Mediocrity can talk; but it is for genius to observe.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
They are good furniture pictures, unworthy of praise, and undeserving of blame.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
The reason they want you to fit in… is that once you do, then they can ignore you.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
Mediocrity requires aloofness to preserve its dignity.
—Charles G. Dawes (1865–1951) American Diplomat, Politician
Only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best.
—Max Beerbohm (1872–1956) British Essayist, Caricaturist, Novelist
Only the mediocre are always at their best.
—Jean Giraudoux (1882–1944) French Novelist, Playwright, Essayist
Once you free yourself from the need for perfect acceptance, it’s a lot easier to launch work that matters.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
In our desire to please everyone, it’s very easy to end up being invisible or mediocre.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
The real antichrist is he who turns the wine of an original idea into the water of mediocrity.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Mediocrity is not allowed to poets, either by the gods or men.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
You don’t have to settle. It’s a choice you get to make every day.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
There is a mean in everything.—Even virtue itself hath its stated limits, which, not being strictly observed, it ceases to be virtue.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
The world is a republic of mediocrities, and always was.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
We meet with few utterly dull and stupid souls; the sublime and transcendent are still fewer; the generality of mankind stand between these two extremes; the interval is filled with multitudes of ordinary geniuses, but all very useful, the ornaments and supports of the commonwealth: these produce the agreeable and the profitable, and are conversant in commerce, finances, war, navigation, arts, trades, society, and conversation.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
Persevering mediocrity is much more respectable, and unspeakably more useful, than talented inconstancy.
—James Hamilton (1814–67) Scottish Protestant Minister
‘Good enough’ stopped being good enough a long time ago. so why not be great?
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
Little things affect little minds.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
The best pedigree in the world won’t sell a lame race horse.
—Unknown
Mediocrity is now, as formerly, dangerous, commonly fatal, to the poet; but among even the successful writers of prose, those who rise sensibly above it are the very rarest exceptions.
—William Ewart Gladstone (1809–98) English Liberal Statesman, Prime Minister
The virtue of the soul does not consist in flying high, but walking orderly; its grandeur does not exercise itself in grandeur, but in mediocrity.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three.
—Joseph Heller (1923–99) American Novelist
Minds of moderate caliber ordinarily condemn everything which is beyond their range.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
One would like to be grand and heroic, if one could; but if not, why try at all? One wants to be very something, very great, very heroic; or if not that, then at least very stylish and very fashionable. It is this everlasting mediocrity that bores me.
—Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–96) American Abolitionist, Author
The highest order of mind is accused of folly, as well as the lowest. Nothing is thoroughly approved but mediocrity. The majority has established this, and it fixes its fangs on whatever gets beyond it either way.
—Blaise Pascal (1623–62) French Mathematician, Physicist, Theologian
Mediocrity is excellent to the eyes of mediocre people.
—Joseph Joubert (1754–1824) French Writer, Moralist
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.
—Seth Godin (b.1960) American Entrepreneur
In the republic of mediocrity, genius is dangerous.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic