The man who does not take pride in his own performance performs nothing in which to take pride.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
Slumps are like a soft bed. They’re easy to get into and hard to get out of.
—Johnny Bench (b.1947) American Sportsperson
Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.
—John Wooden (1910–2010) American Sportsperson
Wise to resolve, patient to perform.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Concentration, Confidence, Competitive urge, Capacity for enjoyment.
—Arnold Palmer (b.1929) American Sportsperson
Performance is your reality. Forget everything else.
—Harold S. Geneen (1910–1997) British-American Businessman
We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner of doing it.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
If you don’t see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner.
—Zig Ziglar (1926–2012) American Author
People say to me, “You were a roaring success. How did you do it?” I go back to what my parents taught me. Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don’t just stand there, make something happen.
—Lee Iacocca (b.1924) American Businessperson
Don’t lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality.
—Ralph Marston
An acre of performance is worth the whole world of promise.
—Jeremiah Brown Howell
Everything depends upon execution; having just a vision is no solution.
—Stephen Sondheim (b.1930) American Musician, Composer, Songwriter
I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Great works are done when one is not calculating and thinking.
—D. T. Suzuki (1870–1966) Japanese Buddhist Philosopher
It is much more difficult to measure non-performance than performance. Performance stands out like a ton of diamonds. Non-performance can almost always be explained away.
—Harold S. Geneen (1910–1997) British-American Businessman
Many things difficult in design prove easy in performance.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist