--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We spend too much time trying to be…" description: "\"“We spend too much time trying to be “good” when good is often merely average. To be great we must be different. And that doesn’t come from trying to f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/eric-barker-18158_dreams_we-spend-too-much-time-trying-to-be-good_2895239.jpg" --- # We spend too much time trying to be “good” when good is… ![“We spend too much time trying to be “good” when good is often merely average. To be great we must be different. And that doesn’t come from trying to follow society’s vision of what is best, because society doesn’t always know what it needs. More often being the best means just being the best…” quote by Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/eric-barker-18158_dreams_we-spend-too-much-time-trying-to-be-good_2895239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/eric-barker-18158_dreams_we-spend-too-much-time-trying-to-be-good_2895239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ae/eric-barker-18158_dreams_we-spend-too-much-time-trying-to-be-good_2895239.jpg) > ““We spend too much time trying to be “good” when good is often merely average. To be great we must be different. And that doesn’t come from trying to follow society’s vision of what is best, because society doesn’t always know what it needs. More often being the best means just being the best version of you.”” [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Striving for average “goodness” limits greatness; true excellence requires individuality beyond societal norms. **In simple terms:** Being average limits greatness; be unique. Key Takeaway Pursue personal excellence. Themes greatness individuality societal pressure Mood critical motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative projects Key Concepts philosophy personal development Questions to Reflect On - What does “good” mean to you? - How can you balance conformity and uniqueness? A Different Perspective societal expectations can guide safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Education is the best means-probably the only means-by which nations can cultivate a degree of objectivity about each other's behavior and intentions. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/education-is-the-best-means-probably-the-only-means-by-which-nations/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [“What does it mean to be the best? It means you have to be better than the number two guy. But what gratification is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-does-it-mean-to-be-the-best-it-means-you-have-to-be-better-than-2/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Just because youre in a replationship doesnt mean you should stop looking your best, It means you should stop looking FOR the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-dunaway/just-because-youre-in-a-replationship-doesnt-mean-you-should-stop/) Katrina Dunaway > [“If you are bitter, that means they got the best of you. If they got the best of you, that means they won.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/if-you-are-bitter-that-means-they-got-the-best-of-you-if-they-got-the/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [What does it mean to be the best? It means you have to be better than the number two guy. But what gratification is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-does-it-mean-to-be-the-best-it-means-you-have-to-be-better-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loving someone means you only want the best for them even if it means swallowing the sad reality that the best just isnt you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dev/loving-someone-means-you-only-want-the-best-for-them-even-if-it-means-2/) [Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dev/) > [To me, being the best means proving it in different countries and championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/to-me-being-the-best-means-proving-it-in-different-countries-and/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [“Freedom to be your best means nothing unless you are wiling to do your best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/freedom-to-be-your-best-means-nothing-unless-you-are-wiling-to-do/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [“Do your best” means showing up and doing your best without being attached to the outcome. It means reality is not something you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horton/do-your-best-means-showing-up-and-doing-your-best-without-being/) [Tony Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horton/) > [Leaving someone behind means you only want the best for him, even if it means swallowing the sad reality that the best just isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leaving-someone-behind-means-you-only-want-the-best-for-him-even-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Loving someone means you only want the best for them, even if it means swallowing the sad reality that the best just isn't you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/loving-someone-means-you-only-want-the-best-for-them-even-if-it-means/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Doing your best means never stop trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/doing-your-best-means-never-stop-trying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Doing your best means never stop trying. Trying the best way you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-mamerto/doing-your-best-means-never-stop-trying-trying-the-best-way-you-can/) [Edwin Mamerto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-mamerto/) > [Wisdom denotes the pursuing of the best ends by the best means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-hutcheson/wisdom-denotes-the-pursuing-of-the-best-ends-by-the-best-means/) [Francis Hutcheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-hutcheson/) > [“The best means to an end are not always those that appear most direct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/the-best-means-to-an-end-are-not-always-those-that-appear-most-direct/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## More by Eric Barker > [Showing gratitude for the good things you have is the most powerful happiness boosting activity there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/showing-gratitude-for-the-good-things-you-have-is-the-most-powerful/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Dan Ariely did a study in which people were given the opportunity to cheat on a test. (They didn’t know the researchers administering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/dan-ariely-did-a-study-in-which-people-were-given-the-opportunity-to/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Too often we label things “good” or “bad” when the right designation might merely be “different.” The Israeli military needed people who could analyze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/too-often-we-label-things-good-or-bad-when-the-right-designation/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“This leads us to the strengths of being less than confident. Confidence makes it very hard for us to learn and improve. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/this-leads-us-to-the-strengths-of-being-less-than-confident/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“a healthy mind tells itself flattering lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/a-healthy-mind-tells-itself-flattering-lies/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“David Dobbs said in a piece for The Atlantic, “the very genes that give us the most trouble as a species, causing behaviors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/david-dobbs-said-in-a-piece-for-the-atlantic-the-very-genes-that-give/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“But as any mathematician knows, averages can be deceptive. Andrew Robinson, CEO of famed advertising agency BBDO, once said, “When your head is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/but-as-any-mathematician-knows-averages-can-be-deceptive-andrew/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Decide when you want to leave work and you’ll know how many hours you have. Slot in what you need to get done by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/decide-when-you-want-to-leave-work-and-you-ll-know-how-many-hours-you/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [We all only have 1440 minutes a day. Accept you can't do it all, focus on what's important and do that well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/we-all-only-have-1440-minutes-a-day-accept-you-can-t-do-it-all-focus/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Anyone who knows baseball knows Ted Williams. He played professionally from 1939 to 1960 and is one of the undisputed greatest hitters of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/anyone-who-knows-baseball-knows-ted-williams-he-played-professionally/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“1.​HAPPINESS: having feelings of pleasure or contentment in and about your life 2.​ACHIEVEMENT: achieving accomplishments that compare favorably against similar goals others have strived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/1-happiness-having-feelings-of-pleasure-or-contentment-in-and-about/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Without a plan, we do what’s passive and easy—not what is really fulfilling. Robert Epstein surveyed thirty thousand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/without-a-plan-we-do-what-s-passive-and-easy-not-what-is-really/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [The first step is crucial - keep it tiny. Do not be ambitious yet. That leads to failure. Consistency is what you’re shooting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/the-first-step-is-crucial-keep-it-tiny-do-not-be-ambitious-yet-that/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Mentoring a young person is four times more predictive of happiness than your health or how much money you make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/mentoring-a-young-person-is-four-times-more-predictive-of-happiness/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) > [“Oh, the irony. Cognitive biases prevent us from understanding cognitive biases.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-barker/oh-the-irony-cognitive-biases-prevent-us-from-understanding-cognitive/) [Eric Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) [Explore all 34 Eric Barker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-barker/) ## More Dreams quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [“Now you’re wet. You’re so wet you’re leaking down your ass. You’re soaking my pillow. I don’t think I’m ever washing it. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-stoker/now-you-re-wet-you-re-so-wet-you-re-leaking-down-your-ass-you-re/) [Susan Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-stoker/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 40,599 Dreams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We spend too much time trying to be “good” when good is often merely average. To be great we must be different. And that doesn’t come from trying to follow society’s vision of what is best, because society doesn’t always know what it needs. 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