Trait Quotations

Being nice doesn't necessarily mean you're weak. You can be nice and be strong at the same time. That's a character trait that we need more in Washington.

Probably the single most important evolutionary trait dogs developed was right there at the outset, illuminated by the campfire. It is in those eyebrows and in the way dogs have of tilting their heads. They are warm packages of emotions.

I think the most important trait for an entrepreneur is persistence. When you try to do something new and difficult, you are more likely to fail than to succeed.

The most surprising thing, honestly, is that so few Americans know about the orphan trains. I was also surprised at the resilience and fortitude of the riders I met, their pragmatism and grace. I don't know whether this is a Midwestern trait or simply a human one.

I am, as are most writers, just hugely obsessive, and so are many of my closest friends, who tend to be writers or scientists. It's a trait of human nature that I'm particularly in touch with. So I tend to project it onto my characters.

I think being a mum gives you extra qualities. I'm more feisty, fiercely protective and less selfish. The main trait I want to instill in my kids is kindness. I think it's the most important thing. If you're kind, you'll go a long way.

A mutation can create an alternative form of a phenomenon - a phenotype or trait - and we can learn a lot by seeing this alternative state. Once I saw a mouse with no eyelids. It simply had a membrane over the eyes. I found it fascinating that there is a single gene required for eyelids to develop.

This, to me, is the ultimately heroic trait of ordinary people; they say no to the tyrant and they calmly take the consequences of this resistance.

When I'm upset, everyone knows about it, and it's a selfish trait because everyone suffers.

The great trap for non-American actors trying to play Americans, I think, is to start thinking of American-ness as a characteristic. It isn't. It is no more a character trait than height. It is just a physical fact, and that's all there is to it.

When I'm a little bit upset, my eyebrow goes up, and that is a trait that my beautiful mother passed down to me. We always knew in the house: 'Mommy's upset; her eyebrow just went up.'

Some new products are focusing on battling tiredness, a key trait that can actually accelerate the skin aging process. Products such as L'Oreal Europe's Infallible foundation are claiming to resist against the signs of tiredness, which can be felt at any age. It presents more preventive versus reactive options for consumers.

She looks carefully and critically at every issue and bases her vote not on partisanship but on the right decision, and that's probably the most valuable trait for something as important as protecting our nation,

He just has incredible confidence. Most scorers are confident. They have an incredible sense of themselves, and that's a great trait to have. He feels he can make every shot.

He was friendly, courteous and unassuming. His course etiquette was wonderful, and I enjoyed playing with him often over the next two years before he went off to UK. He was also funny as hell, a trait I assume he also got from his dad, Maurice." ()

His sense of humor is probably the personality trait that gets him through questions like that.

Having had a couple of weeks at home now, we've tried to play with some good tempo (in our play), to really put some good pace on the game. You've got to back your skills, and I think it has always been a Brumbies trait to play at a good tempo.

I was always the kid at school who thought it was a good idea to set off the fire alarm. And much as I'm aware that that's a trait which also propels other things which are good, I wish I could just pause and go, 'Is this really what you want to do?'

Our ability to bounce back is kind of a trait that we've had the last few years. That was good to see, because now, it's for real. It's no joke now.

I think their most positive trait this year was they were always able to bounce back. We were at the point where we could've cashed it in and thrown in the towel and we didn't. If we had a game next week, I'd be confident that we're going to go out and win it.

We've done a lot of research on the characteristics of our teachers who are the most successful. The most predictive trait is still past demonstrated achievement, and all selection research basically points to that.

There are some people who are opposed to the term and rather look at the person's trait as being a highly sensitive person. Aron says that highly sensitive people are really quite imaginative, bright and they are over aroused by certain environments. So, what they do is really choose to be in less aroused, active environments. What they've learned is how to protect themselves.

When a trait is universal, evolutionary biologists look for a genetic explanation and wonder how that gene or genes might enhance survival or reproductive success.

We are working on the arrangements.... Saying (Anderson) died of sickle cell trait is like saying a man who was lynched died because he had a weak neck.

