caitmac

"When I got out I failed at civilian. I didn't fit in. I quit my second job, having quit the first, and told my wife I'd go out and get another one. And she said no. I'll get one. I can hold down a job.

And she said "all your life, you've wanted to write, and ever since I met you I wanted you to write. Between my income and your retirement, we'll be fine."

Which was insane. Three kids going to school, one going to college. It was crazy.

But that's what we did. And I had to make it work. Somebody asked earlier about what did you take away from the Marine Corps. What I learned is that you can stop me, but you can't beat me. I'll be back. And when somebody bets on you like that, all the cards on the table are face up. And I had to succeed. There wasn't any option. Pretty simple." -Don

"You know. Go for it. I won't say don't be afraid, but take risks. But I genuinely believe if you aren't a little bit afraid every day, there's no way in hell of knowing you're alive. Every day you have to be trying so hard you have to believe you're not going to make it. If you don't try hard enough, someone else will be there to push you out of the way." -Don

"Go get 'em. You can do it. Only you can do it. If you quit, they win." -Don

"Yes. Very briefly, it was enough. The general told me to go chew someone out for him. That's a fact." -Don

I've seen every single episode of shark tank, I can promise you there wasn't anything like this on that show.