Over 75 Quotes On Perfection & Excellence For The Perfectionists

“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…

1. 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
2. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. — Aristotle
3. We acquire a particular quality by acting in a particular way. — Aristotle
4. No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness. — Aristotle
5. Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work. — Aristotle
6. All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. — Aristotle
7. 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
8. I’m never pleased with anything, I’m a perfectionist, it’s part of who I am. — Michael Jackson
9. My mother’s wonderful. To me she’s perfection. — Michael Jackson
10. Better a little which is well done, than a great deal imperfectly. — Plato
11. When I want to speak, nobody listens, when they want me to speak, I have nothing to say. — Winston Churchill
12. Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. — Vince Lombardi
13. I was made to be a perfectionist at everything I did. Everything was more important than what I wanted. — Dennis Quaid
14. If I only had a little humility, I’d be perfect. — Ted Turner
15. 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
16. The pursuit of excellence is less profitable than the pursuit of bigness, but it can be more satisfying. — David Ogilvy
17. 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
18. I’m chasing perfection. — Kobe Bryant
19. If you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your life. — Unknown
20. Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. — Steve Jobs
21. 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
22. 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)
23. Mediocre men work at their best; men seeking excellence strive to do better. — Edwin Louis Cole
24. Perfection is not just about control. It’s also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. — Thomas Leroy (Black Swan)
25. 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
26. I’m a perfectionist. I’m pretty much insatiable. I feel there’s so many things I can improve on. — Serena Williams
27. Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude. — Ralph Marston
28. Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better. — Gordon B. Hinckley
29. 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
30. By appreciation, we make excellence in others our own property. — Voltaire
31. Simplicity in character, in manners, in style; in all things the supreme excellence is simplicity. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
32. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence. — Colin Powell
33. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. — Tim Notke
34. Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. — Pat Riley
35. Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. — John W. Gardner
36. If there was nothing wrong in the world there wouldn’t be anything for us to do. — George Bernard Shaw
37. Whoever I am, or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach. — John W. Gardner
38. The perfection of art is to conceal art. — Quintilian
39. Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
40. Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. — John W. Gardner
41. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. — Hunter S. Thompson
42. Love is the bond of perfection. — John Winthrop
43. If everything is imperfect in this imperfect world, love is most perfect in its perfect imperfection. — Gunnar Björnstrand
44. We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent. — Barack Obama
45. I’m a perfectionist, and I always think that I can do better what I have done, even if it’s good. — Luciano Pavarotti
46. True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly. — Jason Jordan
47. Try to become not a man of success, but try rather to become a man of value. — Albert Einstein
48. The true perfection of man lies not in what man has, but in what man is. — Oscar Wilde
49. Everything is perfect in the universe – even your desire to improve it. — Wayne Dyer
50. Only mediocrity can be trusted to be always at its best. — Max Beerbohm
51. Perfection irritates as well as it attracts, in fiction as in life. — Louis Auchincloss
52. 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
53. I’m a perfectionist. I can’t help it, I get really upset with myself if I fail in the least. — Justin Timberlake
54. I am a man of simple tastes easily satisfied with the best. — Winston Churchill
55. They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds. — Winston Churchill
56. I’m a perfectionist. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s okay if there are flaws here and there. — Tyra Banks
57. Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence – only in constant improvement and constant change. — Tom Peters
58. Perfection is the child of time. — Joseph Hall
59. I’m a perfectionist, so I always feel there’s room for improvement. — Ludacris
60. Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time. — Voltaire
61. Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it. — William Ellery Channing
62. Perfection cannot be defined or seen; it can only be found in your heart. — Kelly Millar
63. It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection. — Oscar Wilde
64. 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
65. This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections. — Saint Augustine
66. Excellence always sells. — Earl Nightingale
67. Every line is the perfect length if you don’t measure it. — Marty Rubin
68. Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process. — Jerry Moran
69. Perfection is not a destination; it’s a never-ending process… Enjoy! — Jim Bouchard
70. Style is the perfection of a point of view. — Richard Eberhart
71. If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way. — Martin Luther King Jr.
72. Persistence. Perfection. Patience. Power. Prioritize your passion. It keeps you sane. — Criss Jami
73. I’m a perfectionist, so my bossiness definitely comes out. — Emma Watson
74. As you all know, I’m kind of a perfectionist. — Tiger Woods
75. 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
76. My philosophy all my life has been the pursuit of excellence. — John Kluge
77. 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
78. Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way. — Booker T. Washington

First Published: January 2013; Last Updated: Tuesday, January 5, 2021.