“Perfection simply doesn’t exist”, “It is a slow death” – You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? But you’re not going to listen to them, are you? If you’re not among those who compromise and settle for less than perfection, then the following inspiring quotes on “Perfection” and “Excellence” should motivate you to do even better.
I haven’t listed any of those quotes that are against perfection as I believe that you’re here for inspiration and not for distraction.
I’m Not Perfect. Nobody Is Perfect.
Could be. But once again, you don’t want to listen, right?
When I started my search for this post, I came across ample “nobody is perfect” quotes or ones which indicate “I am not perfect” but that’s not what I wanted to share. I agree that those quotes make sense but then they don’t motivate you.
“They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds.” — Winston Churchill
Just like the above quote which emphasizes that running after perfection may not be a great idea. But let’s not get disoriented and focus on Excellence and Perfection quotes that will motivate us to move forward in life.
First Things First. Let’s Start With Excellence…
- Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny. — Aristotle
- We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. — Aristotle
- We acquire a particular quality by acting in a particular way. — Aristotle
- No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. — Aristotle
- Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. — Aristotle
- All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. — Aristotle
- Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good, and alike in excellence; for these wish well alike to each other qua good, and they are good in themselves. — Aristotle
- I’m never pleased with anything, I’m a perfectionist, it’s part of who I am. — Michael Jackson
- My mother’s wonderful. To me she’s perfection. — Michael Jackson
- Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly. — Plato
- When I want to speak, nobody listens, when they want me to speak, I have nothing to say. — Winston Churchill
- Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. — Vince Lombardi
- I was made to be a perfectionist at everything I did. Everything was more important than what I wanted. — Dennis Quaid
- If I only had a little humility, I’d be perfect. — Ted Turner
- The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. — Confucius
- The pursuit of excellence is less profitable than the pursuit of bigness, but it can be more satisfying. — David Ogilvy
- It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are the more gentle and quiet we become towards the defects of others. — Joseph Addison
- I’m chasing perfection. — Kobe Bryant
- If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your life. — Unknown
- Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. — Steve Jobs
- We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. — Steve Jobs
- But I think Steve’s main contribution besides just the pure leadership is his passion for excellence. He’s a perfectionist. Good enough isn’t good enough. And also his creative spirit. You know he really, really wants to do something great. — Andy Hertzfeld (about Steve Jobs)
- Mediocre men work at their best; men seeking excellence strive to do better. — Edwin Louis Cole
- Perfection is not just about control. It’s also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. — Thomas Leroy (Black Swan)
- The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. — Vince Lombardi
- I’m a perfectionist. I’m pretty much insatiable. I feel there’s so many things I can improve on. — Serena Williams
- Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude. — Ralph Marston
- Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better. — Gordon B. Hinckley
- If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. — Colin Powell
- By appreciation, we make excellence in others our own property. — Voltaire
- Simplicity in character, in manners, in style; in all things the supreme excellence is simplicity. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. — Colin Powell
- Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. — Tim Notke
- Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. — Pat Riley
- Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. — John W. Gardner
- If there was nothing wrong in the world there wouldn’t be anything for us to do. — George Bernard Shaw
- Whoever I am, or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach. — John W. Gardner
- The perfection of art is to conceal art. — Quintilian
- Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
- Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. — John W. Gardner
- Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. — Hunter S. Thompson
- Love is the bond of perfection. — John Winthrop
- If everything is imperfect in this imperfect world, love is most perfect in its perfect imperfection. — Gunnar Björnstrand
- We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent. — Barack Obama
- I’m a perfectionist, and I always think that I can do better what I have done, even if it’s good. — Luciano Pavarotti
- True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly. — Jason Jordan
- Try to become not a man of success, but try rather to become a man of value. — Albert Einstein
- The true perfection of man lies not in what man has, but in what man is. — Oscar Wilde
- Everything is perfect in the universe – even your desire to improve it. — Wayne Dyer
- Only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best. — Max Beerbohm
- Perfection irritates as well as it attracts, in fiction as in life. — Louis Auchincloss
- The secret of joy in work is contained in one word – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it. — Pearl S. Buck
- I’m a perfectionist. I can’t help it, I get really upset with myself if I fail in the least. — Justin Timberlake
- I am a man of simple tastes easily satisfied with the best. — Winston Churchill
- They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds. — Winston Churchill
- I’m a perfectionist. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s okay if there are flaws here and there. — Tyra Banks
- Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence – only in constant improvement and constant change. — Tom Peters
- Perfection is the child of time. — Joseph Hall
- I’m a perfectionist, so I always feel there’s room for improvement. — Ludacris
- Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time. — Voltaire
- Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it. — William Ellery Channing
- Perfection cannot be defined or seen; it can only be found in your heart. — Kelly Millar
- It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection. — Oscar Wilde
- If you want people to listen, you have to have a platform to speak from, and that is excellence in what you do. — William Pollard
- This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections. — Saint Augustine
- Excellence always sells. — Earl Nightingale
- Every line is the perfect length if you don’t measure it. — Marty Rubin
- Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process. — Jerry Moran
- Perfection is not a destination; it’s a never-ending process… Enjoy! — Jim Bouchard
- Style is the perfection of a point of view. — Richard Eberhart
- If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way. — Martin Luther King Jr.
- Persistence. Perfection. Patience. Power. Prioritize your passion. It keeps you sane. — Criss Jami
- I’m a perfectionist, so my bossiness definitely comes out. — Emma Watson
- As you all know, I’m kind of a perfectionist. — Tiger Woods
- When I work, I work. I don’t think about anything else. I just wanna get the work done. And I’m a perfectionist. — Coco Lee
- My philosophy all my life has been the pursuit of excellence. — John Kluge
- People often called us perfectionists, but we were not looking for perfection. We were looking for some kind of magic in the music. — Paul Simon
- Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way. — Booker T. Washington
First Published: January 2013; Last Updated: Tuesday, January 5, 2021.