
• Natalie : Such as?
• Leonard Shelby : I know what that's going to sound like when I knock on it. I know that's what going to feel like when I pick it up. See? Certainties. It's the kind of memory that you take for granted.
• Sammy Jankis : [ after being shocked ] What the fuck?
• Doctor : It's a test, Sammy.
• Sammy Jankis : [ flipping him the bird ] Test this, you fucking quack!
• Leonard Shelby : These tracks are just a few days old.
• Teddy : What are you, Pocahontas?
• Teddy : So you lie to yourself to be happy. There's nothing wrong with that. We all do it.
• Natalie : Tell me about her again.
• Leonard Shelby : Why?
• Natalie : Because you like to remember her.
• Leonard Shelby : She was beautiful. To me, she was perfect.
• Natalie : No, don't just recite the words. Close your eyes... and remember her.
• Leonard Shelby : You can just feel the details. The bits and pieces you never bothered to put into words. And you can feel these extreme moments... even if you don't want to. You put these together, and you get the feel of a person. Enough to know how much you miss them... and how much you hate the person who took them away.
• Teddy : You know, I've had more rewarding friendships than this one. Although I do get to keep telling the same jokes.
• Natalie : You sad, sad freak. I can say whatever the fuck I want, and you won't remember. We'll still be best friends. Or maybe even lovers.
• Leonard Shelby : I don't want your fucking money.
• Jimmy Grantz : Then what? What do you want?
• Leonard Shelby : I want my fucking life back!
• Natalie : Is that what your little note says? It must be hard living your life off a couple of scraps of paper. You mix your laundry list with your grocery list you'll end up eating your underwear for breakfast.
• Teddy : You know how many towns, how many guys called James G? Or John G? Shit, Leonard, I'm a fuckin' John G.
• Leonard Shelby : Your name's Teddy.
• Teddy : My *mother* calls me Teddy.
• Leonard Shelby : When I looked into his eyes I thought I saw recognition. Now I know. You fake it. If you think you're supposed to recognize somebody you, you just pretend. You bluff it to get a pat on the head from the doctors. You bluff it to seem less like a freak.
• [ flashback ]
• Leonard Shelby : How can you read that again?
• Leonard's Wife : It's good.
• Leonard Shelby : Yeah, but you read it like a thousand times.
• Leonard's Wife : I enjoy it.
• Leonard Shelby : I always thought the pleasure of a book was wanting to know what comes next.
• Leonard's Wife : Hey, don't be a prick. I'm not reading it to annoy you, I enjoy it. Just let me read... please.
• [ smiles at him ]
• Leonard Shelby : I take it I've told you about my condition.
• Teddy : Only every time I see ya.
• Leonard Shelby : Hi. Uh, Lincoln Street?
• Waiter : Oh, you just take the main road...
• Leonard Shelby : Hang on, let me write this down.
• Waiter : Oh, it's easy. You just...
• Leonard Shelby : Trust me, I need to write this down.
• Teddy : [ checking Leonard's pulse ] You're living.
• Leonard Shelby : Only for revenge.
• Teddy : But when you killed him I, I was so convinced that you'd remember. But it didn't stick... like nothin' ever sticks, like this won't stick.
• Leonard Shelby : Beg my wife's forgiveness, before I blow
• Leonard Shelby : your brains out.
• Leonard Shelby : If we talk for too long, I'll forget how we started. Next time I see you, I'm not gonna remember this conversation. I don't even know if I've met you before.
• Leonard Shelby : I've told you this before, haven't I?
• Leonard Shelby : I always thought the joy of reading a book is not knowing what happens next.
• Burt Hadley : Oh shit. This is the wrong room. You're in 304 now. I'm sorry. I fucked up.
• Leonard Shelby : This is not my room?
• Burt Hadley : No, come on, let's go.
• Leonard Shelby : Why is this my handwriting?
• Burt Hadley : ...This was your room, but now you're in 304.
• Leonard Shelby : When was I in here?
• Burt Hadley : Last week. But then I rented you another room on top of it.
• Burt Hadley : Business is slow. I mean, I told my boss about the - your condition and stuff, and he said try and rent him another room.
• Leonard Shelby : So how many rooms am I checked into in this shit-hole?
• Burt Hadley : Just two, so far.
• Leonard Shelby : Well, at least you're being honest about ripping me off.
• Burt Hadley : Well, you're not gonna remember anyway.
• Leonard Shelby : You don't have to be *that* honest, Burt.
• Burt Hadley : Leonard, always get a receipt.
• Leonard Shelby : That's good advice. I'll have to write that down.
• Teddy : You don't know who you are anymore.
• Leonard Shelby : Of course I do. I'm Leonard Shelby. I'm from San Francisco.
• Teddy : No, that's who you were. Maybe it's time you started investigating yourself.
• Leonard Shelby : [ looking at a near-empty bottle of alcohol in his hand ] Hmmm. I don't feel drunk.
• Leonard Shelby : I found you, you fuck.
• Leonard Shelby : Facts, not memories. That's how you investigate. I know, it's what I used to do.
• Leonard Shelby : Probably burned truck loads of your stuff before. Can't remember to forget you.
• Leonard Shelby : [ while walking through a parking lot, Teddy stops at his dilapidated Chevrolet ] My car.
• Teddy : [ laughs ] This is your car.
• Leonard Shelby : [ holds up a picture of the Jaguar with the caption My Car ] Oh, you're in a playful mood. It's not good for you to make fun of somebody's handicap.
• Teddy : Just trying to have a little fun.
• Teddy : Was he scared?
• Leonard Shelby : Yeah, I think it was your sinister moustache.
• Teddy : Fuck you.
• Natalie : You know what one of the reasons for short term memory loss is? Venereal disease. Maybe your cunt of fucking a wife sucked one too many diseased cocks and turned you into a fucking retard.
• Leonard Shelby : I was the only guy who disagreed with the cops - and I had brain damage.
• Leonard Shelby : Sammy Jankis wrote himself endless notes. But he'd get mixed up. I've got a more graceful solution to the memory problem. I'm disciplined and organized. I use habit and routine to make my life possible. Sammy had no drive. No reason to make it work.
• Teddy : You really want to get this guy, don't you?
• Leonard Shelby : He killed my wife. He took away my fucking memory. He destroyed my ability to live.
• Leonard Shelby : You know, I can remember so much. The feel of the world... her.
• Leonard Shelby : She's gone. And the present is trivia, which I scribble down as fucking notes.

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Blog > Powerful Quotes for your PowerPoint Presentations

Powerful Quotes for your PowerPoint Presentations

07.24.20   •  #powerpointtips.

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a influential and morable quote that relates to the message of your talk. This can loosen up the beginning, consciously encourage important things while speaking or end the presentation with a meaningful conclusion and underline the main topic again.

This will bring liveliness and power to your presentation and create a more pleasant environment for your audience!

Quotes can be funny, inspirational, profound, successful, motivational, meaningless or basically everything! The most important thing is that they fit the today´s topic, correspond to the situation. This means, that they are appropriate and reinforce the actual theme.

If you are looking for great lines you can use in your PowerPoint or other presentations, you are perfectly right here! Read the following article to get inspired and to find a suitable citation you can use for your speech in school, work, business or anywhere and to leave an unforgettable impression on your presentation.

To save time, we have already created PowerPoint Templates below, which you can download for free!

According to time:

Quotes for Beginning

Quotes while presenting, quotes for ending.

According to category:

In case you need more specific citations, have a look at different sections of quotes:

Inspirational / Motivational

With quotations to open your presentation you can represent yourself in a great authentic and relaxed way. The audience gets an exciting insight into the upcoming topic and in the best case can relate with the citation and thus build a sympathetic bond to you as the presenter. And all this is achieved by just one simple sentence.

Powerful quotes to start your presentation

• "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain
• "If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough." – Albert Einstein
• "Words may inspire but action creates change." – Simon Sinek
• "Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet." - Bob Marley
• "A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." – David Brinkley
• "Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games." - Babe Ruth | Baseball Legend
• "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." - Bill Gates
• "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." - Warren Buffett
• "The golden rule for every business man is this: Put yourself in your customer’s place." - Orison Swett Marden
• "You can't blame gravity for falling in love." - Albert Einstein

Using powerful citations while speaking makes your presentation much more exciting and memorable. A meaningful quotation gives your words much more power and emphasis and can additionally emphasize important things. Furthermore, if a listener hears a mentioned citation of your presentation one more time, he will most likely remember you.

Powerful quotes to reinforce essential topics

• "Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come." - Richard Branson
• "When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ That was a huge bet he made, and it worked." - Elon Musk
• "Please think about your legacy, because you’re writing it every day." – Gary Vaynerchuck
• "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid." - Albert Einstein
• "When you find an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, that’s probably a good one to pursue." – Josh James
• "Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once." – Drew Houston
• "You just have to pay attention to what people need and what has not been done." - Russel Simmmons
• "If people like you they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you they’ll do business with you." – Zig Ziglar
• "Don’t build links. Build relationships." – Rand Fishkin
• "There is no great genius without some touch of madness." – Seneca

With citations you have the opportunity to clarify the topic just dealt with in one sentence and it is highly recommended to use this chance. Your audience will remember the end best, as it is the shortest, so it should be well chosen and memorable. It should also match your personality as well as the theme and be catchy.

Powerful quotes to close your presentation

• "100 percent of the shots you don’t take, don’t go in." – Wayne Gretzky | Hockey Legend
• "When I’m old and dying. I plan to look back on my life and say ‘Wow, an adventure’ not, ‘Wow, I sure felt safe.’" – Tom Preston Werner
• "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been." – Wayne Gretzy
• "It isn’t what we say or think that denies us, but what we do." – Jane Austen
• "Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action." – Theodore Roosevelt
• "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." – Barack Obama
• "You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having." – Frank Lloyd Wright
• "It always seems impossible until it’s done." – Nelson Mandela
• "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." – Thomas Edison
• "If you think you are too small to make an impact try going to bed with a mosquito in the room." - Ekaterina Walter

Best citations by category

• "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value." - Albert Einstein
• "Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion." - Tony Hsieh
• "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." - Walt Disney
• "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." - Albert Einstein
• "He who only does what he can will always remain what he is." - Henry Ford

• "Success is like being pregnant, everybody congratulates you, but nobody knows how many times you got fucked." - Author unknown
• "If you want your children to listen, try talking softly to someone else." - Ann Landers
• "The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
• "Anger is a hot coal that you hold in your hand while waiting to throw it at someone else." - Buddha

• "Either you run the day or the day runs you." - Jim Rohn
• "It's the will not the skill." - Jim Tunney
• "Happiness is the real sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work." - Joseph Barbara
• "I have never done that before so I should definitely be able to do it!" - Pippi Longstocking
• "The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work." - Harry Golden

• "Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich." - Henry Ford
• "The prize for success is that it unlocks harder challenges with more at stake for next time." - Author unknown
• "The opposite to good design is always bad design. There is no such thing as no design." - Adam Judge

• "A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do." - Bob Dylan
• "The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it." - Henry Ford
• "If you want to be happy, be happy." - Leo Tolstoy
• "So far you have survived 100% of your worst days." - Author unknown
• "Great Lessons are only learned when the stakes are high." - Georgina Hobart

• "When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity." - John F. Kennedy
• "When in doubt, don't." - Benjamin Franklin
• "The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
• "Easy choises, hard life. Hard choices easy life." - Jerzy Gregorek
• "What you begrudge others will be withheld from yourself." - Author unknown

Now you have 60 quotes you can incorporate into your presentation to stand out from the everyday, all-too-familiar phrases that everyone knows.

