I think that Tupac was the trendsetter, the high mark. What we hope his music will continue to do is to at least encourage people away from mediocrity, because he was not a mediocre artist. When he was alive, people competed. There was a lot of competition, and a lot of the artists were better for it.
Afeni Shakur
We have these ambitions that are very hard to accomplish because life puts us in our place. We have this battle with mediocrity.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Go for the gold: better one great column and some undistinguished ones than constant mediocrity.
Allan Sloan
If we have given everything we can, you are not settling for mediocrity because the better team won. Sometimes you have to have that mindset to be able to improve rather than keep telling yourself you should have won.
Alun Wyn Jones
Perseverance - a lowly virtue whereby mediocrity achieves an inglorious success.
Ambrose Bierce
People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.
Andrew Carnegie
The world doesn't need any more mediocrity or hedged bets.
Anne Rice
Literature is air, and I'm suffocating in mediocrity.
Armand Assante
Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Private-equity and hedge-fund guys typically come into a situation of mediocrity, where rapid change may result in a profit.
Austin Ligon
I want to add something worthwhile rather than just chucking loads of stuff into the world. I don't want to feel responsible for adding to the soup of mediocrity.
Bat for Lashes
There's so much in the 21st century that is stymied by bureaucracy and mediocrity and committee.
Benedict Cumberbatch
Mediocrity can talk, but it is for genius to observe.
Benjamin Disraeli
In any area of human endeavour, there is going to be mediocrity. You're going to find people who get money that they shouldn't get.
Bill Bryson
Nothing is as approved as mediocrity, the majority has established it and it fixes its fangs on whatever gets beyond it either way.
Blaise Pascal
It's easy to deprecate some of the puffery and jingoism that often go with affirmations of 'American greatness.' It's also easy to confuse greatness with perfection, as if evidence of our shortcomings is proof of our mediocrity.
Bret Stephens
Any corporate policy and plan which is typical of the industry is doomed to mediocrity. Where this is not so, it should be possible to demonstrate that all other competitors are at a distinct disadvantage.
Bruce Henderson
A talent somewhat above mediocrity, shrewd and not too sensitive, is more likely to rise in the world than genius.
Charles Horton Cooley
We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself.
Charles Lamb
By and large, talent is in such short supply that mediocrity can be taken for brilliance rather more than genius can go undiscovered.
Charles Saatchi
Mediocrity scares me. It's the fear of not being as good as you want to be. If you give over to that fear, it will sabotage you. As much as I can, I try to use that fear to guide me.
Would it be preferable to argue for a fairer system whereby the unremarkable should be considered leadership material? With such an attitude, can we wonder why mediocrity is now a mark of Labour's hierarchy?
I try to keep an open mind but I'm so tired of the mediocrity.
To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced.
Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.
A strong accountability system needs to broaden, not narrow, the curriculum. That cannot happen if you only have accountability without adequate school funding. Until Tallahassee understands the need to raise the bar as well as the financial investment, Florida will continue to celebrate mediocrity at the expense of true achievement.
Even if feminists tear down the bogeyman patriarchy and dominate men in all areas of life, they still won't be happy because deep down, they'll know it's a false victory. Achievement obtained by lowering your opponent to your standard as opposing to rising and surpassing their standard of output isn't achievement. It's mediocrity.
Fame can take interesting men and thrust mediocrity upon them.
I am uncompromising to the point of huge dissension in the studio. And it's served me very well. My theory and my philosophy is, 'Compromise breeds mediocrity.' Obviously, you have to pick your battles, and the more success an artist has, the more they want to be involved in their own career, which is not necessarily a good thing.
I think we live in an age of increasing mediocrity.
I have a problem with honoring mediocrity in so many cases over teams that have great years.
Things can change only through strong personalities. I am not very good at supporting ignorance and mediocrity, so maybe this leads to arrogant gestures and arrogant responses. So, nobody's perfect.
One of Pixar's key mechanisms is the Braintrust, which we rely on to push us toward excellence and to root out mediocrity. It is our primary delivery system for straight talk.
Our country is slowly but surely moving - and I've seen it over and over again in many instances in government - toward a culture of mediocrity.
Anyone could be in the orchestra, or sports team, or arts club at my school. It was precisely the kind of inclusivity that now meets with a sort of scorn and derision as a prizes-for-all culture that generates only mediocrity. There's something so insulting about the idea that including lots of people means mediocrity.
Mediocrity would always win by force of numbers, but it would win only more mediocrity.
The real Antichrist is he who turns the wine of an original idea into the water of mediocrity.
I sometimes make pictures which are not up to my standard, but then it can only be said of a mediocrity that all his work is up to his standard.
Excellence is the accumulation of hundreds of minute decisions; it is execution at the most granular level. Once you accept the idea that you should give in to things that make no sense because other people do those things and you want to appear reasonable, you are on a path towards mediocrity.
If there is one thing that the women and men of the late 20th century who have an awareness and enjoyment of history can be sure of, it is that Islam was not sent from Heaven to foster egotism and mediocrity.
Mechanization best serves mediocrity.
Radio is a bag of mediocrity where little men with carbon minds wallow in sluice of their own making.
Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius.
I truthfully think, a consistent coach over 30 years, probably, I'd rather be that than having one championship and mediocrity for years.
Politicians fascinate because they constitute such a paradox; they are an elite that accomplishes mediocrity for the public good.
Anyone in the humor business isn't thinking clearly if he doesn't surround himself with idea people. Otherwise, you settle for mediocrity - or you burn yourself out.
Mediocrity in politics is not to be despised. Greatness is not needed.
One would like to be grand and heroic, if one could; but if not, why try at all? One wants to be very something, very great, very heroic; or if not that, then at least very stylish and very fashionable. It is this everlasting mediocrity that bores me.
Good behavior is the last refuge of mediocrity.
Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence in the children of any other land.
