John W. Gardner Quotes

The idea for which this nation stands will not survive if the highest goal free man can set themselves is an amiable mediocrity. Excellence implies striving for the highest standards in every phase of life.

We strivin' for perfection.

Demand excellence.

To me, the only sin is mediocrity.

I want to be great, not good.

If you don't seek perfection, you can never reach excellence.

Perfection is the often the enemy of greatness.

My hunger is not for success, it is for excellence. Because when you attain excellence, success just naturally follows.

Be great at what you do, and don't ever settle for mediocrity or else you will always wonder how great you could have been.

Intensity is the price of excellence.

I only scream and scratch when something's only 'really good' or 'good', I want to be great, or let's go home.

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

We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.

I want things to be the best they can be. I want greatness.

I don't try to be average. That's boring. That's not what life's about. I try to be great in everything I do.

I just want to be great.

We strive for greatness.

I just want to do everything as good as I possibly can.

I want to be great. I want to be the best.

I am ambitious to do good work and do it really well.

Strive for excellence, not perfection.

Don't settle for mediocrity; never let good enough be good enough.

It's just really about trying to do whatever it is I do at a level of excellence. That's really all I'm trying to do while I'm here.

Be the best of whatever you are.

In everything you do aim to excel for what is worth doing is worth doing well