But remember: Under no circumstances should they be discriminatory, racist or offensive, so you need to make yourself known in advance through your audience.

Leave your personal impression and convince your audience with simple but incredibly strong lines!

Free PowerPoint Templates

In addition, we have already created some PowerPoint templates for you, which you can download for free. Simply replace the existing quotes or image if you want and adapt the slides to your presentation!

What are good quotes for starting a presentation?

By opening your presentation with a quote you can represent yourself in an authentic way. The audience gets an exciting insight into the upcoming topic and in the best case can relate with the quote and thus build a sympathetic bond to you as the presenter. And all this is achieved by just one simple sentence. Here is a list of good quotes to begin a presentation .

What are good quotes for ending a presentation?

With citations you have the opportunity to clarify the topic just dealt with in one sentence and it is highly recommended to use this chance. Your audience will remember the end best, so it should be well chosen and memorable. It should also match your personality as well as the theme and be catchy. Here is a list of good quotes to finish a presentation .

What are powerful quotes for a PowerPoint presentation?

One of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation is to start by sharing a influential and memorable quote that relates to the message of your talk. This can loosen up the beginning, consciously encourage important things while speaking or end the presentation with a meaningful conclusion and underline the main topic again. We have collected 60 powerful quotes for your PowerPoint presentation .

Related articles

About the author.

Philipp Angerer

Philipp is a creative supporter at SlideLizard in marketing and design. There he uses his imagination and provides creative freshness, also in blog articles.

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Memento Quotes

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W hy's T his F unny?

'Memento' Remains Christopher Nolan’s Best Movie About Lying to Yourself

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The Big Picture

• The reverse chronology in Christopher Nolan's Memento is not a gimmick, but an essential structure that puts the audience in the mindset of the brain-damaged detective.
• Leonard Shelby's illusion of control and his constructed identity based on lies ultimately lead to his downfall in the film.
• Christopher Nolan explores the theme of lies and the power of narratives in Memento , emphasizing how Leonard lies to himself and how lies can be destructive.

One particularly annoying cinema conversation point is when people refer to the structure of Christopher Nolan 's Memento as "a gimmick." A gimmick is a hook that serves no point. It gets your attention, but, by its very nature, has no payoff. If Nolan dressed Guy Pearce in a chicken costume for the entirety of the movie and never explained it, that would be a gimmick. However, the reverse chronology of Memento is essential to its power because it's the only way to put the audience in the mindset of its brain-damaged detective , Leonard Shelby (Pearce, not wearing a chicken costume). "It's all backwards," Burt ( Mark Boone Junior ) says in one of the film's more meta moments, but the reverse chronology does pull you into Leonard's world — one where we see the effect without a cause, and can only see the power of causation as we move further back in time. This unique structure gives Memento a powerful hook, as Nolan is able to brilliantly intersect time, identity, and memory into his finest feature.

A man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer.

What Is 'Memento' About?

Memento 's story follows Leonard Shelby, who has short-term memory loss following a horrific break-in at his house in which his wife was raped and murdered. In the incident, Leonard was dealt a severe blow to the head which gave him his condition. He has since been chasing the guy who did it, but his search is complicated by the fact that he can't make new memories since the accident. So, Leonard convinces himself that through conditioning, he can be disciplined enough to find vengeance. But as the story unfolds, the reveal isn't in apprehending the true culprit, but rather learning that Leonard is chasing his own ghost . He has purposefully been creating a mystery he can never solve because he's already solved it, yet he has forgotten that he has already achieved his vengeance.

Instead, everyone Leonard meets uses him, including corrupt cop Teddy ( Joe Pantoliano ), vindictive bartender Natalie ( Carrie-Anne Moss ), and even Burt, the hotel desk clerk. Leonard clings to this shred of control he believes he has, but that control is an illusion. He thinks that his Polaroids and tattoos are hard evidence, but they're just as fallible as memory. In the end, he learns (before he forgets again) that his wife survived the attack and that she took her own life by having Leonard give her too much insulin.

Why Is 'Memento's Leonard Shelby Such an Effective Character?

The figure of a man like Leonard Shelby — who believes he's in control, only to learn that his control is an illusion — recurs in Christopher Nolan's filmography . This type of character works particularly well in Memento because of how Nolan is able to upend expectations of the noir genre . Leonard is our detective, and while he struggles with his condition, he should still be able to solve the case. However, the film slowly reveals that what Leonard's working towards isn't justice or even vengeance, but clinging to the scraps of his identity . He's conditioned himself not to solve the case, but rather to create a simulacrum of his old life as an insurance investigator (another reason he can't stop talking about Sammy Jankis ( Stephen Tobolowsky )). Leonard has constructed an elaborate lie that allows him to live out the same fantasy and hold onto the identity so that he can solve a mystery. Everyone lies to Leonard — most of all, Leonard.

Why 'Memento's Message About Lying Is So Profound

What gives the story its potency is that Memento recognizes that we all lie to ourselves. Christopher Nolan simply found a vehicle to make the lie one of the stars of the film. Leonard's not lying to himself about his success or his ego. He's lying to himself about his very identity , and his brain damage allows him to perpetuate this mythology endlessly. It's only when we recall the very first scene that we remember that Leonard has a new opportunity to break the cycle. Without Teddy around to use Leonard as a weapon, and a new photo marking Teddy's demise, maybe Leonard will tell himself the truth. Maybe that can break the cycle, but until we reach that resolution ( that comes at the very beginning ), we have to get to the thematic truth of the film, which doesn't come until we understand why Leonard killed Teddy in the first place.

Like all of us, Leonard wants to feel like his actions have meaning. "The world doesn't just disappear when you close your eyes," Leonard says. But with causality broken in Leonard's mind , he has become somewhat divorced from the world. Memento is a powerful story about the hold that identity has on us, and how it can even transcend the loss of short-term memory. Leonard is convinced that he knows who he is, but it's not until the climax that Teddy tells him, "That's who you were ." Leonard doesn't want to face the facts that without his vengeance and without a mystery to solve, he's just a guy with brain damage who has to figure out his new place in the world. His own wife died by suicide, and rather than remember what happened to her, he made up a comforting narrative about Sammy Jankis.

How Does 'Memento' Compare to Other Christopher Nolan Films?

Constructing all this together within a neo-noir framework is brilliant, and watching Memento is like looking at a house of cards you're sure is going to topple over any moment. But Christopher Nolan and editor Dody Dorn know exactly where to cut in the action, and how to immaculately structure the narrative so that the audience is never lost. Like Following , Inception , Dunkirk , or any other Nolan film that plays with time, Nolan isn't trying to lose his audience . This isn't Primer where you throw up your hands and just have to go along for the ride. Nolan even presents his prologue in black-and-white so that you're aware you're looking at Leonard in a narrative that's separate from the reverse narrative, until both narratives meet up at the climax of the movie.

Christopher Nolan's movies are obsessed with notions of control, and control over time contrasts nicely with Leonard's illusion of control over his own story. Where Nolan and his protagonist sync up is how much control they exert over the power of narrative. Nolan is fascinated by the concept of narratives and how the power of creation is inextricably linked to destruction. Leonard has created an entirely new identity built on a lie , and because his creation is based on a lie, it ultimately leads to a destructive conclusion, which is that he becomes nothing more than Teddy's hitman. Like The Young Man from Following , Robert Angier from The Prestige , or Mal from Inception , Leonard has provided himself with a comforting lie, and that lie has proven to be his downfall until he finally decides to pursue something that's true — Teddy is using him, and so Teddy must be stopped.

Leonard Uses Lies To Protect Himself in 'Memento'

The cautionary tale in Memento is that Leonard Shelby, despite his unique condition, is universal in how he lies to himself. Nolan isn't opposed to the concept of a lie — he's a storyteller after all. But he's fascinated by how lies are implemented. For Nolan, lies are tools, and sometimes they can be used for benevolent purposes , like a magic show in The Prestige or the mind heist in Inception . In Memento , Leonard finds a new lie — that Teddy is responsible for the rape and murder of Leonard's wife — but like all good art, it's a lie that tells the truth. Teddy may not be responsible for Leonard's condition, but his desire to use Leonard as a weapon makes him at least partially responsible for Leonard's predicament. "You don't want the truth," Teddy tells Leonard. "You make up your own truth." And so the truth Leonard decides to follow is that Teddy must be eliminated, and the reason why doesn't matter because Leonard's never going to remember the reasons anyway. Leonard lies to himself on a tapestry of good intentions; he tells himself he's not a killer. But it's his actions that have meaning even if he can't remember them.

The Christopher Nolan and Robin Williams Thriller You Shouldn't Sleep On

Did you know that Christopher Nolan's first studio picture featured Robin Williams as a killer?

Through Memento 's ingenious plotting and characterization, Christopher Nolan made a movie where the lie itself became the protagonist. The central irony of Leonard Shelby is that his motives are based on the search for truth, but he consumes nothing but lies . He even conditions himself to believe more lies because the truth can be too painful. "You lie to yourself to be happy…We all do it!" Teddy exclaims. But to quote a later Nolan film, "Sometimes the truth isn't good enough. Sometimes people need something more. Sometimes they need their faith rewarded." Leonard Shelby eventually learns that he needs to believe his actions still have meaning, and that conditioning himself into becoming a vengeful detective isn't the truth he needs. Whether his lie leads him to a better truth is a question for before the opening credits roll .

Memento is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO

• Movie Features

• Christopher Nolan

50 quotes to enhance your presentations

• Written by: Shay O’Donnell
• Categories: Sales presentations , Visual communication
• Comments: 6

Whether you’re looking to inspire your audience, need a strong presentation starter, or want a concise soundbite to end your presentation with, using a quote in your presentation can be a great way to support your slides’ story and enhance your presentation’s flow. Presentation quotes give you – as the presenter – a moment to breathe, while the audience is reading the slide ( a reminder of why you shouldn’t be reading your quotes aloud is here ). They enable your audience to quickly and concisely understand your presentation’s key message, and give you an extra boost of credibility to boot.

The struggle comes when you have to find presentation quotes that fit your story, come from a reputable source, and have an attribution to get you through legal and compliance checks. But worry not: BrightCarbon have done the hard work for you!

We have compiled 50 presentation quotes and categorized them into 10 themes so that you can easily find a quote that resonates with your message, be it in a sales presentation, keynote speech, or training deck. All the quotes include references and attributions, so that you can sail through compliance and get on with creating a stunning presentation!

