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Ted Turner Quotes

Powerful Ted Turner for Daily Growth

About Ted Turner

Theodore Roosevelt Turner, widely known as Ted Turner, was an American media mogul, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, born on November 19, 1938, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Raised in Savannah, Georgia, Turner's ambition took root early, as he built a successful paper route network by age 12. Turner attended Brown University but dropped out to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. He joined the U.S. Navy before founding Liberty Communications, which eventually became Turner Communication Group in the 1970s. This company paved the way for CNN (Cable News Network), a pioneering 24-hour news network launched in 1980, revolutionizing global news broadcasting. Turner's influence expanded beyond media with his innovative business ventures such as Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) and Cartoon Network, along with several other successful cable networks. He also acquired the Atlanta Hawks basketball team and Atlanta Braves baseball team, contributing significantly to sports entertainment. In 1985, Turner announced 'Turner Enterprises' and pledged to donate 1% of his wealth annually for environmental causes. In 1993, he sold Turner Broadcasting to Time Warner for $7.5 billion and dedicated himself to philanthropy. Turner faced challenges throughout his career, including a near-bankruptcy in the late 1980s, but his resilience and innovative spirit consistently drove him forward. He married five times and had four children. In 2020, Turner passed away at the age of 82, leaving behind an indelible mark on media, business, sports, and philanthropy. His legacy continues to inspire entrepreneurs worldwide with his unyielding determination, pioneering spirit, and commitment to making a positive impact.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life is a succession of moments, and to live each one of them with love is to succeed."

The quote by Ted Turner emphasizes that life is composed of numerous moments, and experiencing each moment with love equates to success. Essentially, it suggests that finding joy in every moment, whether small or significant, and approaching them with compassion, is the key to a fulfilling life. This perspective encourages us to live mindfully and intentionally, cherishing every experience as an opportunity for personal growth and connection.

"If a man isn't willing to take a chance for something he believes in, he's nothing but a rat: a rat with a lab coat."

This quote by Ted Turner emphasizes that taking risks is essential for personal growth and achieving one's goals. It suggests that if someone lacks the courage to risk something they genuinely believe in, then they are just living passively and without purpose. By comparing such individuals to rats, Turner implies that they live their lives according to instincts and fear, rather than pursuing their beliefs and values with determination and passion. In essence, the quote encourages us to step out of our comfort zones, embrace risk-taking, and demonstrate conviction in our beliefs.

"I have no fear of failure. Failure just means I'll learn from experience and try again."

Ted Turner's quote conveys an optimistic and resilient perspective on the process of learning and growth. The phrase "I have no fear of failure" suggests a willingness to embrace challenges without dread, understanding that they offer opportunities for personal development. "Failure just means I'll learn from experience and try again" highlights Turner's belief that setbacks are not defeats but rather valuable lessons on the path towards success. Essentially, this quote underscores the importance of perseverance, learning, and continuous improvement in overcoming obstacles.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

This quote by Ted Turner suggests that the effectiveness of a person or entity in achieving their goals doesn't necessarily depend on their size or resources, but rather on their determination, passion, and tenacity – symbolized here as the "size of the fight" within them. In other words, a small dog can outperform a large one if it is more eager, persistent, and motivated to win a fight. The quote serves as an encouragement for individuals or entities that may lack resources but possess a strong will and determination.

"The only thing that really matters is what you do for other people."

This quote emphasizes the importance of actions towards others, suggesting that the true significance of one's life lies in acts of kindness, assistance, or service provided to others. It underscores the idea that altruistic deeds are not only valuable but also essential in shaping a meaningful and fulfilling life.

At Time Warner, I had ten percent of the stock after the merger. But when we merged with AOL, I was diluted down to three percent.

- Ted Turner

Percent, Had, Merged, Diluted

Men should be disqualified for public office. Women should run the planet. They're better than us.

- Ted Turner

Run, Public Office, Planet, Disqualified

To be happy in this world, first you need a cell phone and then you need an airplane. Then you're truly wireless.

- Ted Turner

Happy, Be Happy, Need, Phone

Even if we didn't have greenhouse gases, were going to have to move away from fossil fuels, as we're going to run out. They're finite, whereas solar and wind are infinite.

- Ted Turner

Away, Move, Greenhouse Gases, Finite

Every few seconds it changes - up an eighth, down an eighth - it's like playing a slot machine. I lose $20 million, I gain $20 million.

- Ted Turner

Business, Lose, Like, Eighth

The United States has got some of the dumbest people in the world. I want you to know that we know that.

