Motivational Quotes

Excellence

The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he's always doing both.

- Michener, James A.

Best Quotes about Excellence

I am a writer because writing is the thing I do best.

O'Connor, Flannery

Do your work; not just your work and no more, but a little more for the lavishing's sake -- that little more which is worth all the rest.

Briggs, Dean

Strive for excellence, not perfection.

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

We must do the best we can with what we have.

Sill, Edward Rowland

There is only one thing for us to do, and that is to do our level best right where we are every day of our lives; To use our best judgment, and then to trust the rest to that Power which holds the forces of the universe in his hands.

Marden, Orison Swett

There never will exist anything permanently noble and excellent in the character which is a stranger to resolute self-denial.

Scott, Sir Walter

The ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence.

John F. Kennedy

It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity.

Publilius Syrus

You must be resolutely determined that whatever you do shall always be the best of which you are capable.

Popplestone, Charles E.

10.

The excellency of every art is its intensity, capable of making all disagreeable evaporate.

Keats, John

11.

I start where the last man left off.

Edison, Thomas A.

12.

To do the right thing, at the right time, in the right way; to do some things better than they were ever done before; to eliminate errors; to know both sides of the question; to be courteous; to be an example; to work for the love of work; to anticipate requirements; to develop resources; to recognize no impediments; to master circumstances; to act from reason rather than rule; to be satisfied with nothing short of perfection.

Marshall Field & Company

13.

I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.

Sanders, Col. Harland

14.

Put the uncommon effort into the common task... make it large by doing it in a great way.

Marden, Orison Swett

15.

You're probably not a member of a major league baseball team, your errors, unless they are truly spectacular, don't show up in the morning paper.

Goodsell, Jane

16.

People who produce good results feel good about themselves.

Blanchard, Ken

17.

Do more than you're supposed to do and you can have or be or do anything you want.

Sands, Bill

18.

It isn't by size that you win or fail -- be the best of whatever you are.

Malloch, Douglas

19.

Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.

Washington, Booker T.

20.

It is just the little difference between the good and the best that makes the difference between the artist and the artisan. It is just the little touches after the average man would quit that makes the master's fame.

Marden, Orison Swett

21.

Great men are but common men more fully developed and ripened.

Marden, Orison Swett

22.

It is only in your mind that you have to excel, at anything or everything. Of course, it would be very nice to excel at most things. Indeed, we recommend that you try and do your best. But realistically, you are entitled to do the bare minimum to get by. All your accomplishments are just a bonus, something to enjoy, not requirements. You don't have to do anything to prove that you are worthy of existing.

Albert Ellis, Michael Abrams, Lidia Dengelegi

23.

The renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail; mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.

Sallust

24.

Winners have the ability to step back from the canvas of their lives like an artist gaining perspective. They make their lives a work of art -- an individual masterpiece.

Waitley, Denis

25.

I have offended God and mankind because my work didn't reach the quality it should have.

Da Vinci, Leonardo

26.

The real contest is always between what you've done and what you're capable of doing. You measure yourself against yourself and nobody else.

Gaberino, Geoffrey

27.

The quality of expectations determines the quality of our action.

Godin, Andre

28.

Good enough never is.

Field, Debbi

29.

If you aren't playing well, the game isn't as much fun. When that happens I tell myself just to go out and play as I did when I was a kid.

Watson, Thomas J.

30.

Anybody who accepts mediocrity -- in school, on the job, in life -- is a person who compromises, and when the leader compromises, the whole organization compromises.

Knight, Charles

31.

It has always been my belief that a man should do his best, regardless of how much he receives for his services, or the number of people he may be serving or the class of people served.

Hill, Napoleon

32.

I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.

Wilde, Oscar

33.

If we want to make something really superb on this planet, there is nothing whatever that can stop us.

Mead, Shepherd

34.

To aim at excellence, our reputation, and friends, and all must be ventured; to aim at the average we run no risk and provide little service.

Goldsmith, Oliver

35.

It is not from ourselves that we learn to be better than we are.

Berry, Wendell

36.

It is those who have this imperative demand for the best in their natures, and who will accept nothing short of it, that holds the banners of progress, that set the standards, the ideals, for others.

Marden, Orison Swett

37.

Let each become all that he was created capable of being.

Carlyle, Thomas

38.

If I play my best, I can win anywhere in the world against anybody.

Floyd, Ray

39.

The success combination in business is: Do what you do better... and: Do more of what you do...

Schwartz, David J.

40.

I can do small things in a great way.

Clarke, James Freeman

41.

You always have to give 100 percent, because if you don't, someone, someplace, will give 100 percent and will beat you when you meet.

Macauley, Ed

42.

There is one plain rule of life. Try thyself unweariedly till thou findest the highest thing thou art capable of doing, faculties and outward circumstances being both duly considered, and then do it.

Mill, John Stuart

43.

We do not do well except when we know where the best is and when we are assured that we have touched it and hold its power within us.

Joubert, Joseph

44.

True greatness consists in being great in little things.

Simmons, Charles

45.

Excellence is best described as doing the right things right -- selecting the most important things to be done and then accomplishing them 100% correctly.

46.

Excellence is rarely found, more rarely valued.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

47.

Resolve to make each day the very best and don't let anyone get in your way. If they do, step on them.

Benson, Ivan

48.

Then to Silvia let us sing that Silvia is excelling. She excels each mortal thing upon the dull earth dwelling.

Shakespeare, William

49.

Set exorbitant standards, and give your people hell when they don't live up to them. There is nothing so demoralizing as a boss who tolerates second rate work.

Ogilvy, David

50.

The road to excellence is always under construction