# Quotes about perfectionism - Quotes: 15 - Authors: 14 - Broader topic: [Quotes about psychology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/psychology.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.json ## Quotes > But the world I wanted wasn't the world I lived in, and if I would do nothing until I could repair every terrible thing at once, I would do nothing forever. [Naomi Novik](https://www.leafyquotes.com/naomi-novik.md) · [Spinning Silver](https://www.leafyquotes.com/naomi-novik/spinning-silver.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/naomi-novik/spinning-silver/but-the-world.md) Topics: [evil](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/evil.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > “Oh, don’t worry,” he thought, putting it into words, “there never had been perfection yet, and it certainly isn’t going to start now for me.” [George R. Stewart](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-r-stewart.md) · [Earth Abides](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-r-stewart/earth-abides.md) · p. 105 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-r-stewart/earth-abides/oh-dont-worry.md) Topics: [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > NOT EVERYTHING > > NEEDS TO BE > > EVERYTHING. [Liana Finck](https://www.leafyquotes.com/liana-finck.md) · [Excuse Me](https://www.leafyquotes.com/liana-finck/excuse-me.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/liana-finck/excuse-me/not-everything-needs.md) Topics: [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Yet the more I think about it the more I realise that we women set impossible standards for ourselves. [Buchi Emecheta](https://www.leafyquotes.com/buchi-emecheta.md) · [The Joys of Motherhood](https://www.leafyquotes.com/buchi-emecheta/the-joys-of-motherhood.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/buchi-emecheta/the-joys-of-motherhood/yet-the-more.md) Topics: [women](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/women.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > The more I think about it, the more I realize that we, women, set impossible models for ourselves. That we make life intolerable for each other. I can't live up to our role models, older wife. That’s why I need to create my own. [Buchi Emecheta](https://www.leafyquotes.com/buchi-emecheta.md) · [The Joys of Motherhood](https://www.leafyquotes.com/buchi-emecheta/the-joys-of-motherhood.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/buchi-emecheta/the-joys-of-motherhood/the-more-i-think.md) Topics: [women](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/women.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Most of us have adopted a strategy to get along called satisficing, a term coined by... Herbert Simon... to describe not getting the very best option but one that was good enough. ...Satisficing is one of the foundations of productive human behavior ...we don't waste time trying to find improvements that are not going to make a significant difference in our happiness or satisfaction. [Daniel Levitin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/daniel-levitin.md) · [The Organized Mind](https://www.leafyquotes.com/daniel-levitin/the-organized-mind.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/daniel-levitin/the-organized-mind/most-of-us-have.md) Topics: [happiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/happiness.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > We find fault with perfection itself. [Blaise Pascal](https://www.leafyquotes.com/blaise-pascal.md) · [Pensees](https://www.leafyquotes.com/blaise-pascal/pensees.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/blaise-pascal/pensees/we-find-fault.md) Topics: [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Most of us stand poised at the edge of brilliance, haunted by the knowledge of our proximity, yet still demonstrably on the wrong side of the line, our dealings with reality undermined by a range of minor yet critical psychological flaws (a little too much optimism, an unprocessed rebelliousness, a fatal impatience or sentimentality). We are like an exquisite high-speed aircraft which for lack of a tiny part is left stranded beside the runway, rendered slower than a tractor or bicycle. [Alain de Botton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alain-de-botton.md) · [The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alain-de-botton/the-pleasures-and-sorrows-of-work.md) · p. 127 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alain-de-botton/the-pleasures-and-sorrows-of-work/most-of-us-stand.md) Topics: [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Beauty and ingenuity beat perfection hands down, every time. (p179) [Nalo Hopkinson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/nalo-hopkinson.md) · [Sister Mine](https://www.leafyquotes.com/nalo-hopkinson/sister-mine.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/nalo-hopkinson/sister-mine/beauty-and-ingenuity.md) Topics: [beauty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/beauty.md), [creativity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/creativity.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > There is nothing perfect. There is only life. [Sue Monk Kidd](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sue-monk-kidd.md) · [The Secret Life of Bees](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sue-monk-kidd/the-secret-life-of-bees.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sue-monk-kidd/the-secret-life-of-bees/there-is-nothing.md) Topics: [life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/life.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Since my world picture approximates reality only crudely, I cannot aspire to optimize anything; at most, I can aim at satisficing. Searching for the best can only dissipate scarce cognitive resources; the best is the enemy of the good. (p.361) [Herbert A. Simon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/herbert-a-simon.md) · [Models of My Life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/herbert-a-simon/models-of-my-life.md) · p. 361 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/herbert-a-simon/models-of-my-life/since-my-world.md) Topics: [choices](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/choices.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > I've always considered myself a failure: I feel I've never done anything wholly right. [...] Everybody will tell you, "Oh no, how can you say that, because ten thousand people clap you on a night?" But part of that is reflex action and part of it is because you're reasonably good. But if you're great, that's a different thing. [Ronnie Drew](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ronnie-drew.md) · [Ronnie](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ronnie-drew/ronnie.md) · p. 88 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ronnie-drew/ronnie/ive-always-considered.md) Topics: [success and failure](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/success-and-failure.md), [self-esteem](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/self-esteem.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > All right, he thought, so the details were not perfect. But maybe, in a sense, that was part of the magic, too. [Gregory Benford](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gregory-benford.md) · [Timescape](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gregory-benford/timescape.md) · p. 229 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gregory-benford/timescape/all-right-he-thought.md) Topics: [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Implement now, perfect later. [Larry Winget](https://www.leafyquotes.com/larry-winget.md) · [It's Called Work for a Reason!](https://www.leafyquotes.com/larry-winget/its-called-work-for-a-reason.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/larry-winget/its-called-work-for-a-reason/implement-now-perfect.md) Topics: [taking action](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/taking-action.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md) > Perfection is a trifle dull. It is not the least of life's ironies that this, which we all aim at, is better not quite achieved. [William Somerset Maugham](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham.md) · [The Summing Up](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/the-summing-up.md) · p. 297 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/the-summing-up/perfection-is-a-trifle.md) Topics: [irony](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/irony.md), [perfectionism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/perfectionism.md)