--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In an imperfect world perfection is not…" description: "\"In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly available. Railroad safety, for instance, cannot be secured by mechanical devices alone. It is primar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png" --- # In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly… ![“In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly available. Railroad safety, for instance, cannot be secured by mechanical devices alone. It is primarily a resultant of care and discipline.” quote by Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png) > “In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly available. Railroad safety, for instance, cannot be secured by mechanical devices alone. It is primarily a resultant of care and discipline.” [Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Safety depends more on disciplined care than on technology alone; human responsibility is essential. **In simple terms:** Discipline and care matter more than machines for safety. Key Takeaway Prioritize human vigilance in safety protocols. Themes safety discipline human factors engineering responsibility Mood cautious responsible pragmatic Type instructional professional When to use this quote - factory inspections - railroad operations - hospital safety audits - software development Key Concepts systems thinking risk management human error mitigation Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance tech and human responsibility? - What training reinforces safety culture? A Different Perspective Technology can reduce but never replace human oversight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aviation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aviation/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Imperfect world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfect-world/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Railroads](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/railroads/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Our society’s love affair with mechanical devices that respond at a button-touch ill prepares us to deal with the unruly organic mind that dwells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lewis/our-society-s-love-affair-with-mechanical-devices-that-respond-at-a/) [Thomas Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lewis/) > [We must recognize that we are living in an imperfect world in which human and superhuman forces of evil are at work and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/we-must-recognize-that-we-are-living-in-an-imperfect-world-in-which/) [Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/) > [Perfectionism is a dangerous state of mind in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hillyer/perfectionism-is-a-dangerous-state-of-mind-in-an-imperfect-world/) Robert Hillyer > [It's a journalist's job to be a witness to history. We're not there to worry about ourselves. We're there to try and get as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/it-s-a-journalist-s-job-to-be-a-witness-to-history-we-re-not-there-to/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Perfect solutions of our difficulties are not to be looked for in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/perfect-solutions-of-our-difficulties-are-not-to-be-looked-for-in-an/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Maturity is the ability to joyfully live in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/maturity-is-the-ability-to-joyfully-live-in-an-imperfect-world/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [The pacifist streak in German politics is a problem. But Greens and Social Democrats have to ask themselves: In an imperfect world, what do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-glees/the-pacifist-streak-in-german-politics-is-a-problem-but-greens-and/) [Anthony Glees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-glees/) > [In a musically imperfect world, there is still perfection in the voice of Barbara Cook. For anyone eulogizing the historic scores of a long-lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-reed/in-a-musically-imperfect-world-there-is-still-perfection-in-the-voice/) [Rex Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-reed/) > [I've often wondered about the shyness of some of us in the West about standing for these ideals that have done so much to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-often-wondered-about-the-shyness-of-some-of-us-in-the-west-about/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Too much trust is folly, in an imperfect world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellis-peters/too-much-trust-is-folly-in-an-imperfect-world/) [Ellis Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellis-peters/) > [Often I have heard the taunt that suffragists are women who have failed to find any normal outlet for their emotions, and are therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmeline-pankhurst/often-i-have-heard-the-taunt-that-suffragists-are-women-who-have/) [Emmeline Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmeline-pankhurst/) > [We are imperfect beings in a very imperfect world, and the one thing we can count on is that things will go wrong, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-parsons/we-are-imperfect-beings-in-a-very-imperfect-world-and-the-one-thing/) [Bob Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-parsons/) > [Perfectionism is a dangerous state of mind in an imperfect world. The best way is to forget doubts and set about the task in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hillyer/perfectionism-is-a-dangerous-state-of-mind-in-an-imperfect-world-the/) Robert Hillyer > [Artists live in an imperfect world where affairs of the heart must sometimes be compromised with business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/artists-live-in-an-imperfect-world-where-affairs-of-the-heart-must/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [We're imperfect people trapped in an imperfect world until we get to that place beyond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathie-lee-gifford/we-re-imperfect-people-trapped-in-an-imperfect-world-until-we-get-to/) [Kathie Lee Gifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathie-lee-gifford/) ## More by Ivy Lee > [Write down the most important things you have to do tomorrow. Now, number them in the order of their true importance. The first thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/write-down-the-most-important-things-you-have-to-do-tomorrow-now/) [Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/) > [Don't worry if you don't complete everything on the schedule. At least you will have completed the most important projects before getting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/don-t-worry-if-you-don-t-complete-everything-on-the-schedule-at-least/) [Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/) > [Write down the most important things you have to do tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/write-down-the-most-important-things-you-have-to-do-tomorrow/) [Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/) > [Tell the truth, because sooner or later the public will find out anyway. And if the public doesn't like what you are doing, change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/tell-the-truth-because-sooner-or-later-the-public-will-find-out/) [Ivy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/) [Explore all 5 Ivy Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/) ## More A perfect world quotes > [Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/even-in-a-perfect-world-where-everyone-was-equal-i-d-still-own-the/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [So that's one of the reasons why we took time between the last one and this one, was to make sure that we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burk/so-that-s-one-of-the-reasons-why-we-took-time-between-the-last-one/) [Bryan Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burk/) > [I think every musician is different, every artist is different, and in a perfect world people would be able to pursue their own path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/i-think-every-musician-is-different-every-artist-is-different-and-in/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [In a perfect world we don't want to be overly dependent on any single asset or be so dependent on the cycle or where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/in-a-perfect-world-we-don-t-want-to-be-overly-dependent-on-any-single/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [The world can be better if there's love, tolerance and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-sendler/the-world-can-be-better-if-there-s-love-tolerance-and-humility/) [Irena Sendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-sendler/) > [In a perfect world, my tennis game gets better. I have kids and a beautiful wife and live on some hill somewhere that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-perry/in-a-perfect-world-my-tennis-game-gets-better-i-have-kids-and-a/) [Matthew Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-perry/) > [Anything and everything at any given time is sort of the point I think. We're dealing in real situations and that's why we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/anything-and-everything-at-any-given-time-is-sort-of-the-point-i/) [Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/) > [I'm friends with everybody, I love everybody. I trust everybody because they don't give me reasons not to you know what I'm saying? So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christofer-drew/i-m-friends-with-everybody-i-love-everybody-i-trust-everybody-because/) [Christofer Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christofer-drew/) > [In a perfect world, I could be doing some bigger films and balance that with some independent films because they seem to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/in-a-perfect-world-i-could-be-doing-some-bigger-films-and-balance/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [Nothing has to be changed, because all is beautiful - that is enlightenment. All is as it should be, everything is perfect. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/nothing-has-to-be-changed-because-all-is-beautiful-that-is/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/inside-the-snow-globe-on-my-father-s-desk-there-was-a-penguin-wearing/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [Our lives are marked and shaped by our regrets. Things we all want to take back and can’t. In a perfect world, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/our-lives-are-marked-and-shaped-by-our-regrets-things-we-all-want-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Zackary Connor's office building was made of glass, endless windows giving the impression of being outside. It was exactly how I liked nature--air conditioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hanson/zackary-connor-s-office-building-was-made-of-glass-endless-windows/) [Caroline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hanson/) > [In a perfect world, everybody would be gay. I mean if everybody looked like Zach Braff, you just wouldn't be able to resist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/in-a-perfect-world-everybody-would-be-gay-i-mean-if-everybody-looked/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [ In a perfect world, I don't think it \[one's sexual orientation\] is anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/in-a-perfect-world-i-don-t-think-it-one-s-sexual-orientation-is/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) Browse all 122 A perfect world quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly available. Railroad safety, for instance, cannot be secured by mechanical devices alone. It is primarily a resultant of care and discipline.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ivy Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not-instantly-available-railroad/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "A perfect world" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not-instantly-available-railroad/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/ivy-lee-63239_a-perfect-world_in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not_1020993.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In an imperfect world perfection is not instantly available. Railroad safety, for instance, cannot be…” — Ivy Lee", "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": "Ivy Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In an imperfect world perfection is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not-instantly-available-railroad/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-lee/in-an-imperfect-world-perfection-is-not-instantly-available-railroad/#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 } } ] } ```