--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my work I think what drives me is…" description: "\"In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a chronically unsatisfied guy.\" — Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg" --- # In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a… ![“In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a chronically unsatisfied guy.” quote by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg) > “In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a chronically unsatisfied guy.” [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfection drives relentless self‑criticism, leading to chronic dissatisfaction. **In simple terms:** Perfection fuels endless dissatisfaction. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection to find peace. Themes self‑criticism perfectionism motivation Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - creative work - personal growth - career planning Key Concepts psychology self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance high standards with self‑compassion? - What small imperfection can you celebrate today? A Different Perspective Perfection can stifle creativity and cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) > [Both the artist and the lover know that perfection is not loveable. It is the clumsiness of a fault that makes a person lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/both-the-artist-and-the-lover-know-that-perfection-is-not-loveable-it/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Perfectionism is the death of a great room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mcdonald/perfectionism-is-the-death-of-a-great-room/) Anne McDonald > [To take no account of oneself, but always to think well and highly of others is the highest wisdom and perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/to-take-no-account-of-oneself-but-always-to-think-well-and-highly-of/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Imperfection is beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby/imperfection-is-beautiful/) [Shelby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby/) > [Perfection is no more a requisite to art than to heroes. Frigidaires are perfect. Beauty limps. My frigidaire has had to be replaced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/perfection-is-no-more-a-requisite-to-art-than-to-heroes-frigidaires/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [Were I to await perfection, my book would never be finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/were-i-to-await-perfection-my-book-would-never-be-finished/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I find beauty in imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-find-beauty-in-imperfection/) [Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/) > [The perfection in theater is that it's over the second it's done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/the-perfection-in-theater-is-that-it-s-over-the-second-it-s-done/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [“Seek excellence not perfection, that alone is a perfect choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/seek-excellence-not-perfection-that-alone-is-a-perfect-choice/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [Happiness consists in always aspiring perfection, the pause in any level in perfection is the pause of happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-consists-in-always-aspiring-perfection-the-pause-in-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is too short to look for perfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-geissinger/life-is-too-short-to-look-for-perfection/) [J.T. Geissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-geissinger/) > [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [Intuitionism is not constructive, perfectionism is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/intuitionism-is-not-constructive-perfectionism-is-unacceptable/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) ## More by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I think the most experimental way to a film is to tell the story the traditional way, because everyone is doing the other thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-the-most-experimental-way-to-a-film-is-to-tell-the-story-the/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [Time starts out as a notion. But after you turn fifty, time is not a notion anymore but a fact that you start feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/time-starts-out-as-a-notion-but-after-you-turn-fifty-time-is-not-a/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I think bad movies are made around the world, not just in Hollywood. There are as many bad art films in the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-bad-movies-are-made-around-the-world-not-just-in-hollywood/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [ How can \[actors\] learn their lines and be honest in front of 30 people and all the lights? It makes me cry sometimes. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/how-can-actors-learn-their-lines-and-be-honest-in-front-of-30-people/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I love the three-act theory. It works and works beautifully. But you don't necessarily have to structure a story that way: Cortazar and Borges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-love-the-three-act-theory-it-works-and-works-beautifully-but-you/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [3D is the way we experience life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/3d-is-the-way-we-experience-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I made commercials for corporations like Volkswagen and Coca-Cola, but I was always the one to write them, too, which was a very good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-made-commercials-for-corporations-like-volkswagen-and-coca-cola-but/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I like to make films, but the only reason I do is because I'm a very bad musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-like-to-make-films-but-the-only-reason-i-do-is-because-i-m-a-very/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [It's very healthy to be aware of your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/it-s-very-healthy-to-be-aware-of-your-ego/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I personally can't handle frivolous violence. I overreact to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-personally-can-t-handle-frivolous-violence-i-overreact-to-it/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [ I saw what I could \[in Mexico City\], but we rarely got anything other than big, mainstream American films. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-saw-what-i-could-in-mexico-city-but-we-rarely-got-anything-other/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [For the actors, the talent is to serve the demands that I ask of them, to do it with naturality and truth, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/for-the-actors-the-talent-is-to-serve-the-demands-that-i-ask-of-them/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) [Explore all 262 Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## More Excellence quotes > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) > [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [You learn a lot from quality players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/you-learn-a-lot-from-quality-players/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [“Anytime I see a rainbow, what comes into my mind is how skillful and talented someone was to create an ark that didn't leak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/anytime-i-see-a-rainbow-what-comes-into-my-mind-is-how-skillful-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [We may be masters of our every lot By bearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/we-may-be-masters-of-our-every-lot-by-bearing-it/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-cannot-all-be-masters-nor-all-masters-cannot-be-truly-followed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/) Philip Selznick > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Browse all 4,187 Excellence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a chronically unsatisfied guy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-perfection-i-m-a-chronically/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excellence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-perfection-i-m-a-chronically/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_excellence_in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-per_2924049.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a chronically unsatisfied guy.” — Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In my work I think what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-perfection-i-m-a-chronically/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/in-my-work-i-think-what-drives-me-is-perfection-i-m-a-chronically/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```