Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

Be present in all things and thankful for all things.

Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible. The kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

To criticize is to appreciate, to appropriate, to take intellectual possession, to establish in fine a relation with the criticized thing and to make it one's own.

When you don't come from struggle, gaining appreciation is a quality that's difficult to come by.

A human being has a natural desire to have more of a good thing than they need.

I am not remotely interested in just being good.

Badness you can get easily, in quantity: the road is smooth, and it lies close by. But in front of excellence the immortal gods have put sweat, and long and steep is the way to it, and rough at first. But when you come to the top, then it is easy, even though it is hard.

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

How excellent is thy name in all the earth.

Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal—a commitment to excellence—that will enable you to attain the success you seek.

Real excellence does not come cheaply. A certain price must be paid in terms of practice, patience, and persistence—natural ability notwithstanding.

If happiness is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest excellence.

Excellence is not a gift, but a skill that takes practice. We do not act ‘rightly’ because we are ‘excellent’, in fact we achieve ‘excellence’ by acting ‘rightly’.

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential…these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.