There is a common trait in teams at this point in the season that they seem to sit back and wait for somebody to win the game for them. And we had too many of our players waiting for someone to win the game.

Todd is great because he still goes into every curve and analyzes every inch. It's a trait not many drivers have. He's very bright, and very impressive to talk to.

Another part of that mindfulness concept is the ability to relate to all types of people and see what they can contribute. Certainly, many important leadership skills can be developed, but I feel that trait of mindfulness is an innate capability that someone either has or doesn't have.

An intriguing aspect of this study is that the mechanism for ensuring cross-fertilization is very old, often lost, and never regained. That it is still common despite frequent and irreversible loss implies that this trait confers an advantage to species that possess it, perhaps in terms of reduced rates of extinction.

That's just a trait of the new NHL. It's probably just more of a focus on this team because it hasn't been that way in the past. You could afford to have a $2 million defenseman sitting there, and you just can't do that now.

We are somewhat consoled by the fact that Marla died doing what she really wanted to do: help people less fortunate than herself. Many of us believe that character trait to be the most beautiful quality a human being can possess. And Marla had an abundance of it.

In all fairness, I feel compelled to warn men that women, even on good days, are compulsively manipulative. We constantly take advantage of the fact that men are either unaware of this particular trait or are wonderfully forgetful.

I'm definitely a person who likes to control my own destiny. That's hard to do in this business because there are many creative people with great ideas and years of experience giving you advice, but what is right for one artist isn't always best for another. Knowing what's best for you and being willing to stand up and assert that is really a strong trait in this business.

Students aren't knowledgeable, and are probably lazy and procrastinate, so they cheat. These are crimes based on a lack of knowledge. It's a terrible character trait to develop.

It's difficult (to be productive) when you don't get much work in practice, but it's a learned trait that I picked up last year, ... I feel like I'm definitely a better quarterback than I was last year. I'll just keep trying to do the best I can in these next two preseason games and hopefully impress the Eagles or some other team.

He's so even-keeled and so unexcitable and so consistent in his approach. It's a trait you see in veteran guys.

Buying an SUV involves a tradeoff. While these vehicles may do well in certain types of crashes, they also are much more likely to roll over. People should be aware of that trait when they are choosing a family vehicle.

He's a player who makes the most of his opportunity. There's not really one true outstanding trait that defines him, but rather you have to look at the whole package - his versatility, his attitude, his ability.

He threw the ball great. I was pleased with him. ... He's been tough and resilient. That's a great trait to have.

All things, however, are not equal. Longevity is not a trait that exists in isolation; it evolves as part of a complex life history, with a wide range of underpinning physiological mechanisms involving, among other things, chronic disease processes.

It's so hard, it's almost the impossible - not talking about anything. I don't abide well to gag orders. I'm a talker. I think it's a beautiful trait when people are not micro-managing every corner of their life.

It's just something that's been a trait of ours all year, but we managed to win. It's like some of our typical games and somehow we managed to get through it. We didn't eke one out this time and that's unfortunate because we had been doing a pretty good job of coming up with runs somehow.

This unwillingness to admit guilt is traced back to the Garden of Eden. Adam blamed Eve and she blamed the serpent. It is an ingrained trait because of sin.

It's been a trait of ours all year and we managed to win even though we hadn't done that,

It's been a general trait of all (South Africa) captains over the years, especially Smith. That's the way they play.

I am the family face; / Flesh perishes, I live on, / Projecting trait and trace / Through time to times anon, / And leaping from place to place / Over oblivion.

A trait no other nation seems to possess in quite the same degree that we do -- namely, a feeling of almost childish injury and resentment unless the world as a whole recognizes how innocent we are of anything but the most generous and harmless intentions.

Americans are future-minded to the point of obsession. We are impatient at living in the present. Tomorrow is bound to be better... next year, next century, always what might be rather than what is. This trait in us makes for 'progress;' it also makes for a continuing dissatisfaction.

The individual's desire to dominate his environment is not a desirable trait in a society which every day grows more and more confining.