--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfection cannot be achieved by men,\" he…" description: "\"“Perfection cannot be achieved by men,\" he told me. \"Our highest calling is the pursuit of perfection. My haiku will be finished when I die, but it wil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/andrew-vachss-8127_excellence_perfection-cannot-be-achieved-by-men-he_1242527.png" --- # Perfection cannot be achieved by men," he told me. "Our… ![“Perfection cannot be achieved by men," he told me. "Our highest calling is the pursuit of perfection. My haiku will be finished when I die, but it will never be perfect.” quote by Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/andrew-vachss-8127_excellence_perfection-cannot-be-achieved-by-men-he_1242527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/andrew-vachss-8127_excellence_perfection-cannot-be-achieved-by-men-he_1242527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/138/andrew-vachss-8127_excellence_perfection-cannot-be-achieved-by-men-he_1242527.png) > ““Perfection cannot be achieved by men," he told me. "Our highest calling is the pursuit of perfection. My haiku will be finished when I die, but it will never be perfect.”” [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfection is unattainable; the pursuit drives us, even if the work never reaches flawlessness. **In simple terms:** Perfection can't be achieved, but striving matters. Key Takeaway Embrace the journey toward improvement. Themes imperfection pursuit humility Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - writing drafts - artistic practice - personal goal setting Key Concepts existentialism creative process self‑acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What does “good enough” look like for you? - How do you measure progress without perfection? A Different Perspective Obsessive striving may cause burnout; acceptance of imperfection is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieved Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieved-men-867917/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Haiku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haiku/) [Haiku Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/haiku-finished-3884928/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Haiku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-haiku-3884927/) [Pursuit Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-perfection-267479/) ## Related quotes > [In popular government results worth while can only be achieved by men who combine worthy ideals with practical good sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/in-popular-government-results-worth-while-can-only-be-achieved-by-men/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The purest evil that human efforts could attain, in other words, was probably achieved by those men who made their wills the same and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/the-purest-evil-that-human-efforts-could-attain-in-other-words-was/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [There can be no conquest to the man who dwells in the narrow and small environment of a groveling life, and there can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henson/there-can-be-no-conquest-to-the-man-who-dwells-in-the-narrow-and/) [Matthew Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henson/) > [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/) > [The pursuit of perfection often impedes improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-pursuit-of-perfection-often-impedes-improvement/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [“Let people be the pursuits of happiness, you be the pursuit of perfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/let-people-be-the-pursuits-of-happiness-you-be-the-pursuit-of/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [A line I like to use is, "Every day is training. Every day of life is a pursuit of perfection."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-horton/a-line-i-like-to-use-is-every-day-is-training-every-day-of-life-is-a/) [Jonathan Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-horton/) > [“There is no limit to how good you can get in pursuit of perfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachin-kumar-puli/there-is-no-limit-to-how-good-you-can-get-in-pursuit-of-perfection/) [Sachin Kumar Puli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachin-kumar-puli/) > [Each F1 team has its own personality, but the thing that bonds all teams is the relentless pursuit of perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coulthard/each-f1-team-has-its-own-personality-but-the-thing-that-bonds-all/) [David Coulthard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coulthard/) > [Nothing is perfect except, perhaps a circle. 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It's maybe held me back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-o-sullivan/the-relentless-pursuit-of-perfection-has-been-my-problem-over-the/) [Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-o-sullivan/) > [The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-bliss/the-pursuit-of-excellence-is-gratifying-and-healthy-the-pursuit-of/) [Ed Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-bliss/) > [The pursuit of perfection always implies a definite aristocracy, which is as much a goal of effort as a noble philosophy, an august civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-adams-cram/the-pursuit-of-perfection-always-implies-a-definite-aristocracy-which/) [Ralph Adams Cram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-adams-cram/) ## More by Andrew Vachss > [Max Allan Collins blends fact and fiction like no other writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/max-allan-collins-blends-fact-and-fiction-like-no-other-writer/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [People are pushing against the fabric of society all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/people-are-pushing-against-the-fabric-of-society-all-the-time/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [“He had the radio turned to some Spanish-language station at a volume that reminded me of the holding tank at Riker's Island - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/he-had-the-radio-turned-to-some-spanish-language-station-at-a-volume/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [Stealing to eat ain’t criminal—stealing to be rich is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/stealing-to-eat-ain-t-criminal-stealing-to-be-rich-is/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [I believe my publisher has shown a great deal of faith in me over a lot of years but I'm not prepared to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/i-believe-my-publisher-has-shown-a-great-deal-of-faith-in-me-over-a/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [When you hunt predators, the best camouflage is weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/when-you-hunt-predators-the-best-camouflage-is-weakness/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [The idea that you're not a writer until you're published is a lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/the-idea-that-you-re-not-a-writer-until-you-re-published-is-a-lie/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [A free press doesn't mean it's not a tame press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/a-free-press-doesn-t-mean-it-s-not-a-tame-press/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [“the ferret, hunting, eyes on the ground, never hears footsteps of the hawk”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/the-ferret-hunting-eyes-on-the-ground-never-hears-footsteps-of-the/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [My stuff isn't for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/my-stuff-isn-t-for-everyone/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [He said when the Lord made people He made them all the same for starters. 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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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "“Perfection cannot be achieved by men,\" he told me. \"Our highest calling is the pursuit of perfection. 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