Quote Of The Day By Diana Ross: 'We Have A Choice In What Our Lives Are Gonna Be Like...'

In 1959, singer Diana Ross joined a little-known pop-soul group called The Primettes. A few years later, the group signed a record deal with the high-profile Motown Records label and changed their name to The Supremes. Ross didn't exactly become a household name overnight; The Supremes released a number of smaller singles before "Baby Love" jumped to the top of the charts in 1964.

The group went on to release 11 more No.1 singles, catapulting Ross to a sort of proto-pop star status. She's rarely been far from the spotlight since. In 1970, she left The Supremes to launch a solo career, earning several more No.1 hits, an Oscar nomination, a Tony Award and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was recognizable for her powerful voice, and for serving the kind of '70s beauty looks that everyone still remembers. Though she's already been performing decades, the "Upside Down" singer has no plans to step back. In 2025, at the age of 81, she declared, "I'll never retire!" As a style icon, she is also still rocking many inspiring old school trends from the '70s that we'd love to see return. Ross is always trying to top what she has already done, which is why she is today's quote of the day.

"I do think we have a choice in what our lives are gonna be like ... My impression is I have a certain positiveness about my life, but I realize every time I create a positive thought in mind I also create a negative thought. It's like 'Oh I'm going to be very successful — Oh no you're not.' So since I create positive and negative it's which one I give the most attention that is powerful. When I think positive constantly, it's very powerful and it controls me. If I think negative all the time, it's gonna control me, too, so right now, my positive thought is there is going to be no disaster that is going to destroy what I have planned for me and my family. And if there is, that's life."

In 1975, Diana Ross starred in — and sang the theme song for — "Mahogany," a film that follows the ascendance of a fashion student-turned-fashion model named Tracy Chambers. The film marked a major turning point in Ross's career; she was forging an identity for herself beyond The Supremes and breaking into acting. During promotional interviews for the movie, Ross shared this beautiful quote, illustrating that she considers a positive attitude to be a prerequisite for success.

This quote from Diana Ross highlights how much attitude can impact success. In it, she names both her vulnerability and humility, as well as her drive and optimism. She's not delusional in her positivity, but neither is she overtaken by her insecurities and doubts. This quote captures the enormous impact that good attitude can have on a person's career. After all, it's hard to achieve something you couldn't even dream of to begin with, and before she became a superstar — and icon famous for the kind of disco glam makeup that's making a comeback – she had to imagine it.

Ross has had the kind of unstoppable career momentum that lasts for decades. In fact, she's had the kind of cultural longevity that most stars can only dream of. Holding Ross's quote in mind can help you manage and confront your greatest hopes for your own life. It's a reminder that even stars on top of the world have doubts.

• "I have always felt it's important to stay present. To stay in the moment. To stay now. I never try to think about legacy and being remembered."
• "I sing all the time. Music is a part of my being. Like when I'm walking, I walk with a rhythm. I carry myself as if there's music inside. I can be on an elevator and I might hum a song or sing something, and someone might get off the elevator and say, 'Thanks for this concert.' And I don't even realize I'm humming."
• "It takes a long time to get to be a diva. I mean, you gotta work at it."
• "I think a responsibility comes with notoriety, but I never think of it as power. It's more like something you hold, like grains of sand. If you keep your hand closed, you can have it and possess it, but if you open your fingers in any way, you can lose it just as quickly."
• "I can be a better me than anyone can; I am me. Good or bad. I am myself. I'm no carbon copy of no one else."