Pop this in your bookmarks tab (you’ll thank us later!), then dig in and find the perfect presentation quotes below:

Innovation quotes for presentations

• “Innovation, as I understand it, is both about doing different things as well as doing things differently.” Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Biotech Entrepreneur From an interview with Dr. Bhavana Weidman on nature.com (January 04, 2014)
• “Innovation is more than having new ideas: it includes the process of successfully introducing them or making things happen in a new way. It turns ideas into useful, practicable and commercial products or services.” John Adair, Writer on Business Leadership. Effective Innovation (2009), Revised Edition ch. 11
• “Every new thing creates two new questions and two new opportunities.” Jeff Bezos, Founder and CEO of Amazon From ‘The electricity metaphor for the web’s future’, presented at TED2003 (February 2003)
• “Innovation is fostered by information gathered from new connections; from insights gained by journeys into other disciplines or places; from active, collegial networks and fluid, open boundaries. “Innovation arises from ongoing circles of exchange, where information is not just accumulated or stored, but created. Knowledge is generated anew from connections that weren’t there before.” Meg Wheatley, Author and Management Consultant Leadership and the New Science (2001)
• “We are all looking for the magic formula. Well, here you go: Creativity + Iterative Development = Innovation.” James Dyson, Founder of Dyson ‘James Dyson on Innovation’,  Ingenia , Issue 24 (September 2005)

Design quotes for presentations

• “Good design begins with honesty, asks tough questions, comes from collaboration and from trusting your intuition.” Freeman Thomas, Automobile and Industrial Designer Reviving Professional Learning Communities: Strength Through Diversity, Conflict, Teamwork, and Structure (2012) p. 63
• “The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living. The assumption is that somewhere, hidden, is a better way of doing things.” Harry Bertoia, Artist and Designer As quoted in 1000 Chairs , Carlotte and Peter Fiell (2005) p. 66
• “People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs, Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. As quoted in ‘The Guts of a New Machine’, Rob Walker, The New York Times Magazine (November 30, 2003)
• “Design is redesign.” Jan Michl, Professor Emeritus, Phdr. History and Theories of Design ‘On seeing design as redesign’,  Scandinavian Journal of Design History , Issue 12 (2002) p. 7-23
• “Design is not about products, design is about relationships.” Hella Jongerius, Industrial Designer ‘Beyond the New: a search for ideals in design’, a manifesto by Hella Jongerius and Louise Schouwenberg (2015) 

Education and learning quotes for presentations

• “We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet.” Margaret Mead, Anthropologist and Author As quoted in How They Work In Indiana : Business-Education Partnerships , Andrew L. Zehner (1994)
• “The most important thing any teacher has to learn, not to be learned in any school of education I ever heard of, can be expressed in seven words: Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.” John Holt, Author and Educator Growing Without Schooling , Issue   40 (1984)
• “True education means fostering the ability to be interested in something.” Sumio Iijima, Physicist ‘About myself, To the younger generation’,  Innovative Engine  (September 25, 2007)
• “If you think education is expensive — try ignorance.” ‘Ask Ann Landers’ Syndicated Advice Column (October 4, 1975)
• “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” Plutarch, Greek Historian, Biographer, and Essayist On Listening to Lectures

Success quotes for presentations

• “Success is fucking up on your own terms.” Guillermo del Toro, Director and Producer From Portland Mercury Q&A (September 29, 2010)
• “We cannot say what brings us success. We can only pin down what blocks or obliterates success. Eliminate the downside, the thinking errors, and the upside will take care of itself. This is all we need to know.” Rolf Dobelli, Author and Businessman The Art of Thinking Clearly (2013)
• “The secret to success is the willingness to serve without aspiring for rewards.” Cham Joof, Gambian Historian Gambia, Land of our heritage,  p IV
• “Failure and success are not episodes, they are trajectories. They are tendencies, directions, pathways. Each decision, each time at bat, each tennis serve, each business quarter, each school year seems like a new event, but the next performance is shaped by what happened last time out, unless something breaks the streak. The meaning of any particular event is shaped by what’s come before.” Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Author and Management Consultant Confidence (2006)
• “Success is more than a good idea. It is timing.” Anita Roddick, Founder of The Body Shop From an interview on bookbrowse.com

Creativity quotes for presentations

• “Relaxed, playful and harmonious moments are the birth place of creativity.” Amit Ray, Author and Spiritual Master Meditation: Insights and Inspiration (2010) p. 58
• “Originality is going back to the origin and finding an empty chair. Would you gladly sit on it? No thank you. It is empty for a reason. That’s where my ass was. Not where my head is now.” Giannina Braschi, Puerto Rican Poet, Novelist, and Essayist World Literature Today (2012)
• “Creativity isn’t about the advantage or disadvantage of a specific time or culture. Creativity is something that comes internally from a human being having a genuine mistrust of rules. And that may be the constant. It’s almost like there’s some rebellion in it.” Paula Scher, Graphic Designer From an interview conducted by Neal Shaffer (2006)
• “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple of them and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” John Steinbeck, Author Conversations with John Steinbeck , ed. Thomas Fensch (1988)
• “Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter (like the river banks) forcing the spontaneity into the various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem.” Rollo May, Psychologist and Author The Courage to Create (1975) p. 115

Teamwork and collaboration quotes for presentations

• “In organizations, real power and energy is generated through relationships. The patterns of relationships and the capacities to form them are more important than tasks, functions, roles, and positions.” Margaret Wheatley, Management Consultant As quoted in 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself , Steve Chandler (2004) p. 123
• “Life is not a solo act. It’s a huge collaboration.” Tim Gunn, Fashion Consultant and Author ‘Postings | Recent Entries From Our Blogs’, Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times (December 21, 2010)
• “Collaboration is important not just because it’s a better way to learn. The spirit of collaboration is penetrating every institution and all of our lives. So learning to collaborate is part of equipping yourself for effectiveness, problem solving, innovation and life-long learning in an ever-changing networked economy.” Don Tapscott, Business Executive and Consultant ‘The spirit of collaboration is touching all of our lives’, The Globe and Mail (June 7, 2013)
• “As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.” Amy Poehler, Actress, Comedian, Director and Producer From The Joy of Success: What It Means to Transform Success Into Excellence,  Tochukwu O. Okafor MPA (2013) p. 53
• “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.” Michael Jordan, Basketball Hall of Fame Player and Businessman As quoted in The Victory Letters : Inspiration for the Human Race , Cheri Ruskus (2003) p. 68.

Knowledge quotes for presentations

• “While knowledge is increasingly being viewed as a commodity or intellectual asset, there are some paradoxical characteristics of knowledge that are radically different from other valuable commodities. These knowledge characteristics include the following: Using knowledge does not consume it. Transferring knowledge does not result in losing it. Knowledge is abundant, but the ability to use it is scarce. Much of an organization’s valuable knowledge walks out the door at the end of the day.” Kimiz Dalkir, Director at McGill School of Information Studies Knowledge Management in Theory and Practice, 2nd ed . (2011)
• “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” Carl Sagan, Astronomer and Popular Science Writer From That’s Weird!: Awesome Science Mysteries , Kendall F. Haven (2001)
• “Investing in people is the single most important thing in the knowledge economy. Traditionally, wealth was defined by land and natural resources. Today the most important resources is between our ears.” Barack Obama Remarks by President Obama at Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (April 27, 2014)
• “You can’t manage knowledge – nobody can. What you can do is to manage the environment in which knowledge can be created, discovered, captured, shared, distilled, validated, transferred, adopted, adapted and applied.” Chris Collison and Geoff Parcell Learning to Fly – Practical Knowledge Management from Leading and Learning Organizations (2005) p. 24-25
• “The Information Age offers much to mankind, and I would like to think that we will rise to the challenges it presents. But it is vital to remember that information — in the sense of raw data — is not knowledge, that knowledge is not wisdom, and that wisdom is not foresight. But information is the first essential step to all of these.” Arthur C. Clarke, Science Fiction Writer, Inventor, Futurist As quoted in ‘Humanity will survive information deluge — Sir Arthur C Clarke’, OneWorld South Asia (December 5, 2003)

Leadership quotes for presentations

• “Successful people become great leaders when they learn to shift the focus from themselves to others.” Marshall Goldsmith, Leadership Coach What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (2010) p. 72
• “Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.” Martin Luther King, Jr. From an address at the Episcopal National Cathedral, Washington D.C. (March 31, 1968)
• “You can’t lead from behind your desk, you’ve got to get out in front, be visible, for your customers as well as for your employees. During a crisis, you’ve got to be calm and confident. You’ve got to always tell the truth. And you’ve got to be willing to face a crisis, not shy away from it, embrace it.” Geisha Williams, Fortune 500 Businesswoman ‘Geisha Williams: Set Your Sights High, Take Charge and Keep the Lights On’, Leadership California , Carol Caley (February 17, 2014)
• “Courage is the main quality of leadership, in my opinion, no matter where it is exercised. Usually it implies some risk — especially in new undertakings. Courage to initiate something and to keep it going, pioneering and adventurous spirit to blaze new ways, often, in our land of opportunity.” Walt Disney As quoted in The Disney Way Fieldbook,  Bill Capodagli and Lynn Jackson (2000) p. 147
• “Embrace what you don’t know. What you don’t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things different from everyone else.” Sarah Blakely, Founder of Spanx ’10 Lessons I Learned from Sara Blakely That You Won’t Hear in Business School,’ Forbes , Kathy Caprino (May 23, 2012)

Mistakes and failure quotes for presentations

• “We tell our young managers: ‘Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice’” Akio Morita, Co-Founder of Sony Corporation As quoted in The Sony Vision , Nick Lyons (1976) p. 101
• “There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” Oprah Winfrey Commencement address at Harvard University (30 May 2013)
• “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” Suzy Kassem, Author Rise Up And Salute The Sun (2010)
• “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you. Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t bet against yourself. And take risk. NASA has this phrase that they like, “Failure is not an option.” But failure has to be an option. In art and exploration, failure has to be an option. Because it is a leap of faith. And no important endeavor that required innovation was done without risk. You have to be willing to take those risks. … In whatever you are doing, failure is an option. But fear is not.” James Cameron, Film Director From ‘Before Avatar … a curious boy’, presented at TED2010 (February 13, 2010)
• “I view this year’s failure as next year’s opportunity to try it again. Failures are not something to be avoided. You want to have them happen as quickly as you can so you can make progress rapidly.” Gordon Moore, Engineer and Co-Founder of Intel Corporation ‘An Interview with Gordon Moore’, Ingenuity 5 (2), Laura Schmitt (May 2000)

Planning and strategy quotes for presentations

• “Chance favours the prepared mind.” Louis Pasteur, Microbiologist, Chemist and Inventor Lecture, University of Lille (December 7, 1854)
• “The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do. ” Michael Porter, Economist, Researcher, Author ‘What is strategy?’ Harvard Business Review  (November 1996) p. 70
• “Business strategy is the battleplan for a better future.” Patrick Dixon, Author and Business Consultant Building a Better Business (2005)
• “Managers who extensively plan the future get the timing wrong. Sometimes they arrive to market too early and so must wait for the demand to catch up. Sometimes they are too late and so must accelerate to rejoin the future.” Shona L. Brown and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt Competing on the Edge: Strategy as Structured Chaos (1998) p.135
• “Strategy is about stretching limited resources to fit ambitious aspirations.” K. Prahalad, Organizational Theorist As quoted in The Wal-Mart Way , Don Soderquist (2005) p. 178

We hope you found what you needed from our list of presentation quotes! If you’re about to paste that quote onto your deck, but want to know how to format it to perfection, check out our guide to advanced typography in PowerPoint .

