- Excellence does not require perfection. Henry James
- Strive for perfection, but settle for excellence. Don Shula
- I may not be perfect, but parts of me are excellent. Ashleigh Brilliant
- Perfect preparation doesn’t exist. Excellent adaptation does. Lauren Fleshman
- Always aim at perfection for only then will you achieve excellence. R. D. Tata
- Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human. Tony Robbins
- Excellence is the asymptotic state that never quite reaches perfection. Andy Hargreaves
- Strive for excellence, not perfection, because we don’t live in a perfect world. Joyce Meyer
- Perfection belongs to the Gods; the most we can hope for is excellence. Carl Jung
- Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. Vince Lombardi
- Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process. Jerry Moran
- Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing. Harriet B. Braiker
- Striving for excellence is a positive quality. Striving for perfection is self-defeating. Melody Beattie
- Don’t waste your time striving for perfection; instead, strive for excellence – doing your best. Laurence Olivier
- Just because you didn’t start out perfect doesn’t mean you can’t have an excellent result in the end. Debi Thomas
- I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for; perfection is God’s business. Michael J. Fox
- Learn the difference between striving for excellence and striving for perfection. The first is attainable; the second is not. Douglas Merrill
- The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time. Ed Bliss
- PERFECTION, n. An imaginary state of quality distinguished from the actual by an element known as excellence; an attribute of the critic. Ambrose Bierce
- Choose to achieve perfection. We won’t achieve it because perfection is impossible. But by pursuing perfection, we will achieve excellence. Vince Lombardi
- Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence. Vince Lombardi
- Demand perfection of yourself and you’ll seldom attain it. Fear of making a mistake is the biggest single cause of making one. Relax – pursue excellence, not perfection. Lloyd (Bud) Winter
- I know that aiming at perfection has its drawbacks. It makes you go into details that you can avoid but that is the only way you can achieve excellence. So, in that case, being finicky is essential. R. D. Tata
- The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile. Therefore strive for excellence not perfection. Alan Kulwicki
- Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is. You’ll be afraid you can’t achieve it. It’s your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best. Laurence Olivier
- Perfection, fortunately, is not the only alternative to mediocrity. A more sensible alternative is excellence. Striving for excellence is stimulating and rewarding; striving for perfection–in practically anything–is both neurotic and futile. Ed Bliss
- I have always looked at it this way: If you strive like crazy for perfection – an all-out assault on total perfection – at the very least you will hit a high level of excellence, and then you might be able to sleep at night. To accomplish something truly significant, excellence has to become a life plan. Charlie Trotter
