Dakota Meyer

We're the most feared nation on the face of the planet, and we're worried about some radical group, some extremists that prey on the weak? I mean, that's like sheep preying on lions.

I learned early on that just because you come from the same blood as someone doesn't mean they are family.

Big Mike Meyer was my real dad as far as I was concerned.

For me, the dilemma is I love Bristol, but you can only do that for so long and not get it back. It's been something that's been hard for me to accept. It breaks my heart.

I grew up on a farm, and I think I would have come back and done something like that. It's an honest way of life, a conservative way of life, simple way of life.

Being in the Marine Corps and doing the job I did, there is a lot of risk involved. It made me comfortable with risk.

Being an entrepreneur is all about risk. Being an entrepreneur is like going to Vegas every day and shoving all of your chips into the middle of the table every single day.

I failed the most important people in my life, you know, on September 8, 2009. People who were relying on me more than anything.

I'll do whatever it takes to go out and help others.

I just try to go out and help others, to do whatever I can to make a difference.

Everything in our lives revolves around our jobs, as much as we hate to say it. Where we live at, where our kids go to school, what we eat, what lifestyle we live, depends on the income we bring in and being able to provide for your family, and that's your employment.

I'm trying to raise awareness for veterans.

I hate it. I resent it. I refuse to tell anybody that I am a Medal of Honor recipient. I hate it.

My entire goal in life is to try and change the world.

My home life, growing up, was like tumbling inside a washing machine as I shuttled around the middle of Kentucky with my mother. She was never content to stay in one place, or with one man, for too long. She was as smart as she was independent, though, and always landed some job that brought in a little money.

I'm just tired of us as Americans living in fear.

ISIS targeting the U.S. military is like a sheep targeting a lion.

If ISIS is using social media to track me, that's a dream come true in my book. These guys are a bunch of bullies that just prey on the weak.

The only business owners that fail are the ones who gave up.

A veteran is a person who has proven themselves in an uncontrolled, unstable environment. That's the kind of person I want on my team.

I always spoke my mind. I didn't go with the flow.

I want people to be able to relate to me and the trials and tribulations and struggles that I go through.

I love Americans, and I believe in this country.

You got to do what's right.

Leave no Marine behind.

I don't care anything about being a Medal of Honor recipient, but if I can use that to help veterans get jobs, I will.

I don't see that anyone owes me anything for my service. I don't feel any sense of entitlement.

I'm good at task management in a stressful environment.

I did all right in school, especially in math.

I live by honor. I live by integrity. I live by 'never quit.' It's not a cool T-shirt phrase for me.

I'm not a hero.

I'm just gonna focus on raising my girls forever, and that's gonna be it.

Business is just like sports: if you're the best in the group that you run in, you're never going to get any better. It's the same thing in business. I surround myself with people who are smarter than me and have more experience than me, and I have gotten a lot of great advice.

It doesn't matter how big of a company you have: I always tell people that you are one job away from being broke. And if you don't live that way, you'll be broke.

I understand how important it is for both parents to be in a child's life.

At the end of the day, no one is going to care about your company as much as you do. That is a motto that you will live or die by. And if you don't believe that, just take your eye off the ball for a day and watch what happens.

When I came back, I tried to live independently. In the Marine Corps, we're taught as a team, so why would you think you're going to get out of the military and live independently and not rely on your support system around you?

When you get out of the military, all you are doing is a work-up for the longest deployment of your life.

The standard Bristol set at being a mother is high for a woman to have to step into. She, as a mom, is crushing it.

I'm never gonna date again, because I can't imagine meeting a woman that's good enough for my daughters.

I will tell you, I don't miss me and Bristol fighting, but coming home to an empty house every other week, you walk in there, and it's a reminder of the failure of the marriage.

I know how critical that is, having a mother and father involved in your life, and I'm going to continue to be the most involved father hopefully that you'll ever see.

My story is one of millions, and the others aren't often told.

When I got out of the Marine Corps, I didn't have much guidance.

When I got out, there weren't too many job opportunities for snipers.

I pour concrete. I'm a construction guy.

If me believing helping others should come before Instagram posts is 'stupid'... you got me right.

I served as a Marine sniper for three years, and I believe the film 'American Sniper' depicted what we do perfectly.

A sniper's primary goal is to eliminate ground threats for U.S. guys on the ground. Is that what a coward is? A person whose goal is to save the lives of his warrior brothers?

If I come in, and you're an employer, and I say, 'Well, I was a sniper in the Marine Corps. Do you have any sniper positions open?' 'No.' But if I told you that I was good at communication, good at leadership under stressful environments, team management, personnel management, leadership, being prompt, are stuff that I can bring to the table.