James G. Stavridis Quotes

Britain's most useful role is somewhere between bee and dinosaur.

I think that anything in life is about the middle ground.

I really have always thought of myself as somebody who lives in the middle of the wheel and is able to go to the extreme, to the outside of the wheel in any direction. The best case scenario for me is to be able to be centered and then go out.

Balance, that's the secret. Moderate extremism. The best of both worlds.

As you know, you go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time. Since the Iraq conflict began, the Army has been pressing ahead to produce the armor necessary at a rate that they believe - it's a greatly expanded rate from what existed previously, but a rate that they believe is the rate that is all that can be accomplished at this moment.

You should not have any special fondness for a particular weapon, or anything else, for that matter. Too much is the same as not enough. Without imitating anyone else, you should have as much weaponry as suits you.

It's good to step out of the box, but don't step out so far that you can't get back in.

You can't take yourself too seriously with anything.

I've always been about the balance - not sacrificing one thing for the other and not being an extremist.

I'm going to become like a gymnast. I watch online, on Instagram, these gymnast influencers, and that's where I want to get.

I saw singer Pink doing aerial flips during one of her performances at Grammy Awards. It got me inspired, and I started doing it, too. It has made me very flexible. I couldn't even touch my toes a few years ago, but now I find myself to be extremely fit.

Sometimes I'm a bit under-aggressive and sometimes a bit over. But I think it's good to have both.

He needs both patience and speed.

You can't make a recipe for something as complicated as surgery. Instead, you can make a recipe for how to have a team that's prepared for the unexpected.

I am rooted, but I flow.

I will go anywhere, anytime, to meet with anyone to find common ground.

We have the most skillful, firecest, and certainly the most ethical ground forces in the world... I'm not saying we have to commit right now, but certainly don't pull it off the table.

In any problem where an opposing force exists and cannot be regulated, one must foresee and provide for alternative courses. Adaptability is the law which governs survival in war as in life ... To be practical, any plan must take account of the enemy's power to frustrate it; the best chance of overcoming such obstruction is to have a plan that can be easily varied to fit the circumstances met.

Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit. It's a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it. Like all weak men he laid an exaggerated stress on not changing one's mind.

The most important skill of the future will be the ability to learn and adapt. You need to be resourceful, keep your eyes open for advances coming out of nowhere, and embrace the new opportunities as they emerge. You need to be able to collaborate with others and build relationships. You need to be able to share ideas, inspire, and motivate.

I want to be like water. I want to slip through fingers, but hold up a ship.

Compromise is a skill, and like all skills it atrophies from lack of use.

In adversity be spirited and firm, and with equal prudence lessen your sail when filled with a too fortunate gale of prosperity.

Don't let go too soon, but don't hold on too long.

Compromise is like the middle of the road; always safer to walk on than the edges.