Quotes about Excellence

Kings ought to differ from their subjects, not in kind, but in perfection.

If happiness is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest excellence.

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.

It is of itself that the divine thought thinks (since it is the most excellent of things), and its thinking is a thinking on thinking.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act by a habit.

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.

I played every sport in high school for one year. If I couldn't be great at it, I quit. I would rather not do it than be average.

I love 'The Godfather' and 'Casablanca' - great stories, acted well, made well.

Striving is exhausting. Sometimes I do say things like, 'I wish I were not quite this driven to be excellent.' It's not a comfortable life. It's not relaxed. I'm not relaxed as a person. I mean, I'm not unhappy. But... it's the opposite of being comfortable.

I just feel like if I push myself and I kill myself, then I have self-discipline within myself. That's how you turn into a true pro.

One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.

Whenever you want to cheer yourself up, consider the good qualities of your companions, for example, the energy of one, the modesty of another, the generosity of yet another, and some other quality of another; for nothing cheers the heart as much as the images of excellence reflected in the character of our companions, all brought before us as fully as possible. Therefore, keep these images ready at hand.