--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pursue excellence; ignore success." description: "\"Pursue excellence; ignore success.\" — Deepak Chopra" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg" --- # Pursue excellence; ignore success. ![“Pursue excellence; ignore success.” quote by Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg) > “Pursue excellence; ignore success.” [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritize the pursuit of excellence over the pursuit of success. **In simple terms:** Focus on excellence, not success. Key Takeaway Aim for mastery, not accolades. Themes excellence success values Mood inspirational philosophical Type motivational personal When to use this quote - career - sports - artistic pursuits Key Concepts personal development goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What does excellence look like for you? - How do you measure personal growth? A Different Perspective Success can be a fleeting goal without substance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) ## Related quotes > [In a person's career, well, if you're process-oriented and not totally outcome-oriented, then you're more likely to be success. I often say 'pursue excellence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/in-a-person-s-career-well-if-you-re-process-oriented-and-not-totally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Pursue excellence and ignore success. If you are excellent you will be successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/pursue-excellence-and-ignore-success-if-you-are-excellent-you-will-be/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I often say 'pursue excellence, ignore success.' Success is a by-product of excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/i-often-say-pursue-excellence-ignore-success-success-is-a-by-product/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Demand perfection of yourself and you'll seldom attain it. Fear of making a mistake is the biggest single cause of making one. Relax -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-winter/demand-perfection-of-yourself-and-you-ll-seldom-attain-it-fear-of/) Lloyd Winter > [If you focus on success, you’ll have stress. But if you pursue excellence, success will be guaranteed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-focus-on-success-you-ll-have-stress-but-if-you-pursue/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“In order to pursue excellence one must recognize mediocrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffroy-birtz/in-order-to-pursue-excellence-one-must-recognize-mediocrity/) [Geoffroy Birtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffroy-birtz/) > [“Force your kids to pursue success and they shall be drowned into the abyss of characterlessness, but let them pursue excellence and they shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/force-your-kids-to-pursue-success-and-they-shall-be-drowned-into-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [It takes more energy to maintain mediocrity than it takes to pursue excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/it-takes-more-energy-to-maintain-mediocrity-than-it-takes-to-pursue/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [In an ideal world, nobody's work would be just about the money. People could pursue excellence in what they do, take pride in achievement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/in-an-ideal-world-nobody-s-work-would-be-just-about-the-money-people/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [I am trying to pursue excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/i-am-trying-to-pursue-excellence/) [Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/) > [I think sometimes we put too much of a gravity on what it is that we do... I just think you go out into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-drew/i-think-sometimes-we-put-too-much-of-a-gravity-on-what-it-is-that-we/) [Sarah Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-drew/) > [The price that must be paid for mastery is discipline. No one achieves lasting success without it. So from the moment you awake each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-crow/the-price-that-must-be-paid-for-mastery-is-discipline-no-one-achieves/) [Robin Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-crow/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As far as Vern and I go, we have had situations where people have tried to take photographs of me and cut Vernon out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-far-as-vern-and-i-go-we-have-had-situations-where-people-have/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) ## More by Deepak Chopra > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Molecules form and dissolve, returning to the primordial soup of atoms. But consciousness survives the death of the molecules on which it rides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/molecules-form-and-dissolve-returning-to-the-primordial-soup-of-atoms/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Unbounded awareness is the reservoir of possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/unbounded-awareness-is-the-reservoir-of-possibilities/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Spiritual awareness is not only one of the keys to the healing process. Spiritual awareness is the only way that healing can occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/spiritual-awareness-is-not-only-one-of-the-keys-to-the-healing/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [All experiences are either positive for your brain or negative. If you maximize the positive ones, you are shaping the brain you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-experiences-are-either-positive-for-your-brain-or-negative-if-you/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [There are only 2 responses to the world, fear or love. Your life depends on which one you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/there-are-only-2-responses-to-the-world-fear-or-love-your-life/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [A person desperately searching for love," Merlin said, "reminds me of a fish desperately searching for water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/a-person-desperately-searching-for-love-merlin-said-reminds-me-of-a/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Fighting your ego is a melodrama of the ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/fighting-your-ego-is-a-melodrama-of-the-ego/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The same faint song is heard in everything: "Behold yourself".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-same-faint-song-is-heard-in-everything-behold-yourself/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“All creativity is based on quantum leaps and uncertainty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-creativity-is-based-on-quantum-leaps-and-uncertainty/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The soul knows everything. Be who you are and your life will transform forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-soul-knows-everything-be-who-you-are-and-your-life-will-transform/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The willingness to reach inside every part of yourself opens the door to total understanding. You place your entire identity on the line, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-willingness-to-reach-inside-every-part-of-yourself-opens-the-door/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Be willing to redefine yourself every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/be-willing-to-redefine-yourself-every-day/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [To have weakness is not to be flawed--it's to be complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/to-have-weakness-is-not-to-be-flawed-it-s-to-be-complete/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) [Explore all 1,675 Deepak Chopra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## 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": "Pursue excellence; ignore success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deepak Chopra" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/pursue-excellence-ignore-success/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Excellence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/pursue-excellence-ignore-success/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/deepak-chopra-63_excellence_pursue-excellence-ignore-success-1922755_1922755.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pursue excellence; ignore success.” — Deepak Chopra", "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": "Deepak Chopra", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Pursue excellence; ignore success.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/pursue-excellence-ignore-success/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/pursue-excellence-ignore-success/#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 } } ] } ```