David Brooks Quotes

Satisfaction with results will be the [death] knell of progress. No man is good who thinks that he cannot be better. He has no holiness who thinks that he is holy enough.

The simplest and most practical lesson I know is to resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow.

All of us need to grow continuously in our lives.

It is the duty and high privilege of every human being to endeavor to improve himself. Effort at self-improvement is the definition sometimes given for religion. It may relate to our actions or to our convictions. In our actions we should aim at goodness; in our convictions, at truth.

I think after going through some scandals and realizing that if I'm growing as a person, and I'm acknowledging my mistakes, and I'm constantly bettering myself to be the best me that I can possibly be, what more can I really be?

I just wanted to keep getting better and better and better, and that's just my mindset.

I want to keep getting better, being a great teammate and try to keep learning from our guys and help as much as possible. I'm not satisfied with where I'm at.

It is our duty to try to be perfect, … to improve each day, and look upon our course last week and do things better this week; do things better today than we did them yesterday

I am not a very good man, Effie, but I think that I am a better one than you have given me credit for being.

I think everyone is their harshest critic, but I strive for excellence as much as I can because I think it shows.

Humility in this business [acting] isn't just a matter of being polite, it's kind of a matter of survival. You can't ever afford to think that you're the bee's knees, because you could always afford to be better. You have to always be searching for something better.

I take very seriously this notion that my highest job is to live a better life, all the time and to the best of my ability. I need to monitor my own progress - take my own inventory - and clean my own closet. I am trying to do all that.

I look at everything I’ve done critically - but I think that’s the job of an actor. If you ever sit on your laurels or think that you’re good - in a way, I don’t then think you’re pushing yourself.

Progression, in my opinion, is often identifying shortcomings - whether it's views or the things you're doing in your life, your relationships - and trying to find the places where you improve on those.

I'm the kind of person where you're never done, you just keep perfecting and perfecting and perfecting, or trying to fix things that drive you crazy. Often times when you watch a film, "if I could just get through this minute, I'll be fine." So I think I'm just hard on myself.

If I'm here, I'll be trying to be a better human being, a better writer, a better friend and a better beloved.

If you want to be happy in life, consider yourself a student. Every day of your life, think: how can I improve?

I used to be weird about it, but I think sometimes you can learn from watching yourself and all the mistakes you make and try to continue growing. But I'm completely uncomfortable for sure.

I see what you mean. It must be a huge relief, and an easy way out, to think the devil is always outside of us. (…) we would stop looking for Sheitan outside and instead focus on ourselves. What we need is sincere self-examination. Not being on the watch for the faults of others.” (p. 257).

I always think I don't do the first one good, so I try to do it more.

The most dangerous poison is the feeling of achievement. The antidote is to every evening think what can be done better tomorrow.

Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.

I don't want to hit a point where I feel there is nothing to improve upon - there always is.

Being a former engineer, you learn to always go back, study yourself, see what you could've done differently, see what you could've said.

I don't feel like congratulating myself, because I know there's still a lot of room for improvement.