Barbara Walters Quotes

Powerful Barbara Walters for Daily Growth

About Barbara Walters

Barbara Walters, born on September 25, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts, was an iconic American journalist, television personality, and producer. Known for her probing interview style and groundbreaking achievements in broadcast journalism, Walters left an indelible mark on the industry. Walters' interest in journalism began at an early age, inspired by her mother's love for reading newspapers. She pursued a degree in dramatic arts from Birch Wathen Lenox School and Douglas College for Women (now part of Lycoming College), but it was her move to New York City in 1951 that truly set the stage for her career. In New York, Walters worked as a receptionist at the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) before securing an on-air position with WPIX-TV, where she became the first female co-host of a local news show. This led to further opportunities with NBC's Today program and ABC's The View, for which she served as creator, co-host, and executive producer from 1997 to 2014. Throughout her career, Walters conducted high-profile interviews with notable figures such as Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, and Fidel Castro. One of her most significant interviews was with then-first lady Nancy Reagan in 1980, during which the first lady admitted using narcoanalgesics to alleviate her husband's Alzheimer's symptoms – a revelation that sparked national conversation on the disease. Walters' major works include "The Barbara Walters Specials" on ABC (1974-2013), which allowed her to interview influential individuals from around the world, and "10 Most Fascinating People," an annual segment on ABC News where she highlighted notable figures of the year. Retiring from full-time television work in 2014, Walters continued to make appearances as a special correspondent for ABC News until her death in 2022. Her legacy as a trailblazing journalist and fearless interviewer lives on, inspiring future generations of broadcast journalists to push boundaries and seek truth.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"If I could go back in time and talk to young Barbara Walters, I would say: 'You can do it, but you don't have to do it their way.'"

This quote from Barbara Walters conveys a message of empowerment and individuality. She encourages her younger self (and by extension, all young people) to pursue their dreams and ambitions, but emphasizes that they should not conform to others' expectations or methods. Instead, she suggests, they should forge their own path and find success on their own terms. In essence, the quote underscores the importance of staying true to oneself while striving for greatness.


"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

This quote underscores the continuous nature of both success and failure in life. Success is not a definitive or permanent state, but rather an ongoing process requiring constant effort and vigilance to maintain. Similarly, failure is not a death sentence; it's an opportunity to learn, adapt, and try again with renewed courage. The true measure of one's character lies in their ability to persevere through setbacks and challenges, demonstrating courage that enables growth and ultimately leads to success.


"I always thought I'd be a novelist. I love writing novels, but journalism found me."

This quote suggests that Barbara Walters initially harbored aspirations to become a novelist (i.e., a writer of fiction), but her career in journalism unfolded unexpectedly, rather than as a deliberate choice. Despite her initial literary ambitions, journalism eventually "found" her, which implies that she discovered her passion and calling in this field instead.


"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

This quote by Barbara Walters suggests that life's value is determined not by the quantity of experiences, as indicated by the number of breaths taken, but by the quality of experiences that evoke strong emotions such as awe or surprise, moments which leave us speechless or in a state of wonder. It emphasizes the importance of living fully and deeply rather than merely existing by the numbers.


"I have interviewed presidents, kings, and queens... but my most memorable interviews have been with everyday people who, in some way, touch our hearts."

Barbara Walters' quote emphasizes that while interviewing notable figures such as presidents, kings, and queens can be significant, it is the everyday people who share their personal stories and evoke emotions within us that leave the deepest impact. The significance of these "everyday" individuals lies in their ability to connect with a broad audience on an emotional level, thereby creating lasting memories.


Motherhood is tough. If you just want a wonderful little creature to love, you can get a puppy.

- Barbara Walters

Love, Wonderful, Want, Motherhood

Before we had airplanes and astronauts, we really thought that there was an actual place beyond the clouds, somewhere over the rainbow. There was an actual place, and we could go above the clouds and find it there.

- Barbara Walters

Space, Over, Actual, Airplane

I can get a better grasp of what is going on in the world from one good Washington dinner party than from all the background information NBC piles on my desk.

- Barbara Walters

Good, Dinner, Going, Dinner Party

Success can make you go one of two ways. It can make you a prima donna - or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities, let the nice things come out.

- Barbara Walters

Go, Away, Edges, Prima

First of all, the Jewish religion has a great deal in common with the Christian religion because, as Rabbi Gillman points out in the show, Christianity is based on Judaism. Christ was Jewish.