Have an idea for a quote we should add to the list? Is there a key theme you want some presentation quotes for? Let us know in the comments below!

Shay O’Donnell

Managing design consultant, related articles, making accessible elearning content.

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Thanks for this post.It’s a helpful quotes for enhance slides.

Glad it was useful Amit! Thank you for your feedback.

it helped me a lot… thanks!

Amazing Quotes. Really Good. These quotes help me making my presentation perfect Thanks & Regard vinita

Thanks for this post

thanks for information

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5 Lessons from the 'Memento' Script [FREE Download]

The memento script thrust the nolan brothers into the spotlight. it was bold, unique, and achieved cult status almost immediately. what lessons can we take away .

The Memento script was one of the first I ever sought out and read. It was a unique expression of structure, tone, and storytelling. I had never seen a movie like it, and when I read the script it inspired me to try to write myself. None of my backward stories ever worked completely well, but I love how the screenplay still amazes me today. 

That's why I wanted to spend today's post going over five lessons from the Memento screenplay and how they can help your features ! 

Check out this video from Behind the Curtain where they aggregate Christopher Nolan quotes on how he and Jonah wrote Memento ! And keep reading for the lessons you can take away once you've read. 

Download the  Memento  script PDF here !

1. begin at the end and end at the beginning .

Not every movie needs to be told in reverse, but every movie's end and beginning should have similar elements. What I mean is, we need to view the movie and read the script with certain arcs in mind. You can subvert tropes, take us for a ton of plot twists , but when we get to the end we should feel like the beginning mattered. 

I'm a big fan of having my closing scene mirror the opening scene, so we understand how these characters view their world differently now. Or how they exist differently. 

What Memento does so well is create this cycle that shows us Leonard's obsession. No matter what happens he'll kee avenging his wife over and over because he may never be able to deal with his own failures. Even when he comes to terms with them, he forgets anyway. 

Leonard's actions speak louder than his words. No matter what audible promises he makes, we know that as soon as his memory fades he'll be back at it again.

Just like he was at the beginning. 

2. Create motifs for juxtaposing scenes 

We're gone over what it takes to write a killer scene , but how can you set them apart from the others inside the screenplay itself? 

Memento does this by handling two different timelines and then uses black and white versus color within the final movie. But that's not reasonable for everyone. What Nolan suggests is writing from different motivations or even motifs for different scenes.

Leonard's motives in black and white are different than color. 

The way I'd apply this to my own writing is making sure each scene has a distinct motive. What does each character want in the scene? How do these motivations create conflict? 

3. The structure doesn't matter as long as it makes sense 

Look, we all love three-act structure . It's comfortable and familiar and doesn't freaking matter. Tell us a great story. That's it. And structure it any way that makes us care about what's happening. Memento is structured like a paperclip. We have color and b&w scenes cutting back and forth. One is going forward and one is going backward. 

Then they meet at the end.  

What makes this structure so crazy is that it allows you to end each scene with a cliffhanger, and then recontextualize those cliffhangers into the beginnings of other scenes. This makes the audience eager to keep watching and to try to figure out what could happen next. 

The big takeaway here is to bend the story into what you think behooves the audience's connection with it. 

Structure it like that.  

4. Focus on your rewrite  

As you can imagine, rewriting and reworking the script for Memento  was an arduous process. Each scene has to build on top of the one that came before it. When you cut, you wind up changing three things. but in general, your rewrites have to be merciless, even if the hard work feels daunting. 

I am currently in my own page-one rewrite and it's kicking my ass. But I now that the only way to get noticed in this town is to turn in something great. That means devoting all you've got to creating something singular and calculated. 

So put in the effort because no one wants to read your "okay" screenplay. 

5. Be relatable no matter who you follow  

One of the reasons we all go to the movies is to see stories that carry us away from our chairs somewhere we've never been. Our way into these faraway lands is usually a character that shares some, if not all of our emotions and struggles. We call those characters the "everyman" because they embody what it means to be human. 

Leonard Shelby is an everyman but in the weirdest of circumstances. He's interesting, so we keep watching, but the movie moves us because it always asks us to empathize as well as think about how we would react in his shoes. Since we're getting information at the same rate and with the same memory as him, we are continuously dealing with his world and therefore care about what happens next. 

When you tackle your own screenplay, think about main characters and protagonists . What sets your character apart from the pack, but also keeps them relatable to everyone reading the screenplay? 

This is not advocating for a Save the Cat moment, but just that the struggles in your movie have far-reaching ramifications that allow the audience to place themselves in the situations at hand. 

What's next? Lessons from The Sopranos  creator David Chase ! 

When  The Sopranos  debuted on January 10, 1999, the world was a different place. Mobsters were tough guys with flaws, other than hubris, that we seldom saw on the big or small screen. Then Tony Soprano walked into therapy and the rest is history. Throughout the run of the show, David Chase was able to always keep the audience guessing. He  developed characters ,  had them arc , and  combined archetypes  to give us a new look and feel for the modern gangster. 

Click the link to learn more! 

What Is an Anthology Series? Definition and Examples from Film and TV

Are you a fan of anthology tv series can you define them and give examples .

I watch so many TV shows that I can get a little burnt out after a while. Sometimes when you binge or watch multiple seasons with the same characters, you might feel this way too. Well, the anthology series might be your new favorite thing.

They're sort of the best of TV and movies mixed into one thing. It's various plots and characters that take you on new adventures.

But what is an anthology series? And what are some examples of them in TV?

Today we're going to define anthology TV shows and go over a few from Netflix, FX, and all sorts of other channels.

Make sense? Let's get started.

What Is an Anthology Series?

Anthology series cover all sorts of media, from radio to novels to short films to TV shows and so on. The world loves diversity in characters, storylines, and situations. These series open up different seasons and even episodes to change.

Anthology Series Definition

An anthology series is a radio, television, video game, or a film series that presents a different story and a different set of characters. They make these switches in each episode, season, segment, or short, as determined by the creators.

Why Do Writers and Directors Like Anthology Series?

As I mentioned in the opener, as a viewer, I like the contestant switch of characters , situations, and stories. Well, writers and directors like that too. Anthology series allow creatives to play with different genres , characters, and situations while maintaining a clear title.

Series can be sold by genre or by characters or even by place. They have a ton of elbow room for people to play with different ideas. They keep them from getting too stagnant or overstaying their welcome.

What Are the Best Anthology Series?

There are so many excellent series out there. Some of my favorites are American Horror Story, Love, Death, and Robots, and most of True Detective . The ability to change stories and characters has always been interesting to me.

TV shows like The Twilight Zone are sold on the idea that they can change weekly. They explore different big ideas. They can scare you, make you laugh, and even be a place where you can take a small idea and twist it into something larger.

Horror anthologies, TV shows like Tales from the Crypt , do their best to scare people week in and out. where a traditional horror TV show might lose its luster after you get used to the scares, anthologies let you terrify people every week with something different.

I think it's hard just arbitrarily to pick the best. So instead, here are some examples from lots of different genres.

Adult Animation Anthology Series

• The Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022)
• Cake (2019–present)
• Cartoon Sushi (1997–98)
• Greatest Party Story Ever (2016)
• Jokebook (1982)
• Like, Share, Die (2015)
• Liquid Television (1991–1994)
• Love, Death & Robots (2019–present)
• Off the Air (2011–present)
• Party Legends (2016–17)
• Robot Chicken (2005–present)
• Spicy City (1997)
• Sunday Pants (2005–06)
• Children and Family
• ABC Afterschool Special (1972–1997)
• ABC Weekend Special (1977–1997)
• CBS Afternoon Playhouse (1978–1983)
• CBS Children's Film Festival (1967–1978)
• CBS Children's Mystery Theatre (1980–1982)
• CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984–1996)
• CBS Storybreak (1985–1987)
• Disneyland (1954–1958)
• Dramarama (1983–1989)
• Faerie Tale Theatre (1982–1987)
• The Fox Cubhouse (1994–1996) (contains Johnson and Friends, Jim Henson's Animal Show, Rimba's Island, Magic Adventures of Mumfie and Budgie the Little Helicopter)
• It's Itsy Bitsy Time (1999) (contains Budgie the Little Helicopter, 64 Zoo Lane, The Animal Shelf, Tom and Vicky, and Charley and Mimmo)
• Jackanory (UK, 1972–1985)
• Lift Off (1992–1995)
• NBC Children's Theatre (1963–1973)
• Noddy (1998–2000)
• Off to See the Wizard (1967–68)
• Once Upon a Classic (1976–1980)
• Shining Time Station (1989–1993)
• Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958–1961)
• Special Treat, also known as NBC Special Treat (1975–1986)
• Tall Tales and Legends (1985–1987)
• Walt Disney Presents (1958–1961)
• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961–1969)
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969–2009)
• WonderWorks (1984)
• The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss (1996–98)

Comedy Anthology Series

• The Comic Strip Presents... (1982–2015)
• Carol and Company (1990–91)
• Cilla's Comedy Six (UK, 1975)
• Cilla's World of Comedy (UK, 1976)
• Comedy Lab (1998–)
• Comedy Playhouse (UK, 1961–2014)
• Dear Uge (2016–)
• Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible (2001)
• The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre (1955)
• El Chapulín Colorado (1973–1979)
• Ripping Yarns (UK, 1978–79)
• George Burns Comedy Week (1985)
• Good Heavens (1976)
• The Guest Book (2017–2018)
• High Maintenance (2012–2015, 2016–present)
• Human Remains (2000)
• Inside No. 9 (2014–)
• Oboler Comedy Theater (1949)
• Love, American Style (1969–1974)
• Miracle Workers (2019–present)
• Murder Most Horrid (UK, 1991–1999)
• The Ronnie Barker Playhouse (UK, 1968)
• Seven of One (UK, 1973)
• Six Dates with Barker (UK, 1971)
• Undressed (1999–2002)

Crime Anthology Series

• Adventure Theater (1956)
• American Crime (2015–2017)
• American Crime Story (2016–)
• Agatha Christie's Marple (UK, 2005–2014)
• Agatha Christie's Poirot (UK, 1989–2014)
• The Big Story (1949–1958)
• The Black Robe, also known as Police Night Court (1949–1950)
• Crime Patrol (2003–)
• Fargo (2014–)
• FBI: The Untold Stories (1991–1993)
• Gang Busters (1952, 1954–55)
• Lawbreakers (1963–64)
• The Man Behind the Badge (1953–1955)
• Official Detective (1957–58)
• Police Call (1955)
• Police Story (1952)
• Police Story (1973–1978)
• Tatort (1970–)
• The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (UK, 1971–1973)
• They Stand Accused (1949–1952, 1954)
• True Detective (2014–2019)
• Underbelly (2008–)
• The Walter Winchell File (1957–58)
• The Whistler (1954–55)
• The Sinner (2017–2021)
• Educational
• Inside/Out (1972–73)
• Omnibus (US, 1952–1961)

