75+ Robin Williams Quotes That Are Funny And Profound (And Profoundly Funny)

Quick: Think back to some of your favorite movies growing up. If you’re anything like us, movies like Jumanji and Disney’s Aladdin popped immediately into your head. If we were to ask you to list films that profoundly affected you in your adolescence, you might start rattling off Dead Poets Society quotes or cite Good Will Hunting. And, let’s be honest, who among us doesn’t watch Mrs. Doubtfire and Hook each at least three times a year? They never get old (little Neverland humor for ya). But while the characters that Robin Williams gave us onscreen have undoubtedly been beloved by many, Robin Williams quotes — the words from the actor, comedian, and inimitable entertainer — prove just as profound.

During his career, Williams delivered some of pop culture’s most memorable personas. Yet, his character left the biggest impression. Larger than life, his hilarious wit and warm personality never failed to bring a smile to, well, everyone’s faces. He filled us all with so much joy and brought fun into our lives. So, today, in celebration of this extraordinary talent, we take a look back at some of Williams’ most profound quotes about humanity, love, acting, comedy, and creativity.

Best Robin Williams Quotes

1. “The human spirit is more powerful than any drug, and that is what needs to be nourished: with work, play, friendship, family. These are the things that matter.”
2. “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”
3. “Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some get it as a graduation gift.”
4. “Self-reliance is the key to a vigorous life. A man must look inward to find his own answers.”
5. “Imagining something is better than remembering something.”
6. “I think it’s great when stories are dark and strange and weirdly personal.”
7. “Sometimes you can have a whole lifetime in a day and never notice that this is as beautiful as it gets.”
8. “Change is not popular; we are creatures of habits as human beings. ‘I want it to be the way it was.’ But if you continue the way it was there will be no ‘is.’”
9. “There is still a lot to learn and there is always great stuff out there. Even mistakes can be wonderful.”
10. “There’s a world out there. Open a window, and it’s there.”
11. “There is no shame in failing. The only shame is not giving things your best shot.”
12. “Nobody takes a picture of something they want to forget.”
13. “There are three things in this world that you need: respect for all kinds of life, a nice bowel movement on a regular basis, and a navy blazer.”
14. “The world is your oyster. Never stop trying new things.”
15. “The essential truth is that sometimes you’re worried that they’ll find out it’s a fluke, that you don’t really have it. You’ve lost the muse or — the worst dread — you never had it at all. I went through all that madness early on.”
16. “Comedy is acting out of optimism.”
17. “My children give me a great sense of wonder. Just to see them develop into these extraordinary human beings.”
18. “When you have a great audience, you can just keep going and finding new things.”
19. “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
20. “Age makes you more confident. When you realize that it’s time now to just do things. When there’s not the pressure to perform on some level of expectations, there’s more to just explore.”
21. “Being in the same room with people and creating something together is a good thing.”
22. “I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy. Because they know what it feels like to feel absolutely worthless and they don’t want anybody else to feel like that.”
23. “Stop being afraid of getting older. With age comes wisdom and confidence.”
24. “I love kids, but they are a tough audience.”
25. “I do believe in love. It’s wonderful, especially love third time around; it’s even more precious.”
26. “The idea of having a steady job is appealing.”
27. “If heaven exists, to know that there are laughs, that would be a great thing.”
28. “Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there, the man who when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, ‘Wonderful. Just have a backup profession like welding.’”
29. “There are no rules. Just follow your heart.”
30. “Don’t associate yourself with toxic people. It’s better to be alone and love yourself than surrounded by people that make you hate yourself.”
31. “Do you think God gets stoned? I think so… look at the platypus.”
32. “I don’t do well with snakes, and I can’t dance.”
33. “It’s a wonderful feeling when your father becomes not a God but a man to you — when he comes down from the mountain and you see he’s this man with weaknesses. And you love him as this whole being, not as a figurehead.”
34. “Sometimes, you got to specifically go out of your way to get into trouble. It’s called fun.”
35. “Comedy can be a cathartic way to deal with personal trauma.”
36. “What’s right is what’s left if you do everything else wrong.”
37. “Time is the best teacher. Unfortunately, it kills all of its students.”
38. “The world is open for play, everything and everybody is mockable in a wonderful way.”
39. “I basically started performing for my mother, going, ‘Love me!’ What drives you to perform is the need for that primal connection. When I was little, my mother was funny with me, and I started to be charming and funny for her, and I learned that by being entertaining, you make a connection with another person.”
40. “I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.”
41. “If women ran the world, we wouldn’t have wars… just intense negotiations every 28 days.”
42. “You will have bad times, but they will always wake you up to the stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”
43. “A friend is someone who listens to your bullshit, tells you that it’s bullshit, and listens some more.”
44. “A hungry stomach, an empty wallet, and a broken heart can teach you the best lessons of life.”
45. “The truth is, if anything, I’m probably addicted to laughter.”
46. “See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time.”
47. “Politicians should wear sponsor jackets like NASCAR drivers. Then we know who owns them.”
48. “When in doubt, go for the dick joke.”
49. “Death is nature’s way of saying, ‘Your table is ready.'”
50. “You’ve got to be crazy! It’s too late to be sane, too late. You’ve got to go full-tilt bozo.”
51. “Divorce is expensive. I used to joke they were going to call it ‘all the money’ but they changed it to alimony.”
52. “Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?”
53. “The Aladdin thing — that’s not work; that’s just fun. Three days in the recording studio going mad, then the animators do all the work. Not a bad way to cash a large check, my friend.”
54. “Okra is the closest thing to nylon I’ve ever eaten. It’s like they bred cotton with a green bean. Okra tastes like snot. The more you cook it, the more it turns into string.”
55. “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race and the human race is filled with passion and medicine, law, business, engineering. These are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
56. “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’”