- Barbara Walters

Christian Religion, Based, Rabbi

If the interview was done in the studio, Frank McGee would automatically do it. But if I went out and got it, then the interview was mine. So I was considered a pushy cookie, because I would get the interview.

- Barbara Walters

Frank, Studio, Mine, Interview

To not sing with an orchestra, to not be able to communicate through my voice, which I've done all my life, and not to be able to phrase lyrics and give people that kind of joy, I think I would be totally devastated.

- Barbara Walters

Voice, My Life, Through, Devastated

The sports page records people's accomplishments, the front page usually records nothing, but man's failures.

- Barbara Walters

Sports, Records, Failures, Accomplishments

All of the religions - with the exception of Tibetan Buddhism, which doesn't believe in a heaven - teach that heaven is a better place. At the end of the program, I say that heaven is a place where you are happy. All of the religions have that in common.

- Barbara Walters

Teach, Exception, Which, Buddhism

Most attractive males talk to most attractive women as if they were Rotarians comparing sales percentages in Des Moines.

- Barbara Walters

Sales, Comparing, Attractive, Males

To feel valued, to know, even if only once in a while, that you can do a job well is an absolutely marvelous feeling.

- Barbara Walters

Feeling, Feel, While, Marvelous

I have affected the way women are regarded, and that's important to me.

- Barbara Walters

Me, Important, Regarded, Women Are

I find very often people like to confront rumors. It depends on how much they trust you. And you have to have a line between what is tasteful and what isn't.

- Barbara Walters

Trust, Like, Very, Between

Deep breaths are very helpful at shallow parties.

- Barbara Walters

Deep, New Year's, Very, Helpful

I found it interesting that as people become more technically oriented all over the world, at the same time people are becoming increasingly spiritual. The success of the Da Vinci code - even though it was a great yawn - also showed people's interest in religion.

- Barbara Walters

Becoming, Code, Increasingly, Yawn

I was the kind nobody thought could make it. I had a funny Boston accent. I couldn't pronounce my R's. I wasn't a beauty.

- Barbara Walters

Beauty, Thought, Boston, Accent

Most of us have trouble juggling. The woman who says she doesn't is someone whom I admire but have never met.

- Barbara Walters

Woman, Admire, Most, Juggling

The world may be full of fourth-rate writers but it's also full of fourth-rate readers.

- Barbara Walters

World, May, Also, Readers

Parents of young children should realize that few people, and maybe no one, will find their children as enchanting as they do.

- Barbara Walters

Young, Maybe, Enchanting, Realize

Show me someone who never gossips, and I will show you someone who is not interested in people.

- Barbara Walters

Never, Someone, Gossips, Not Interested

Although I myself don't go to church or synagogue, I do, whether it's superstition or whatever, pray every time I get on a plane. I just automatically do it. I say the same thing every time.

- Barbara Walters

Myself, Same Thing, Plane, Synagogue

No one could ad lib like Peter. You would think that it was all scripted, he was so poetic, but it wasn't.

- Barbara Walters

Think, Poetic, Ad, Lib

It would be nice to feel that we are a better world, a world of more compassion and a world of more humanity, and to believe in the basic goodness of man.

- Barbara Walters

Compassion, More, Feel, Basic

If it's a woman, it's caustic; if it's a man, it's authoritative.

- Barbara Walters

Man, Woman, Caustic, Authoritative

I don't know about you, but I can never get enough David Letterman.

- Barbara Walters

Never, Get, About, Letterman

I also found that for myself, since I've had no religious education, it was so interesting to see the different versions of heaven and what life on earth means.

- Barbara Walters

Education, Religious, Means, Heaven

But for Muslims, everything that they don't have on earth is what they get in heaven. They can drink, they can have sex. All of the forbidden pleasures on earth, you can have in paradise.

- Barbara Walters

Sex, Drink, Forbidden, Heaven

Don't confuse being stimulating with being blunt.

- Barbara Walters

Blunt, Confuse, Being, Stimulating

Wait for those unguarded moments. Relax the mood and, like the child dropping off to sleep, the subject often reveals his truest self.

- Barbara Walters

Wait, Mood, Truest, Dropping

One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time.

- Barbara Walters

Mountain, Over, May, Step

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