Historical Anthology Series

• Captain Newfoundland from the Tip of Atlantis/Captain Atlantis Late Night (Canada, 1972–present)
• The Great Adventure (1963–64)
• Our American Heritage (1959–1961)
• Profiles in Courage (1964–65)
• Saga of Western Man (1963–1969)
• You are There (1953–1957)

Medical Anthology Series

• The Doctor, also known as The Visitor (1952–53)
• Medic (1954–1956)
• Medical Story (1975–76)

Military Anthology Series

• Flight (1958–59)
• Men of Annapolis (1957–58)
• Navy Log (1955–1958)
• The Silent Service (1957–1959)
• The West Point Story aka West Point (1956–57)
• Mystery and suspense
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1965)
• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985–89)
• Behind Closed Doors (1958 TV series) (1958–59)
• The Best in Mystery (1954)
• The Boris Karloff Mystery Playhouse (1949)
• Byline, also known as Adventures in Mystery and News Gal (1951)
• The Chevy Mystery Show (1960)
• The Clock (1949–1952)
• Danger (1950–1955)
• Dark of Night (1952–1954)
• Darkroom (1981–82)
• Dow Hour of Great Mysteries (1960)
• The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre (US TV version of British theatrical second features, 1960–1965)
• Escape (1950)
• Escape (1973)
• Espionage (1963–64)
• Eye Witness (1953)
• Fallen Angels (1993–1995)
• George Sanders Mystery Theater (1957)
• Hands of Mystery, also known as Hands of Destiny, Hands of Murder (1949–1952)
• The Hitchhiker (1983–1987)
• I Spy (1955–1957)
• Inner Sanctum (1954)
• Invitation Playhouse: Mind Over Murder (1952)
• Kraft Mystery Theatre (Summer 1961, 1962, 1963)
• Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963–1965)
• Mr. Arsenic (1952)
• Murder in Mind (2001–2003)
• Murder Most Horrid (UK, 1991–99)
• Mystery! (1980–)
• Panic! (1957–58)
• Philip Morris Playhouse (1953–54)
• Rebound, also known as Counterpoint (1952–53)
• Scene of the Crime (1991–92)
• Stage 13 (1950)
• Sure as Fate (1950–51)
• Suspense (1949–1954)
• Suspicion (1957–58)
• Target (1958)
• Twisted Tales (1996–97)
• Two Twisted (2006) (Sequel to Twisted Tales)
• The Vise (1955 TV series) (1955–57)
• Volume One (1949)
• The Web (1950–1954)
• The Web, syndication title Undercurrent (1957)
• Your Play Time (1953–1955)

Science Fiction and Horror Anthology Series

• Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond
• Amazing Stories (original series)
• Amazing Stories (reboot)
• American Horror Story
• American Horror Stories
• Are You Afraid of the Dark?
• Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
• Black Mirror
• Castle Rock
• Channel Zero
• Deadtime Stories
• Dimension 404
• Electric Dreams (2017 TV series)
• Fantasy Island
• Fear and Fancy
• Fear Itself
• The Fearing Mind
• Freddy's Nightmares – A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series
• Friday the 13th: The Series
• Ghost Stories
• Ghost Story
• Great Ghost Tales
• The Haunting
• Historias para no dormir
• Infinity Train
• Inside No 9
• Into the Dark
• Journey to the Unknown
• Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour
• Love, Death & Robots
• Masters of Horror
• Masters of Science Fiction
• Métal Hurlant Chronicles
• Mystery and Imagination
• Night Gallery
• Night Visions
• The Nightmare Room
• Nightmare Cafe
• Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King
• Out of the Unknown
• Out of This World
• The Outer Limits
• Perversions of Science
• Play for Tomorrow
• Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected
• The Ray Bradbury Theater
• R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
• Science Fiction Theatre
• Strange Stories
• Tales from the Darkside
• Tales from the Crypt
• Tales of Mystery
• Tales of Mystery and Imagination
• Tales of the Unexpected
• Tales of Tomorrow
• The Twilight Zone (original series)
• The Twilight Zone (first reboot)
• The Twilight Zone (second reboot)
• The Twilight Zone (third reboot)
• The Unexpected
• Urban Gothic
• Welcome to Paradox
• What If...?
• Star Wars: Visions

What Are Keys to Writing An Anthology Series?

Writing an anthology series presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities compared to traditional serialized storytelling. Here are some key considerations and steps to keep in mind when developing an anthology series:

• Identify a unifying theme or concept that ties together each installment. Whether it's a genre (e.g., horror as in "The Twilight Zone") or a more abstract theme (e.g., technology's impact on society as in "Black Mirror"), having a strong central theme will give your anthology coherence.
• Given that each episode or installment will be its own unique story, it's a chance to bring in different writers, directors, and actors for each. This diversity can provide a richness of perspectives, styles, and voices.
• Despite varying stories and possibly varying creators, maintain a consistent tone throughout. This could be achieved through similar pacing, mood, visual aesthetics, or musical choices.
• Since each story will be relatively short, characters need to be quickly and effectively established. Dive into the heart of the characters' motivations and conflicts to immediately draw the audience in.
• Each installment should be satisfying on its own. While some anthologies might have subtle connections or Easter eggs between episodes, each episode should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• One of the joys of an anthology series is the opportunity to experiment. Consider varying the structure, setting, time period, or narrative style from one episode to the next.
• Many successful anthology series resonate because they tap into current societal fears, hopes, or dilemmas. Think about the larger themes or questions you want to explore and how they relate to the world today.
• Given the standalone nature of each installment, it's important to provide resolutions that feel both unexpected and earned.

Remember, the beauty of an anthology series is its flexibility. By keeping these guidelines in mind but also allowing for creative freedom and experimentation, you can create a compelling and memorable series that captures the imagination of your audience.

Summing Up "What Is An Anthology Series?"

Now that you know what an anthology series is, you can go create your own. Enjoy the freedom of writing new characters and worlds with each season or episode.

Before you go, let us know what your favorite anthology series is in the comments!

What Are the Best Mystery Movies of All Time?

What are the best romance movies of all time, the ending of 'challengers' explained, what are the best adventure movies of all time, why blackmagic is dropping the ursa mini pro 4.6k g2’s price by nearly half, what is the 4:3 aspect ratio and how is it used, how 'the curse' used vfx to pull off all those mirror shots, what is a narrative, how to create, edit, and transfer custom luts directly to your panasonic lumix s9, vimeo promises it will not allow ai models to train on your videos on its platform.

• Science & Math
• Sociology & Philosophy
• Law & Politics
• Memento Movie: Explanation and Summary

Leonard suffered from Anterograde amnesia, the loss of memory of what happens after the event that caused the amnesia, his wife’s murder (or, more commonly, short-term memory loss). This prevented him from holding memories after his wife’s rape/ murder in his brain for longer than a short time until they were forgotten. Due to this reason, he cannot maintain relationships, learn new things, and has no perception of time.

The two primary ways the story is told are through pictures taken by Leonard and tattoos on his body. Due to his inability to remember any new memories for long durations, he used mental cues written under his Polaroid pictures and “FACTS” tattooed on his body to retrace his steps. The effective measure of these cues makes the movie very unpredictable because new things/ events are always being revealed to Leonard through the mental cues he leaves for himself. However, the ineffective aspect of such a storytelling method is that the story is going in reverse chronological order; it can be confusing at times to understand the context of the cues and how they relate to one another.

Perception is acquiring information from the environment (through your senses) and organizing that information in a sensible way. Throughout the movie, Leonard’s perception of the world around him is skewed beyond belief because of his inability to retain new memories. He is oblivious to time and can only judge and react to situations at instantaneous moments. Perception is the outcome of the brain’s organization of incoming stimuli, information, and interpretation of the events we are experiencing. But because of Leonard’s condition, almost every situation will appear “new” to him. Therefore his perception of the world would greatly differ from mine or yours.

It is very difficult to follow because the story is told in reverse chronological order. The man Leonard kills at the beginning of the movie appears to be the man who killed his wife. However, as more and more events are revealed to us, the situation becomes more apparent. The exploitation of Leonard by those around him for miscellaneous purposes is made clear, and the people who appear to be aiding Leonard, Natalie, were actually setting him up. This movie requires you to be very attentive because of how information is revealed. Your brain organizes all this information through perception to understand the motives for what is transpiring.

After his brain injury, Leonard has no short-term memory.

Yes, this movie is a fairly accurate representation of people living with Anterograde amnesia. Leonard has attempted to do his best to live his life with accurate perception but often failed because he lacks something so critical to human beings, memory. By simply not writing something down or taking a picture, events from his mind, important or not, will vanish forever, and he will be unable to ever recall them. Surprisingly, he has survived as long as he has without professional help, but his under dying motive to take revenge on his wife’s alleged murders over and over again could be the reason for that. He cannot form new memories, and therefore his life has lost purpose, so Leonard is stuck in what many would describe as a “time capsule,” avenging his wife repeatedly.

The only reason that Leonard can process in such a manner is that he has a tremendously strong intention of avenging his wife.

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Memento quotes

45 Best Motivational Quotes For Work: Perfect For Presentations & Slide Decks

Focus, determination, and focus. How do you inspire your team? These quotes can help with motivation they need. Great for presentations, slide decks, corporate retreats, or reflection in your next team meeting.

Looking for even more quotations? Try these quotes on productivity and teamwork !

•  “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen, American film director
•  “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act. But a habit.” –  Aristotle, Greek philosopher
•  “If you are not where you want to be, do not quit, Instead reinvent yourself and change your habits.” – Eric Thomas, American motivational speaker
•  “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” – Henry Ford, American industrialist
•  “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford, American industrialist
•  “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese philosopher
•  “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” – Meister Eckhart, German theologian
•  “Abandon anything about your life and habits that might be holding you back. Learn to create your own opportunities.” – Sophia Amoruso, American businesswoman
•  “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken..” – Warren Buffett, American business magnate
•  “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell, American author
•  “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe, American tennis player
•  “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”   – Mark Twain, American author
•  “You can have results or excuses. Not both.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian-American actor
•  “There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” – Alan Cohen, author
•  “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou, American poet
•  “Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.” – Leo Babauta, author
• “What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.” – Tim Ferriss, American entrepreneur
• “You have the power on your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor
•  “Work harder on you than everyone else and you will become unusually successful.” – Dani Johnson, Businesswomen
• “Self-esteem comes from achieving something important when it’s hard to do.” – Clayton M. Christensen, American business consultant
•  “Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe, American author
•  “Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.” – Miguel De Unamuno, Spanish essayist
•  “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend first four sharpening the axe. “ – Abraham Lincoln, 16th president
•  “What better place than here, what better time than now.” – Tony Robbins, American author
•  “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without” – Confucius, Chinese philosopher
•  “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur
•  “Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur
•  “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president
•  “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison, American inventor
•  “You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer, American journalist
•  “Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd president
•  “The future depends on what you do today.” – Mahatma Gandhi, Indian activist
•  “If we have the attitude that it’s going to be a great day it usually is.” – Catherine Pulsifier, Author
•  “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” – John D. Rockefeller, American business magnate
•  “If something is important enough, even if the odds are stacked against you, you should still do it.” – Elon Musk, business magnate
•  “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.” – Sheryl Sandberg, American business executive
• “Leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure.” – Stanley McChrystal, retired United States Army general
•  “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together” – Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch post-impressionist painter
•  “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan, American basketball player
•  “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lou Holtz, former American football player
•  "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." – Stephen Hawking, English theoretical physicist
•  "If something is wrong, fix it now. But train yourself not to worry, worry fixes nothing. " – Ernest Hemingway, American novelist
•  "Everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler." – Albert Einstein, Theoretical physicist
• "Innovation distinguishes from a leader and a follower." – Steve Jobs, American business magnate
• “Tough times never last, but tough people do.“ – Robert Schuller, motivational speaker

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Memento Ending, Explained

What makes a cult movie ? Something unique, out-of-the-box ideas and innovative ways of story-telling clubbed together by a genius director that had a strange way of being attractive to the masses? Or something which has set the benchmark in filmmaking and inspired several other creators to follow suit? When Jonathan Nolan pitched the plot of ‘Memento Mori’ to his brother Christopher , the latter smelled the ingredients of something very unique and decided to roll over the cameras. But while composing the screenplay for the movie, Christopher added his own creative genius and when ‘Memento’ was released in 2000, the entire film fraternity sat up and watched the brilliance unfold itself on the silver screen. 19 years later, this film still remains fresh, no matter how many times you watch it.

