Excellence Quotes - Page 3

• Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary.

  Warren G. Bennis

  Teacher, Retirement, Teaching

  Warren G. Bennis, Patricia Ward Biederman (1997). “Organizing Genius: The Secrets of Creative Collaboration”, p.8, Basic Books

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• Some people insist that "mediocre" is better than "best." They delight in clipping wings because they themselves can't fly. They despise brains because they have none.

  Robert A. Heinlein

  Wings, People, Brain

  "Have Space Suit - Will Travel" by Robert A. Heinlein, (Ch. 9), 1958.

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• winning is not everything it is the only thing

  Vince Lombardi

  Football, Winning, Nfl

  Vince Lombardi (2002). “The Essential Vince Lombardi: Words & Wisdom to Motivate, Inspire, and Win”, p.3, McGraw Hill Professional

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• When each of these three elements of vision-concern for excellence, for people and for the wider environment-are present, business is transformed from a tool for making profits into a creative, humane experiment for improving life.

  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

  Inspirational, Business, People

  Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (2004). “Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning”, p.151, Penguin

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• The Olympics remain the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sport, and maybe in life itself.

  Dawn Fraser

  Sports, Olympic Spirit, Winter Olympics

  Biography/Personal Quotes, www.imdb.com.

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• People who have accomplished work worthwhile have had a very high sense of the way to do things. They have not been content with mediocrity. They have not confined themselves to the beaten tracks; they have never been satisfied to do things just as others so them, but always a little better. They always pushed things that came to their hands a little higher up, this little farther on, that counts in the quality of life's work. It is constant effort to be first-class in everything one attempts that conquers the heights of excellence.

  Orison Swett Marden

  Hands, Class, People

  Orison Swett Marden (2007). “Do It to a Finish!”, p.21, Cosimo, Inc.

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• I think the challenges for me was to go into the studio with these incredible jazz players and come up to their level of excellence. That's always a challenge.

  Rita Coolidge

  Player, Thinking, Challenges

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

  William Shakespeare

  Dwelling, Earth, Dull

  'The Two Gentlemen Of Verona' (1592-3) act 4, sc. 2, l. 40

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• When workmen strive to do better than well, they do confound their skill in covetousness.

  William Shakespeare

  Skills, Strive, Wells

  William Shakespeare (1790). “The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustr. of various commentators; to which are added An essay on the chronological order of his plays; an essay relative to Shakspeare and Jonson; a dissertation on the three parts of King Henry vi; an historical account of the English stage; and notes. By E. Malone. 10 vols. [in 11 pt.].”, p.529

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• Make it a life-rule to give your best to whatever passes through your hands. Stamp it with your manhood. Let superiority be your trademark.

  Orison Swett Marden

  Hands, Giving, Trademarks

  Orison Swett Marden (2013). “The Wisdom of Orison Swett Marden”, p.245, Simon and Schuster

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• Do it, fix it, try it.

  Tom Peters

  Trying

  Tom Peters (2015). “Excellence Now: Action”, p.18, New Word City

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• I've spent my life pursuing excellence as an artist, which is what I always wanted to do anyhow.

  Claire Bloom

  Artist, Wanted

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• There is a canyon of difference between doing your best to glorify God and doing whatever it takes to glorify yourself. The quest for excellence is a mark of maturity. The quest for power is childish.

  Max Lucado

  Maturity, Differences, Quests

  Max Lucado (2015). “Let the Journey Begin: Finding God's Best for Your Life”, p.77, Thomas Nelson Inc

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• Look at any inspired painting. It's like a gong sounding; it puts you in a state of reverberation.

  Philip Guston

  Looks, Painting, Inspired

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• The best is the enemy of the good.

  Voltaire

  Inspirational, Military, Learning

  Letter to Duc de Richelieu, 18 June 1744. Although this saying is now associated with Voltaire, he is obviously quoting an Italian proverb here. The French form, which he used later, is Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.

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• Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.

  Alan Armstrong

  Sports, Running, Athlete

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• Find something that you're really interested in doing in your life. Pursue it, set goals, and commit yourself to excellence. Do the best you can.

  Chris Evert

  Sports, Goal, Commit

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• Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.

  Marabel Morgan

  Sister, Leadership, Perseverance

  Marabel Morgan (1986). “The Electric Woman”

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• Don't waste your time striving for perfection; instead, strive for excellence - doing your best.

  Laurence Olivier

  Perfection, Waste, Striving To Be The Best

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• Doing common things uncommonly well.

  Orison Swett Marden

  Common, Wells, Common Things

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• Excellence is never granted to man, but as the reward of labour.

  Joshua Reynolds

  Men, Rewards, Granted

  Sir Joshua Reynolds, Edward Malone (1867). “The Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds: Containing His Discourses, Idlers, A Journey to Flanders and Holland, and His Commentary on Du Fresnoy's Art of Painting; to which is Prefixed an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author by Edward Malone”, p.19

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• It's simple ... go the extra mile and you will stand out from the crowd

  Robin Crow

  Motivational, Simple, Being Different

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• Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit.

  Shaquille O'Neal

  Athlete, Best Sports, Habit

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• Our goal, simply stated, is to be the best.

  James Harvey Robinson

  Goal, Being The Best

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• Many people can reach for and achieve excellence. To do this consistently is what separates masters and geniuses from everyone else.

  Paul Russo

  People, Genius, Achieve

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