Matthew Quick Quotes

A man must be strong enough to mold the peculiarity of his imperfections into the perfection of his peculiarities.

Great persons are great because of good, strong foundations on which they were able to build a character.

A man doesn't amount to something because he has been successful at a third-rate career like journalism. It is evidence, that's all: evidence that if he buckled down and worked hard, he might some day do something really worth doing.

For every one step that you take in the pursuit of higher knowledge, take three steps in the perfection of your own character

The truth is that most people have a better chance to be uncommon by effort than by natural gifts. Anyone could give that effort in his or her chosen endeavor, but the typical person doesn't, choosing to do only enough to get by.

Just as your hand has the power to hide the sun, mediocrity has the power to hide your inner light. Do not blame others for your own incompetence.

Character is undergoing constant change, for better or for worse--either being elevated on the one hand, or degraded on the other.

The safest principle through life, instead of reforming others, is to set about perfecting yourself.

I am a strong believer in the ability of human beings to change for the better. I am a strong believer in trying to change what we are dissatisfied with.

Beginning today, set an intention and a relentless focus on living your life as the greatest person you can be, in all situations. Demand that you demonstrate a strength of character in such a way that you find pride in who you are, and that others see you as a role model.

'Physician, heal thyself' is more true in matters religious than mundane.

Many people in and out of showbiz live their lives in different ways. I try to be the best I can be.

Work on your strong points because they are what made you.

One must need to be strong, otherwise one will never become strong.

He that has energy enough in his constitution to root out a vice should go a little further, and try to plant a virtue in its place; otherwise he will have his labor to renew. A strong soil that has produced weeds may be made to produce wheat with far less difficulty than it would cost to make it produce nothing.

It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man's own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in his life.

You have to come up in the world before it's worthwhile for those worth less to put you down.

Your team will get stronger when you begin to build yourself. Teams are made up of individuals who work together . . . and get their own job done. What are you doing to be sure that your job is being done perfectly?

Look what you can become in pursuit of what you want, and look out for what you become in the pursuit of what you want--don't compromise!

You have to be very productive in order to become excellent. You have to go through a poor period and a mediocre period, and then you move into your excellent period. It may be very well be that some of you have done quite a bit of writing already. You maybe ready to move into your good period and your excellent period. But you shouldn't be surprised if it becomes a very long process.

Strive for perfection - never be content with mediocrity. You don't win until you conquer the little flaws. You don't beat these great ones until your form is perfect. This is true in all of life. A flaw in a product can ruin a business. A personal failing, a little one, can ruin a person's life. Don't be content with mediocrity - strive to live up to the greatest within you.

We all have strengths, weaknesses and blind spots. In fact, an average person has 3.4 blind spots.

I make small mistakes every day. But major mistakes? It doesn't seem so. I've examined my service to the Tibetan people and to humanity, and I've done as much as I can in my life.

Face up to those areas that are weak in your life and seek to make them strong.

A really good style comes only when a man has become as good as he can be. Style is character. A good style cannot come from a bad undisciplined character.