Christopher Nolan’s latter films are all overridden with scientific elements and with the constraint of budget gone, he has been able to showcase his vivid imaginations more clearly. ‘Following’ in 1998 and ‘Memento’ in 2000 were his earlier films and the purse wasn’t quite loose enough. Creativity isn’t expensive and Nolan has proven that with his ‘cult-status’ film in 2000. Jonathan’s story about a man with anterograde amnesia looking for his wife’s killer and using several unique methods to keep track of the timeline was a fresh and challenging plotline in itself. If made in the straight, old-fashioned way, it would have caught attention, although perhaps, not in the same way. When Christopher introduced the dual timelines concept in the screenplay, it was the beginning of something hitherto unseen in the cinematic world.

Dual Timelines

The film begins with the climax of the story, the murder of a man called Teddy in an abandoned warehouse. From that moment onwards, the story of the protagonist is told in two ways. The color shots go backwards from the present scene, while the black-and –white shots commencing from the moment he wakes up lost in a motel room go in forward direction. Eventually the both lines meet and comes back to the warehouse, setting up a climax which made the watchers all sit up and take notice. Even if some director had managed to conjure up such a bizarre way of telling the story, it’s highly doubtful he/she could come up with this alternate way of mixing up monochrome and color. This is why Christopher Nolan is so different; he throws away the obvious under the bus so easily.

Who is Leonard Shelby?

Leonard Shelby is one interesting personality, an erstwhile insurance investigator, now using his trade skills to track down the man who had raped and murdered his wife. His disease however, prevents the flawless execution of his skills in this mission. With his capacity of forming new memories stolen after the horrible incident, Shelby resorts to an intricate system of staying within the boundaries of the present timeline. Using a set of body tattoos and Polaroid photographs with hand-written notes, Shelby keeps a tab on the new people he is meeting and the incidents that occur during his mission. He is troubled naturally, but the desire for vengeance keeps him alive throughout.

The last memories of his wife being killed heinously and himself getting injured during the rescue attempt keeps him alive and he consciously narrates his troubles to Teddy, the policeman and Natalie, who seemingly are willing to help him out of this distress. The search for ‘John G’, the name of the murdered Shelby remembers isn’t made easy with their help though, for both have some sinister selfish plans which the seeker’s anterograde amnesia makes it suitable to be executed through him.

Teddy, or John Gammell, as he reveals later, is a corrupt cop, whose very appearance gives the impression of something deeper cooking in his head. He looks very much like a character stepped out from the reels of a Martin Scorsese neo-noir and the audience gets the gut feeling that he is up to no-good. The beautiful bartender, Natalie, however, has the persona of a caregiver, someone who is hurt and alone and would go out of her way to help the innocent. Her character, too, takes a dramatic twist and reveals her importance to the game.

The climax of the film, (not the story’s climax) lies among the very best. Christopher Nolan keeps it open to several possibilities and asks the audience to form their own conclusions. It is a debate between the theories of Teddy and Leonard Shelby about the existence of ‘John G’, the elusive criminal. While Leonard thinks that killing Jimmy Grant has solved the problem, Teddy is of the opinion that the thirst for vengeance drives Leonard into finding several ‘John G’s and executing them, even though the original criminal died at his hands a year ago. The condition of Leonard makes Teddy’s theory almost believable but the character of Teddy as mentioned above, makes it impossible for the audience or even Leonard to place his full trust in his words.

The character of Sammy Jankins, a former subject of investigation for Leonard during his days with the insurance company, had served as a mysterious subplot throughout the story. Sammy too was suffering from anterograde amnesia as a result of an accident and Leonard had summed it up as a mental not physical affliction, making Sammy unworthy of the insurance claim. The memory of this man drives him throughout and when Teddy reveals Sammy to be a figment of imagination in Shelby’s troubled mind, the pieces somehow remain loosely fit. Leonard refuses to believe the story of Teddy and marks him as the ‘John G’ he wants to kill. The ending is the finale or is it the other way around?

The Confusion

It would be a blasphemy to mark just one of the many possibilities as the correct one. It could all be a ruse to confuse Leonard’s mind even further, take advantage of his situation and force him to commit crimes which normally the puppeteer couldn’t do. It is really hard to believe that a cop would assist a mentally unstable person in his quest for revenge and stick with him through the suspicions and tantrums. Since Leonard remembers everything before his wife’s murder, it is hard to assume that he would forget that his wife had diabetes and was killed with an overdose of insulin.

Again, if such a thing had happened actually, then the condition of Leonard was even more severe, as a traumatic shock had ruined the actual memory and forced him to graft out an acceptable version of the events. The audience is left dazed and confused. It depends entirely on the perception of the viewer how the conclusion will be drawn. Perhaps that is the magic of ‘Memento’ and I certainly wouldn’t want to assert my own opinion on the others. Like Roger Ebert famously remarked after watching this film, ‘Confusion is a state we are intended to be in’.

The Performances

Guy Pearce ’s earnest performance as the amnesic hunting down his wife’s killer helps put over the character of Leonard Shelby. He is straight faced and never breaks out a smile in those impassive jaws. The haunting look he carries throughout the entire movie feels chillingly real. Guy Pearce wasn’t an A-list actor before ‘Memento’ and this superb performance took him into the club of élite actors who took their roles seriously. Joe Pantoliano was famous after the ‘Matrix Trilogy’ and had a history of villainous roles behind him. However, Teddy was never the outright villain in this film and Joe brought in the level of subtlety which Nolan desperately needed in this film. The duo along with Carrie-Anne Moss as Natalie, proved to be a shrewd casting choice and valuable resources weren’t wasted on bringing in A-list celebrities who have so very little to offer at times.

‘Memento’ is one serious twisting ride which takes the viewer into a labyrinth and threatens to leave him/her there. It is one of a kind and serves as the benchmark for non-linear storytelling . In the end, it doesn’t matter which theory about the film you believe to be correct; what matters is that the film made you think and engage. That’s what cinema is supposed to achieve. That’s what ‘Memento’ achieves.

Read More: ‘Interstellar’, Explained

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The perfect memento for a speaker

I enjoy giving speeches (who doesn’t!) – every talk, motivates me to learn something new or forces me to learn the subject much better – technical talks are the best, as I risk making a fool of myself if I don’t practise the demos well. In my experience, for every good talk you give, you need to have prepared (and/or recursed) for five to ten times the duration of your speech.

The part I don’t look forward to is the ritual that follows after the talk, where the organisers give you a gift or speaker memento. Most often, the gifts are a coffee mug or a pen set or a photo frame or a generic painting. Several rows of shelves in my room are full with these and I have no idea what to do with them! Yet that’s what you get after every speaking engagement.

Breaking away from this dull routine, after my talk yesterday at a panel discussion on Future of IT Industry and Road Ahead , TiE Chennai gave me a certificate, showing the donation they have made on my name towards a tribal girl child’s education. Innovative thought and a fine gesture. More than the audience applause (which are always appreciated), this made the event meaningful for me!

The perfect memento for a speaker – Educate to Elevate – TiE Chennai and Vidya Vanam, Coimbatore

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About the Author

Venkatarangan thirumalai.

The Founder Catalyst

Technology advisor, professional speaker, and CEO coach. Also a Geek, Book worm, Movie lover, Traveller, Indian and தமிழன். Profile at tncv.me and Microsoft Community . தி.ந.ச.வெங்கடரங்கன் மென்பொருள் வல்லுனர், ஆலோசகர்; தொழில்முறை பேச்சாளர்; தலைமை நிர்வாகிகளின் பயிற்சியாளர்.

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Congratulations Quotes, Messages, & Ideas for All Occasions

When it’s time to send your congratulations and best wishes, you want to make it special and memorable. Luckily, we’ve got some ideas on how to say congratulations for any occasion!

‍ Congratulations on an Outstanding Achievement or Milestone

Major achievements and important life moments deserve to be recognized and celebrated. Perhaps a friend just landed a new job or big promotion, bought their first home, or graduated from high school or college. Or maybe they tied the knot, had a baby, retired, or celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Regardless of the milestone or success, let them know you care with these congratulations gift ideas, quotes, messages, and more! 

Congratulations Quotes for Achievements

Want to recognize a loved one’s accomplishment? Use these inspirational quotes to send your congratulations wishes. 

• “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” -Leonardo da Vinci
• “There is no one magic move or secret that creates victory, but lots of little items that when added together can make you victorious.” -Bill Toomey
• “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places. You’re off and away!” -Dr. Suess
• “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” -C.S. Lewis
• “The fruit of your own hard work is the sweetest.” -Deepika Padukone
• “The future depends on what you do today.” -Mahatma Gandhi

Congratulations Card

Send your congratulations and best wishes in a beautiful Congratulations eCard for any occasion. New homes, new babies, new jobs, you name it! You can schedule these cards to send in advance or send them right from your phone in minutes. Best of all, you can include a personalized congratulations message and gift card the recipient is sure to love.

Congratulations Group Videos

Celebrate any milestone or accomplishment with a meaningful group video from Memento. Group videos capture and preserve precious messages of love and congrats and make perfect gifts for parents , newlyweds, new parents, couples celebrating an anniversary, college graduates, retirees - or anyone special! Easily collect and combine video clips from family, friends, and coworkers to create a thoughtful group video that can be cherished for years to come. 

Want to make your group video extra special? Have the recipient’s favorite celebrity, sports star, musician, or actor congratulate them! Memmo’s video messages from celebrities connect well-known talent to their fans and followers. Once you pick a favorite celebrity and receive their personalized video clip, simply include it with the other video messages from family and friends to make a truly memorable group video! Check out this clip from Chris Noth to get a better idea of what a celebrity message looks like.

Congratulations Messages

Not sure what to say in your congratulations card or congratulations group video? Check out these best wishes messages for any occasion. 

