John Gardner Quotes

The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity, will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.

My philosophy is, 'Show up, shut up, and do your job,' and if you do it to the satisfaction of your director and the public, you're likely to be able to do it again.

The important thing is to do good work, no matter what medium you do it in.

An artist cannot do anything slovenly.

I just want to do good work.

Just because 'Planes' is an animated movie doesn't mean I don't take my work seriously. You can always push yourself to be better.

It's not communism, it's shouldn't be that everybody gets a try no matter how good or bad they are. It's our profession and our art, so we should eventually strive to be working with the best people.

I want to just do my job and do it well.

I was a little worried that young people would think the only game was being political and manipulative when really the bigger game is being so good at what you do that nobody can argue with your results.

If you think I write stories where it is all right to just be good enough, are you kidding? You think I have a cavalier attitude on throwing stuff out? Are you kidding? I am not cavalier about what I do for a living.

You have just got to make sure you do your job in the best possible way.

At the end of the day, I'm a professional.

I have always believed in quality work.

I take pride in my craft, and I work extremely hard.

I hope that people look at me and think that I'm good at my job.

I see every project I take on as significant, and I try to pour a lifetime of experience into it.

When you do any job well, it looks very natural.

Whatever I do, whether it's cooking shows, books or events, the details count and that's what sets me apart from other food TV personalities. If you take out the details what's left?

My philosophy has always been to do the job I do to the very best of my ability and to be myself within it.

I'm the ultimate professional.

I hate crap, I like craftsmanship

With type as with philosophy, music and food, it is better to have a little of the best than to be swamped with the derivative, the careless, the routine.

If a person sweeps streets for a living, he should sweep them as Michelangelo painted, as Beethoven composed, as Shakespear wrote.

Work always as if you were a master, expect from yourself a masterpiece.

First, do it. Second, do it well. Third, do it well and fast — that means you're a professional.