Best Robin Williams Quotes From Movie and TV Roles

1. “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” — Dead Poets Society
2. “Our job is improving the quality of life, not just delaying death.” — Patch Adams
3. “A human life is just a heartbeat in heaven.” — What Dreams May Come
4. “You will have bad times, but they will always wake you up to the stuff you weren’t paying attention to.” — Good Will Hunting
5. “I try to make sense of things. Which is why, I guess, I believe in destiny. There must be a reason that I am as I am. There must be.” — Bicentennial Man
6. “You know what music is? God’s little reminder that there’s something else besides us in this universe; harmonic connection between all living beings, everywhere even the stars.” — August Rush
7. “You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome.” — Patch Adams
8. “Make your life spectacular. I know I did.” — Jack
9. “To be free. Such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world.” — Aladdin
10. “To live… to live would be an awfully big adventure.” — Peter Pan
11. “You’re not perfect, sport. And let me save you the suspense: This girl you met, she isn’t perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other. That’s the whole deal — that’s what intimacy is all about.” — Good Will Hunting
12. “You know, some parents, when they’re angry, they get along much better when they don’t live together. They don’t fight all the time, and they can become better people, and much better mummies and daddies for you. And sometimes they get back together. And sometimes they don’t, dear. And if they don’t, don’t blame yourself. Just because they don’t love each other anymore doesn’t mean that they don’t love you. There are all sorts of different families.” — Mrs. Doubtfire
13. “You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all.” — Dead Poets Society
14. “What’s wrong with death, sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can’t we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity, and decency, and God forbid, maybe even humor? Death is not the enemy, gentleman. If we’re going to fight a disease, let’s fight one of the most terrible diseases of all, indifference.” — Patch Adams
15. “We get to choose who we let into our weird little worlds.” — Good Will Hunting
16. “Nanu Nanu.” — Mork & Mindy
17. “Some men are born great; others have greatness thrust upon them.” — Night at the Museum
18. “Well, good luck in the big city. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. And if you can’t make it here, welcome to the club.” — Robots
19. “You think that mosquitos, monkeys, and lions are bad? That is just the beginning. I’ve seen things you’ve only seen in your nightmares. Things you can’t even imagine. Things you can’t even see. There are things that hunt you in the night. Then something screams. Then you hear them eating, and you hope to God that you’re not dessert. Afraid? You don’t even know what afraid is. You would not last five minutes without me.” — Jumanji
20. “We’re going to fight fire with marshmallows.” — Toys