General Congrats Messages

• Congratulations! We’re so very proud of you!
• Your hard work and perseverance have paid off. Congratulations!
• Congratulations on your well-deserved success! You’re an inspiration!
• Warmest congratulations on your achievement! Wishing you even more success in the future.

Graduation Messages

• Congratulations on your graduation! Sending you our best wishes for a happy and successful future.
• Hard work. Dedication. Perseverance. You did it! Congratulations on your graduation!
• You did it, grad! I knew you could! Congratulations. I’m so proud of you. 
• Here’s to your bright future! Congrats on your graduation! 

Wedding Messages

• Congratulations to the happy couple! We’re thrilled for you and wish you all the best. 
• Cheers to you both. Congratulations on your wedding day!
• Wishing you a sweet and happy life together. Congratulations. 
• Best wishes to you both. May your marriage bring you a lifetime of happiness!

Retirement Messages

• Cheers! You deserve nothing but the best for your retirement. 
• Wishing you the best in your retirement. You will be missed by everyone!
• Congratulations on your retirement. Wishing you the best of luck in this new chapter of your life. You deserve it! 
• Here’s to new adventures! Happy retirement!

Anniversary Messages

• Happy Anniversary to my dearest friends! Wishing you many more years of happiness. 
• Happy Anniversary. There’s no one I’d rather spend my life with. 
• YOU + ME = LOVE. Happy Anniversary!
• Happy Anniversary to my one and only. I love you so very much. 

New Baby Messages

• Congrats on your new baby! We’re so happy for you. Hoping everyone is healthy and happy. 
• Congratulations on the newest addition to your family. Welcome little one!
• We can’t wait to meet your little one! Congrats! 
• Sending a warm welcome to your newest family member. Congrats on your little bundle of joy!

New Home Messages

• Wishing you many happy memories in your new home! Congrats. 
• Congrats on your new house! We can’t wait to see it.
• Welcome home. Here’s to new beginnings and new memories. 
• Happy New Home! It’s the perfect place for you. 

New Job & Promotion Messages

• Congrats on landing the new job. Your team is lucky to have you!
• Congratulations. You’re going to rock this new job!
• You should be really happy and proud of your promotion. You’ve worked so hard for it!
• Congrats on the promotion! You deserve it.

‍ Congratulations Party

Bring family and friends together to congratulate a loved one on their success or life milestone with a party. Start your celebration off on the right foot with an online party invitation you can send right from your phone. Customize your invite with important party details, include a message board for your event, and easily gather RSVPs online. Whether it’s a retirement , graduation , or anniversary party, digital invitations will help keep you organized and on top of your party planning!

Be sure to have a theme and decorations to match your party (think: gold streamers and balloons for a golden wedding anniversary; a beach-themed party for someone retiring on the coast; or a graduate’s high school or college colors throughout the party space). 

A party is also the perfect opportunity to share a congrats group video on a TV or projector screen. The recipient will be so surprised and touched to hear messages of love from friends and family, and party attendees will get to share and witness the recipient’s joy!

Congratulations Gift Ideas 

If you’d like to give someone a present to recognize their achievement or special occasion, check out these gift ideas!

• Cake . What could be better than something sweet to celebrate an accomplishment? There’s a reason cake is at the center of many celebrations: it’s delicious, it can be personalized with a special message, and it’s meant to be shared! Regardless if you make the cake yourself or get it from a local bakery, the recipient will appreciate the thoughtful gesture.
• Champagne . Bring out the bubbly! From the pop of the cork to the sparkling and fizzy overflow, champagne screams celebration. Mark a special achievement or life moment with a bottle (or two!) for a loved one. If you want to go all out, consider buying traditional champagne flutes, a stopper, bottle opener, and an ice bucket.
• Basket of Goodies. For this gift, take a moment to think about what your special someone is celebrating and what they might need. For college-bound high school grads, fill a laundry basket with necessities like detergent, quarters, instant coffee, candy, and snacks they can munch on while they study. For newlyweds and new parents, check their wedding and baby gift registries for any remaining items that you can gather together in a basket. For new homeowners, fill a basket with a lovely scented candle, potted plant, bottle of wine, gift card to a local hardware store, and home design magazines for inspiration.

Congratulating someone on their success or milestone is all about sharing in their joy and showing them you care. No matter what the occasion, keep these ideas in mind for a meaningful way to say congrats! 

Headed to a holiday party or event? Collect photos from family and friends then share them afterward with a Shared Album on Memento, an easy-to-use photo sharing website free of cost.

Need 70th birthday gift ideas for someone special? Check out these unique gifts for women and men turning 70.

Want to create a thoughtful surprise for your graduate? Learn how to make a graduation slideshow with music using photos from loved ones and preselected graduation slideshow songs.

NOW AVAILABLE! The Presentation Playbook Series

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• Trade Show Staffing
• Sample Videos
• Seminar Speaker

Spark's Presentation & Public Speaking Blog

Public speaking quotes: funny, inspiring insights for your presentation.

June 2, 2014

by Andy Saks

Over many years as a professional presenter and speaker, I’ve accumulated a treasure trove of funny, inspiring, insightful public speaking quotes.

These quotes are near and dear to my heart. They’ve helped me immensely, and helped me help others.

Some date back to biblical times. Others are hot off the Twitter press.

Sometimes I show them in a looping slideshow to warm up an audience before a keynote speech or presentation skills training program.

Other times I peek at them when I need some inspiration myself.

And here they are, for the first time, categorized and alphabetized for your presentation pleasure.

Which quotes make you laugh? Which inspire you? Which rub you the wrong way? Which of your favorites should I add? Which did you use in your presentation? Tell me by sharing your comment at the bottom of the page.

QUOTES FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY / FEAR

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than delivering the eulogy.” – Jerry Seinfeld

“All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears, of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before the Rotary Club, or the words ‘some assembly required.’” – Dave Barry

“…and from the first moment that I ever walked on stage in front of a darkened auditorium with a couple of hundred people sitting there, I was never afraid, I was never fearful, I didn’t suffer from stage fright, because I felt so safe on that stage. I wasn’t Patrick Stewart, I wasn’t in the environment that frightened me, I was pretending to be someone else, and I liked the other people I pretended to be. So I felt nothing but security for being on stage. And I think that’s what drew me to this strange job of playing make-believe.” — Patrick Stewart

“Feel the fear of public speaking and do it anyway.” – Arvee Robinson

“I was dreading winning. I didn’t even prepare an acceptance speech. I was worried that I would slip up or do something horrible. I was shaking in my seat, putting on a posed smile. Inside I was petrified.” – Leonardo DiCaprio (at the 1998 Academy Awards)

“It’s all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation.” – Rob Gilbert

“The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.” – George Jessel

“There are two types of speakers: Those who get nervous and those who are liars.” – Mark Twain

QUOTES ON ASKING QUESTIONS & LISTENING

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, and to sit down and listen.”  – Winston Churchill

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” – Jimi Hendrix

“Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.” – fortune cookie Andy got (really!)

“Nothing calms a person faster than hearing his own ideas repeated back.” – Sandra DeLozier

“One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears, by listening to them.” – Dean Rusk

“Open your ears before you open your mouth; it may surprise your eyes!” – Earl Nightingale

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

“The finest art of communication is not learning how to express your thoughts. It is learning how to draw out the thoughts of another.” – Ted Tripp

“Two monologues do not make a dialogue.” – Jeff Daly

“You can tell if a man is clever by his answers. You can tell if a man is wise by his questions.” – unknown

QUOTES ON HAVING A GREAT ATTITUDE

“Our attitude towards others determines their attitude towards us.” -Earl Nightingale

“Say what you mean, mean what you say, just don’t say it mean.” – Nguyen Van Tho

“Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you’ll ever regret.” – Laurence Peter

“The words you speak today should be soft and tender, for tomorrow you may have to eat them.” – unknown

“Think lovingly, speak lovingly, act lovingly, and every need shall be supplied.” – James Allen

“You have to smile, if you expect anybody to smile back.” – Jonathan Evison

QUOTES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR AUDIENCE

“Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern.” – Ken Haemer

“In the preaching moment, there is a liminal moment in which is dawns on you standing there that yes, there is something more going on here that I did not anticipate…You feed of the congregation, because black preaching is so dialogical. The affirmation in that dialogue is the place where you locate revelation.” – Dale Andrews (professor, Boston University, and occasional preacher)

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!” – @mediatraining

“The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say ‘Me too!’ versus ‘So what?'” – Jim Rohn

“The royal road to a man’s heart is to talk to him about the things he treasures most.” – Dale Carnegie

“To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” – Tony Robbins

“To sway an audience, you must watch them as you speak.” – C. Kent Wright

“When are you going to understand that if it doesn’t pertain to me, I’m not interested?” – Candace Bergen as Murphy Brown

QUOTES ON CLARITY, SIMPLICITY AND WORD CHOICE IN SPEAKING

“Eloquence is the essential thing in a speech, not information.” – Mark Twain

“I understand a fury in your words, but not your words.” – William Shakespeare, Othello

“If we use common words on a great occasion, they are the more striking because they are felt at once to have a particular meaning, like old banners, or everyday clothes, hung up in a sacred place.” – George Eliot

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

“If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.” – Dianna Booher

“If you can’t state your position in eight words, you don’t have a position. “ – Seth Godin

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” – Jack Kerouac

“Precision of communication is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair-trigger balances, when a false or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act.” – James Thurber

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all. Carve every word before you let it fall.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” – Hans Hoffman

“The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter–’tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” — Mark Twain

“The great enemy of clear language is insincerity. When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like cuttlefish squirting out ink.” – George Orwell

“The way something is presented will define the way you react to it.” – Neville Brody

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.” – William Butler Yeats

“Those who run to long words are mainly the unskillful and tasteless; they confuse pomposity with dignity, flaccidity with ease, and bulk with force.” – H.W. Fowler

QUOTES DEFINING PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS

“A presentation is a chance to share, not an oral exam.” – M.F. Fensholt

“All speaking is public speaking, whether it’s to one person or a thousand.” – Roger Love

“Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Proper words in proper places make the true definition of a style.” – Jonathan Swift

“Speech is power. Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Through the picture, I see reality. Through the word, I understand it.” – Sven Lidman

“To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.” – Ben Jonson

“Words do two major things: they provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” – Jim Rohn

“Words. Words, when spoken out loud for the sake of performance, are music. They have rhythm, and pitch, and timbre, and volume. These are the properties of music, and music has the ability to find us and move us and lift us up in ways that literal meaning can’t.” – Martin Sheen as President Bartlet, The West Wing

FUNNY QUOTES ON PUBLIC SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

“Don’t be afraid to talk to yourself. It’s the only way you can be sure somebody’s listening.” – F.P. Jones

“Every speaker has a mouth, an arrangement rather neat. Sometimes it’s filled with wisdom, sometimes it’s filled with feet.” – Robert Orben

“Light travels faster than sound. That’s why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak.” – Albert Einstein

“Look your audience straight in the eyes, and begin to talk as if every one of them owed you money.” – Dale Carnegie

