Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.
—Vince Lombardi, Jr. (1913–70) American Football Player, Coach
I like a man with faults, especially when he knows it. To err is human – I’m uncomfortable around gods.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
The leaves did not stir on the trees, grasshoppers chirruped, and the monotonous hollow sound of the sea rising up from below, spoke of the peace, of the eternal sleep awaiting us. So it must have sounded when there was no Yalta, no Oreanda here; so it sounds now, and it will sound as indifferently and monotonously when we are all no more. And in this constancy, in this complete indifference to the life and death of each of us, there lies hid, perhaps, a pledge of our eternal salvation, of the unceasing movement of life upon earth, of unceasing progress towards perfection.
—Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) Russian Short-Story Writer
You’re only human, you’re supposed to make mistakes.
—Billy Joel (b.1949) American Singer, Songwriter, Musician
I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active—not more happy—nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) American Poet
Once you accept the fact that you’re not perfect, then you develop some confidence.
—Rosalynn Carter (1927–2023) American Humanitarian, First Lady
No one is perfect… that’s why pencils have erasers.
—Unknown
Among the other excellencies of man, this is one, that he can form the image of perfection much beyond what he has experience of in himself, and is not limited in his conception of wisdom and virtue.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies that we are one.
—Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927) English Humorous Writer, Novelist, Playwright
All of us have failed to reach our dream of perfection, so I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
Set your ideal as near to perfection as your imagination is capable of forming the conception.
—Wallace Wattles (1860–1911) American New Thought Author
Imperfections are the essence of evolution.
—Unknown
American women expect to find in their husbands a perfection that English women only hope to find in their butlers.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Only in grammar can you be more than perfect.
—William Safire (1929–2009) American Columnist, Editor, Author
Perfectionism is slow death.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
People call me a perfectionist, but I’m not. I’m a “rightist.” I do something until it’s right, and then I move on to the next thing.
—James Cameron (b.1954) Canadian Film Director, Environmentalist
This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfection.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
Even the best needles are not sharp at both ends.
—Chinese Proverb
Faultily faultless, icily regular, splendidly null, dead perfection; no more.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable; however, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it, than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.
—Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) English Statesman, Man of Letters
One must not hold one’s self so divine as to be unwilling occasionally to make improvements in one’s creations.
—Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) German Composer, Musician
Perfection is finally attained not when there is no longer anything to add but when there is no longer anything to take away, when a body has been stripped down to its nakedness.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
Perfection does not exist. To understand this is the triumph of human intelligence; to expect to possess it is the most dangerous kind of madness.
—Alfred de Musset (1810–57) French Dramatist, Poet, Novelist
A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.
—Chinese Proverb
If a man should happen to reach perfection in this world, he would have to die immediately to enjoy himself.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
He is all fault who hath no fault at all. For who loves me must have a touch of earth.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes.
—Ned Rorem (b.1923) American Composer, Diarist
You just have to learn not to care about the dust-mice under the beds.
—Margaret Mead (1901–78) American Anthropologist, Social Psychologist
He is lifeless that is faultless.
—English Proverb
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