---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Always to be best, and distinguished…"
description: "\"Always to be best, and distinguished above the rest.\" — Homer"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png"
---

#  Always to be best, and distinguished above the rest.

![“Always to be best, and distinguished above the rest.” quote by Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png)

> “Always to be best, and distinguished above the rest.”

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

## 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 excellence and distinction sets one apart from peers.

**In simple terms:** Aim to be the best and stand out.

Key Takeaway

Pursue excellence and differentiate yourself.

Themes

achievement competition excellence

Mood

inspirational determined

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- sports
- artistic creation
- leadership
- personal branding

Key Concepts

heroism legacy recognition

Questions to Reflect On

- What does being distinguished mean to you?
- How can you balance humility with ambition?

A Different Perspective

Excessive focus on being superior can breed rivalry and stress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Distinguished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-distinguished-1432936/) [Distinguished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguished/) [Distinguished Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguished-rest-1432937/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/)

## Related quotes

> [Always to be best, and to be distinguished above the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-iliad/always-to-be-best-and-to-be-distinguished-above-the-rest/)

[The Iliad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-iliad/)

> [Give it your best, you don't have to be like the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/god/give-it-your-best-you-don-t-have-to-be-like-the-rest/)

[God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/god/)

> [“Better to lose a little rest now than a great of deal of it later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hopson/better-to-lose-a-little-rest-now-than-a-great-of-deal-of-it-later/)

[Justin Hopson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hopson/)

> [How sleep the brave, who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-collins/how-sleep-the-brave-who-sink-to-rest-by-all-their-country-s-wishes/)

[William Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-collins/)

> [Rest strengthens the body, the mind too is thus supported; but unremitting toil destroys both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/rest-strengthens-the-body-the-mind-too-is-thus-supported-but/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [“O God, who is ever at work and ever at rest. May I be ever at work and ever at rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/o-god-who-is-ever-at-work-and-ever-at-rest-may-i-be-ever-at-work-and/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [If I rest, if I think inward, I go mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/if-i-rest-if-i-think-inward-i-go-mad/)

[Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/)

> [If you have to, take a break, go to your corner, get some sleep, but don't ever give up. You will get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-cunningham/if-you-have-to-take-a-break-go-to-your-corner-get-some-sleep-but-don/)

[Colin Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-cunningham/)

> [In work we act under the predominant motive of external, rational necessities; in pleasure, under the predominant motive of other, equally general necessities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolay-chernyshevsky/in-work-we-act-under-the-predominant-motive-of-external-rational/)

[Nikolay Chernyshevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolay-chernyshevsky/)

> [“My parents took us to dinner but we came back early. Tomorrow was to be a day of days and we must get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-otis-skinner/my-parents-took-us-to-dinner-but-we-came-back-early-tomorrow-was-to/)

[Cornelia Otis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-otis-skinner/)

> [“I am at rest and remaining.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-am-at-rest-and-remaining/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [For me being depressed means you can spend all day in bed, and still not get a good night's rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/for-me-being-depressed-means-you-can-spend-all-day-in-bed-and-still/)

[Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/)

> [“I have this halfway place, a rest stop on the road to sleep, where I can stay for hours. I don't even need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-have-this-halfway-place-a-rest-stop-on-the-road-to-sleep-where-i/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [And the rest is rust and stardust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-the-rest-is-rust-and-stardust/)

[Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/)

## More by Homer

> [He knew the things that were and the things that would be and the things that had been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/he-knew-the-things-that-were-and-the-things-that-would-be-and-the/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [“Few sons are like their fathers--most are worse, few better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/few-sons-are-like-their-fathers-most-are-worse-few-better/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [“Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/sing-in-me-muse-and-through-me-tell-the-story-of-that-man-skilled-in/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Hateful to me as are the gates of hell, Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart, Utters another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/hateful-to-me-as-are-the-gates-of-hell-is-he-who-hiding-one-thing-in/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [“And Zeus said: “Hera, you can choose some other time for paying your visit to Oceanus — for the present let us devote ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/and-zeus-said-hera-you-can-choose-some-other-time-for-paying-your/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all, that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers, never touching the earth, gliding over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ruin-eldest-daughter-of-zeus-she-blinds-us-all-that-fatal-madness-she/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [“Scepticism is as much the result of knowledge, as knowledge is of scepticism. To be content with what we at present know, is, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/scepticism-is-as-much-the-result-of-knowledge-as-knowledge-is-of/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Boy, everyone is stupid except me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/boy-everyone-is-stupid-except-me/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [“With that the dream departed, leaving him there, his heart racing with hopes that would not come to pass. He thought he would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/with-that-the-dream-departed-leaving-him-there-his-heart-racing-with/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/tell-me-o-muse-of-that-ingenious-hero-who-travelled-far-and-wide/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Ah, beer, my one weakness. My Achille's heel, if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ah-beer-my-one-weakness-my-achille-s-heel-if-you-will/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [My life is more to me than all the wealth of Ilius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/my-life-is-more-to-me-than-all-the-wealth-of-ilius/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Being popular is the most important thing in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/being-popular-is-the-most-important-thing-in-the-world/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [Urge him with truth to frame his fair replies And sure he will for Wisdom never lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/urge-him-with-truth-to-frame-his-fair-replies-and-sure-he-will-for/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

[Explore all 639 Homer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

## More Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

[Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Always to be best, and distinguished above the rest.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Homer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-above-the-rest/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-above-the-rest/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ba/homer-357_best_always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-abov_627863.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Always to be best, and distinguished above the rest.” — Homer",
                "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": "Homer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Always to be best, and distinguished...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-above-the-rest/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/always-to-be-best-and-distinguished-above-the-rest/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