- Ted Turner

Some, United, United States, Dumbest

The sad thing about destroying the environment is that we're going to take the rest of life with us. The bluebirds will be gone, and the elephants will be gone, and the tigers will be gone, and the pandas will be gone.

- Ted Turner

Rest, Will, Going, Elephants

When I was young and ocean-racing competitively, and working the rest of the time, I was going 24 hours. I was on the verge of collapsing. But you've got to slow down a bit.

- Ted Turner

Rest, Young, Hours, Collapsing

I like Obama. I don't know who could do a better job. He's got an incredibly tough situation, and a good heart and mind. I'd like to see him rally support a little better.

- Ted Turner

Good, Got, Obama, Good Heart

I lost 80 percent of my wealth and then gave away over half of the rest. So I'm a man of modest means now. But if you budget carefully and watch your expenditures, you can get by on a couple billion dollars.

- Ted Turner

Away, Couple, Half, Budget

The Iranians don't intimidate! They're like the Vietnamese and the Iraqis. You want to start a war with them? They'll still be fighting in fifty years!

- Ted Turner

Like, Still, Iraqis, Iranians

It was a struggle financing CNN, but I did it without ever asking the government for a nickel.

- Ted Turner

Nickel, Ever, CNN, Financing

Rupert Murdoch is the most dangerous man in the world.

- Ted Turner

World, Dangerous, Most, None

You should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for.

- Ted Turner

Reach, Always, Set, Goals

The U.N. had such lofty goals to eliminate poverty and stop war and cure diseases and help refugees - things that no one country could do.

- Ted Turner

Country, Could, One Country, Goals

Just because your ratings are bigger doesn't mean you're better.

- Ted Turner

Just Because, Better, Bigger, Ratings

I'm a very good thinker, but I sometimes grab the wrong word. I say something I didn't think through adequately. I mean, I don't type my speeches, then sit up there and read them off the teleprompter, you know. I wing it.

- Ted Turner

Sometimes, Through, Very, Teleprompter

We have to do more than keep media giants from growing larger; they're already too big. We need a new set of rules that will break these huge companies to pieces.

- Ted Turner

New, Big, Larger, Giants

Over a three year period, I gave away half of what I had. To be honest, my hands shook as I signed it away. I knew I was taking myself out of the race to be the richest man in the world.

- Ted Turner

Over, Away, Period, Richest

The media is too concentrated, too few people own too much. There's really five companies that control 90 percent of what we read, see and hear. It's not healthy.

- Ted Turner

Control, Own, Read, Concentrated

I love this planet... I want to see the environment preserved and I want to see the human race preserved. And I'd like to see everybody living decently in a more equitable, kind-hearted, thoughtful, generous world.

- Ted Turner

Love, Living, Everybody, Equitable

When I was a publisher of CNN, I took responsibility for the actions of the network.

- Ted Turner

Responsibility, Took, CNN, Publisher

War has been good to me from a financial standpoint but I don't want to make money that way. I don't want blood money.

- Ted Turner

Financial, Want, Been, Standpoint

If the perpetrators of the World Trade Center plane crashes had a nuclear weapon, there's no doubt in my mind but that they would've detonated it in New York.

- Ted Turner

Mind, New, Plane, Crashes

My son is now an 'entrepreneur.' That's what you're called when you don't have a job.

- Ted Turner

Business, Son, Now, Entrepreneur

I had more energy at 50. On the other hand, at 75, I've probably got a little more wisdom and good judgment than I had at 50 because I've got more experience. But I haven't really changed. I'm still driven by the same philosophy.

- Ted Turner

Experience, Other, Had, Changed

If the Russian nuclear arsenal was fired at the United States and other targets, and we fired back at them with thousands of nuclear weapons, it would be the end of life on earth.

- Ted Turner

Fired, Other, United States, Weapons

I think we've already voted at the U.N., in the Security Council, to get rid of nuclear weapons. Let's get rid of them. Let's get rid of ours and then Iran will stop, I believe. And so everybody else will, because if everybody doesn't have them, then we're safe, at least safe from a nuclear attack.

- Ted Turner

Everybody, I Think, Least, Weapons

I've had the good fortune to have a much more diverse life than most people would, professional sports and television and news and movies.

- Ted Turner

Sports, News, Fortune, Diverse

I'd like to say that right now, in the last few years, the Democrats have been closer - have been more pro-environment. The coal industry is pretty well entrenched in the Republican Party and that's one of the things that we need to phase out.

- Ted Turner

Been, One Of The Things, Entrenched

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