Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight… When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
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.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
To enjoy enduring success we should travel a little in advance of the world.
—John D. MacDonald (1916–86) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
There is always a best way of doing everything.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
It takes a long time to bring excellence to maturity.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
One of the most essential things you need to do for yourself is to choose a goal that is important to you. Perfection does not exist—you can always do better and you can always grow.
—Les Brown
In every power, of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty fairly divided among the sexes.
—Jane Austen (1775–1817) English Novelist
Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can reach. Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries and predecessors; try to be better than yourself.
—Unknown
Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence—only in constant improvement and constant change.
—Tom Peters (b.1942) American Management Consultant, Author
The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. Really, it’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.
—Chuck Swindoll (b.1934) American Evangelical Christian Pastor, Author
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.
—Denis Waitley (b.1933) American Motivational Speaker, Author
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.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
Always strive to excel, but only on weekends.
—Richard Rorty (1931–2007) American Philosopher
It is the mark of an instructed mind to rest satisfied with the degree of precision which the nature of the subject admits and not to seek exactness when only an approximation of the truth is possible.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
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.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
The person who knows one thing and does it better than anyone else, even if it only be the art of raising lentils, receives the crown he merits. If he raises all his energy to that end, he is a benefactor of mankind and its rewarded as such.
—Og Mandino (1923–96) American Self-Help Author
Next to excellence, comes the appreciation of it.
—William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63) English Novelist
Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself—and be lenient to everybody else.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
Those indeed who attain any excellence commonly spend life in one pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
The love of fame is almost another name for the love of excellence; or it is the ambition to attain the highest excellence, sanctioned by the highest authority, that of time.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Only a mediocre person is always at his best.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
He who stops being better stops being good.
—Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658) British Head of State, Military Leader
As far as the job of President goes, it’s rewarding and I’ve given before this group the definition of happiness for the Greeks. I’ll define it again: the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. I find, therefore, that the Presidency provides some happiness.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
We distinguish the excellent man from the common man by saying that the former is the one who makes great demands on himself, and the latter who makes no demands on himself.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
The fact is, the difference between peak performers and everybody else are much smaller than everybody else thinks.
—Charles A. Garfield (b.1944) American Psychologist
Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.
—Unknown
I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Inventor, Architect
Losing a game is heartbreaking. Losing your sense of excellence or worth is a tragedy.
—Joe Paterno (1926–2012) American Sportsperson