“My job is to talk; your job is to listen. If you finish first, please let me know.”  – Harry Herschfield

“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” – Mark Twain

“Public speaking is very easy.” – Dan Quayle

“Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.” – Slovenian proverb

“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it’s taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw

QUOTES ON HONESTY IN SPEAKING

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” – Mark Twain

“I didn’t lie. I was writing fiction in my mouth.” – Homer Simpson

“Speech is a mirror of the soul. As a man speaks, so is he.” – Publilius Syrus

“Teach the tongue to say ‘I do not know.’” – Maimonides

“When the eyes say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on the language of the first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

QUOTES ON HUMOR IN PRESENTATIONS & PUBLIC SPEAKING

“Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a point without drawing blood.” – Mary Hirsch

“Humor is treacherous. It can charm, coax, and persuade, but it can also distract, baffle or alienate the audience.” – Eugene Finerman

“I learned at an early age that when I made people laugh, they liked me. This is a lesson I never forgot.” – Art Buchwald

“If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they’ll kill you.” – Oscar Wilde

“Once you get people laughing, they’re listening and you can tell them almost anything.” – Herbert Gardner

“The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.” -Mark Twain

QUOTES ON THE POWER AND IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING

“Electric communication will never be a substitute for the face of someone who with their soul encourages another person to be brave and true.” – Charles Dickens

“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half of people who have nothing to say and keep saying it.” – Robert Frost

“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” – Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

“If all my talents were to be taken from me by some inscrutable providence, and I had to make a choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to keep the power of speaking, because through it, I would quickly recover all the rest.” – Daniel Webster

“The newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it.” – Edward R. Murrow

“The tongue has the power of life and death.” – Solomon

“The tongue is like a sharp knife. It kills without drawing blood.” – Buddha

“When nobody speaks your name, or even knows it, you, knowing it, must be the first to speak it.” – Marlon Riggs

“Improve your communication skills and you will earn fifty percent more money over your lifetime…In my office you’ll not see the degree I got from the University of Nebraska. You’ll not see the master’s degree I got from Columbia. But you’ll see the award certificate I got from the [public] speaking course.” – Warren Buffett

INSPIRING PUBLIC SPEAKING QUOTES

“Between your brain and your mouth (or your fingers) is magic: your power to choose what you say next. Use that magic.” – Chris Brogan

“Oratory should raise your heart rate. Oratory should blow the doors off the place.” – Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, The West Wing

“The difference between a good speech and a great speech is the energy with which the audience comes to their feet at the end. Is it polite? Is it a chore? Are they standing up because their boss just stood up? No. You want it to come from their socks.” – Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn, The West Wing

“The world is made up of words. And if you know the words that the world is made of, you can make of it whatever you wish.” – Terence McKenna

“The world is waiting for your words.” – Arvee Robinson

“Your words can make you rich” – Dr. Donald Moine

QUOTES ON OPENING LINES IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“He who fails to please in his salutation and address is at once rejected, and never obtains an opportunity of showing his latest excellences or essential qualities.” – Samuel Johnson

“You had me at ‘Hello.’” – Renee Zellweger as Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire

QUOTES ON PASSION IN PUBLIC SPEAKING & PRESENTATIONS

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, those who matter don’t mind.” – Dr. Seuss

“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn 

“I don’t like to hear cut-and-dried sermons. When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees!” – Abraham Lincoln

“It doesn’t matter how elegant the argument or inspiring the prose, a presentation won’t move anyone if the presenter isn’t visibly feeling what they are saying.” – John Neffinger, KNP Communications

“Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion. Technique alone is just an embroidered pot holder.” – Raymond Chandler

“The best speeches come from the heart and reflect your passion. Speak as if your life depended on it.” – Arvee Robinson

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” – Carol Buchner

“When genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.” – D.H. Lawrence

“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.” – John Ford

“You cannot speak that which you do not know. You cannot share that which you do not feel.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

“A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Nolan Haims

“If God is in the details, then the Devil is in PowerPoint.” – @AngryPaulRand

“The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it. And more importantly, they will remember you.” – Paul Arden

QUOTES ON PREPARATION IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“All Abe Lincoln needed was a pencil and paper to make his speech at Gettysburg.” – @TipsForSpeakers

“All the great speakers were bad speakers at first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Communication works for those who work at it.” – John Powell

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Abraham Lincoln

“If you wing it when speaking, you’ll get wing it results.” – Arvee Robinson

“It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

“Let he who would be moved to convince others be first moved to convince himself.” – T. Carlyle

“Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills, so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON SALES PRESENTATIONS

“Good listeners generally make more sales than good talkers.” – B.C. Holwick

“He that has no silver in his purse should have silver on his tongue.” – Thomas Fuller

“If you can’t say it, you can’t sell it!” – Arvee Robinson

“Samson killed a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass. That many sales are killed every day with exactly the same weapon.” – unknown

“The single most important tool in selling is being able to communicate effectively.” – Dan Brent Burt

QUOTES ON SILENCE IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“It’s the space you put between the notes that make the music.” – Massimo Vignelli

“Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.” – Dionysius of Halicarnassus

“Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.” – cowboy saying

“Speak only if you can improve upon silence.” – unknown

“Talking is like playing the harp; there is as much in laying the hand on the strings to stop their vibrations as in twanging them to bring out their music.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The most precious things in speech are pauses.” – Ralph Richardson

“Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” – Abraham Lincoln

QUOTES ON SMILING IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“So much is said with the electricity of the eyes, the intensity of a whisper. Less is more.” – Elizabeth Taylor

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the  smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo Buscaglia

“Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill.” – Dale Carnegie

QUOTES ON SPEED AND BREVITY IN PUBLIC SPEAKING

“A fool uttereth all his mind.” – Proverbs 29:11

“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” – William Strunk, Jr.

“A speech is like a love affair. Any fool can start one, but it requires considerable skill to end it.” – unknown

“Be sincere, be brief, be seated.” – Franklin Roosevelt

“Blessed is the man who, having nothing [more] to say, refrains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.” – George Eliot

“For effective communication, use brevity. Jesus said, ‘Follow me.’ Now that’s brief!” – Jim Rohn

“He who talks more is sooner exhausted.” – Lao Tzu

“If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought.” – Dennis Roth

“If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready today. If you want me to speak for just a few minutes, it will take me a few weeks to prepare.” – Mark Twain

“It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what other men say in whole books.” – Nietzsche

“It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.” – Robert Southey

“It’s better to say nothing than spend 1,000 words or an hour speech saying nothing. Get to the point.” – Richard Branson

“It’s quite simple: say what you have to say and when you come to a sentence with a grammatical ending, sit down.” – Winston Churchill

“Make sure you have stopped speaking before your audience has stopped listening.” – Dorothy Sarnoff

“Never write if you can speak; never speak if you can nod; never nod if you can wink.” – Martin Lomasney

“Public speaking is the art of diluting a two-minute idea with a two-hour vocabulary.” – Evan Esar

“The best speech has a good beginning and a good ending – and has them close together.” – unknown

“The best way to make a good speech is to have a good beginning and a good ending – and have them close together.” – unknown

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” – Thomas Jefferson

“The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.” – Voltaire

“Think all you speak, but speak not all you think. Thoughts are your own; your words are so no more.” – Patrick Delany

“To make a speech immortal, you don’t have to make it everlasting.” – unknown

“What is powerful is when what you say is just the tip of the iceberg of what you know.” – Jim Rohn

QUOTES ON STORYTELLING IN PRESENTATIONS

“Every story has its time to be told.” – Sekou Sundiata

“Stories open the hearts of your listeners, and then their wallets.” – Arvee Robinson

QUOTES ON WORDS VERSUS ACTIONS

“Be content to act, and leave the talking to others.” – Baltasa

“One deed is worth a thousand speeches.” – American proverb

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” – unknown

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney

“Words may show a man’s wit, but actions, his meaning. “ – Benjamin Franklin

ABOUT SPARK PRESENTATIONS

Spark owner and speaking quote compiler Andy Saks

Spark Presentations is a private company founded in 1998 that provides presentation skills training and speech coaching for executives, salespeople, marketers and other businesspeople, plus booth staff training for trade show exhibitors.

Spark also books professional presenters and public speakers to represent its clients at high-profile events, in roles like keynote speaker, trade show booth presenter, master of ceremonies (emcee) and auctioneer, as well as on camera talent and voice talent.

Spark’s client list includes large corporations like AT&T, Best Buy, Covidien, FedEx, Hyundai, Intel, Kimberly-Clark, Owens-Corning, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Volvo; high-tech industry players like AMD, Atrion, Citrix, Gigamon, and Symantec; service organizations like Vistage, 1nService and NERCOMP; and New England institutions like Community Rowing and the Boston Jewish Film Festival.

Spark’s owner, Andy Saks, is also the author of The Presentation Playbook Series: Be a Most Valuable Presenter (MVP) , a three-volume series of books that help businesspeople master common presentation situations by building and running speaking “plays” like a coach or player calls a key play in a game. Volume 1 is available now in print and PDF formats on Spark’s website and at these online retailers and formats:  Amazon print , Amazon Kindle , Apple iBooks and Barnes & Noble print and Nook .

For questions, quotes or orders, contact Andy Saks at 781-454-7600, email or Spark’s Contact page .

Posted in: Sparky Says: Presentation & Public Speaking Tips | 1 Comment

Tags: public speaking tips

One comment

by Melissa Johnson | August 2, 2017 at 9:45 am

Good stuff!

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Presentation Quotes and Quotations

We have collected together a number of Presentation Quotations and Quotes that cover the whole range of presentations, public speaking and speeches.

“It takes one hour of preparation for each minute of presentation time.” — Wayne Burgraff

“A theme is a memory aid, it helps you through the presentation just as it also provides the thread of continuity for your audience.” — Dave Carey

“There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” — Dale Carnegie

“No one can remember more than three points.” — Philip Crosby

“The audience only pays attention as long as you know where you are going.” — Philip Crosby

“Ask yourself, ”If I had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would I absolutely have to say to get my message across.” — Jeff Dewar

“No one ever complains about a speech being too short!” — Ira Hayes

“Humor heals the heckler.” — Gerald C. Meyers

“Ask a heckler to identify himself and his company. They usually prefer to be anonymous.” — Judy Moreo

“I use many props. The props act as cue cards reminding me of what to say next.” — Tom Ogden

“The simplest way to customize is to phone members of the audience in advance and ask them what they expect from your session and why they expect it. Then use their quotes throughout your presentation.” — Alan Pease

“They expect a professional presentation, so they expect to see a ”professional.” Dress appropriately for the occasion, but don’t be one of the crowd.” — Wess Roberts

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The person who takes the banal and ordinary and illuminates it in a new way can terrify. We do not want our ideas changed. — Frank Herbert

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We take a last look out of the window at the night, and I send a silent wish to everyone out there for this kind of warmth. — Nina LaCour

I'm not an epileptic but you're an arsehole. I'm important. I matter. I can do anything. I'm a sexy, strong woman that happens to have epilepsy. Do you get it? I have epilepsy but it's not who I am. — Ray Robinson

Cerebration is the enemy of originality in art. — Martin Ritt

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