Quotes About Excellence

You do sometimes watch performances and just think, 'I may as well give up. I won't reach that. I may as well give up.' But then there are other actors you watch and just think, 'Oh my God, yes, I want to try and do that. Try and be like that'. And Bryan Cranston is someone who I'd like to try and be like.

Yes, I am the Olympic champion, but this is not the end of it. I want all the gold that there is out there, everything that exists in figure skating. In all events, in all competitions.

At my restaurants, we have training drills before every meal. We talk about what we did yesterday that was great and what we can improve today.

When you're young, you don't really think about what's going on. At least, in my case, I was always so hooked on being so innovative and didn't worry about what happened yesterday. I just wanted to focus on today and make it better. I was like that every day. I just made sure that every night I was at my best, at the best level I could be.

I don't claim to be some Aaron Sorkin expert, but it is like a Camelot. His shows are a place where people are trying to reach their highest potential. And I think we miss that sometimes. If I got a chance to do 'The Newsroom,' I would have done it yesterday.

I really thought to myself, 'If I'm going to do anything in this world, I am going to be the best I can be.' I have a tennis coach that has taken me as far as my body can go. I hired a private skiing coach during my birthday week. I have a private yoga instructor. I just don't understand why you wouldn't give yourself every advantage.

Fage does not make great yogurt.

We have a culture in Freeport, especially in our football department. We feel that we're the best team on Long Island, in New York, hands down.

If you can't make it good, at least make it look good.

There may be people who have more talent than you, but there's no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do - and I believe that.

You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.

I follow three rules: Do the right thing, do the best you can, and always show people you care.

People always tell you, 'Be humble. Be humble.' When was the last time someone told you to be amazing? Be great! Be great! Be awesome! Be awesome!

Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while... you don't do things right once in a while... you do them right all the time. Winning is habit.

Do your job. Do it the best you can. Do it right, because somebody, sometimes your best friend, is waiting for you to screw up so she can take your place.

Whatever you go into, you have to go in there to be the best. There's no formulas. It's all about passion and honesty and hard work. It might look glamorous, but it takes a lot of hard work. The blessing with the arts is that you can do it forever.

There is a downside to affordable technology, and that's mediocrity. I mean, just 'cause you can afford it don't mean you can do it.

Cooking is in an honest profession where you cannot hide and let others do the work for you. You have to show up, work hard and prove you can do it faster and better. And find a mentor who will recognize your talent and push you in the right direction.

My favorite Duke player ever is Steve Wojciechowski. He called me one day congratulating me on my success thus far, and I was like,'I appreciate it, but man, please don't congratulate me. I know when you guys start the season, you're not just trying to be 10-10 or ACC champions, you're trying to win it all.'

I'm just trying to be the best version of Trey Young.

You know, watching Dan Marino and Steve Young get nominated to the Hall of Fame... those guys are unbelievable and they did it for so long. I'd love to play like those guys, but there's still a long way to go and a lot of growing.

My advice to young actors is to push yourself and to aspire to be great.

I think so much of young adult literature sort of gets ghettoized - the title 'young adult' makes people immediately discount it. And just like with books that get written for adults, there is plenty of young adult literature that is bad. But there is also plenty of young adult literature that is brilliant.

I got to experience soccer at the highest level at a young age; I decided I wanted to be part of that for as long as possible.