--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good is the enemy of great. That's why so…" description: "\"Good is the enemy of great. That's why so few things become great.\" — James C. Collins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/james-c-collins-2276_enemy_good-is-the-enemy-of-great-that-s-why-so_3152310.png" --- # Good is the enemy of great. That's why so few things… ![“Good is the enemy of great. That's why so few things become great.” quote by James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/james-c-collins-2276_enemy_good-is-the-enemy-of-great-that-s-why-so_3152310.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/james-c-collins-2276_enemy_good-is-the-enemy-of-great-that-s-why-so_3152310.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5f/james-c-collins-2276_enemy_good-is-the-enemy-of-great-that-s-why-so_3152310.png) > “Good is the enemy of great. That's why so few things become great.” [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Settling for good prevents the pursuit of greatness, so most endeavors never reach their full potential. **In simple terms:** Goodness can block greatness. Key Takeaway Strive beyond adequacy. Themes excellence ambition performance Mood motivational challenging Type inspirational strategic When to use this quote - business strategy - personal goals - team projects Key Concepts leadership organizational behavior self‑improvement Questions to Reflect On - What does greatness mean to you? - When is good enough? A Different Perspective Good may be sufficient in certain contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-great-1414342/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enemy/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Things Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-great/) ## Related quotes > [“Good is the enemy of great. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/good-is-the-enemy-of-great-and/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [That good is the enemy of great is not just a business problem. It is a human problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/that-good-is-the-enemy-of-great-is-not-just-a-business-problem-it-is/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Good is the enemy of great. And that's one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/good-is-the-enemy-of-great-and-that-s-one-of-the-key-reasons-why-we/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Go from good to great because good is the enemy of great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/go-from-good-to-great-because-good-is-the-enemy-of-great/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Good is the enemy of great!! Strive for excellence! You will stand head and shoulders above your other peers!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-is-the-enemy-of-great-strive-for-excellence-you-will-stand-head/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Good is the enemy to Great.”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-kennard/good-is-the-enemy-to-great/) [Aaron Kennard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-kennard/) > [Good is the enemy of great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-is-the-enemy-of-great/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Good can be the enemy of great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/good-can-be-the-enemy-of-great/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [Good is the enemy of great.. The vast majority of good companies remain just that - good, but not great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/good-is-the-enemy-of-great-the-vast-majority-of-good-companies-remain/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“A good enemy can be better than the best of friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/a-good-enemy-can-be-better-than-the-best-of-friend/) [Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/) > [We can not do great things we can only do little things with great love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/komal/we-can-not-do-great-things-we-can-only-do-little-things-with-great/) [Komal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/komal/) > [“People do not become great by doing great things. They do great things because they are great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/people-do-not-become-great-by-doing-great-things-they-do-great-things/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [We are living at an extraordinary time in human history. And for many of us things are great. Things are great for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-are-living-at-an-extraordinary-time-in-human-history-and-for-many/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If you can't do great things, do small things in great way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-can-t-do-great-things-do-small-things-in-great-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the end things must be as they are and have always been--the great things remain for the great, the abysses for the profound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-the-end-things-must-be-as-they-are-and-have-always-been-the-great/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by James C. Collins > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“This might not sound very exciting (inventory management is not something that tends to rivet readers), but think of it this way: Imagine walking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/this-might-not-sound-very-exciting-inventory-management-is-not/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Merck • Corporate social responsibility • Unequivocal excellence in all aspects of the company • Science-based innovation • Honesty and integrity • Profit, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/merck-corporate-social-responsibility-unequivocal-excellence-in-all/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Greatest danger is not failure, but be successful and not know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/greatest-danger-is-not-failure-but-be-successful-and-not-know-why/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“If you have the right people on the bus, they will be self-motivated. The real question then becomes: How do you manage in such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/if-you-have-the-right-people-on-the-bus-they-will-be-self-motivated/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“2. Core purpose is an organization’s most fundamental reason for being. It should not be confused with the company’s current product lines or customer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/2-core-purpose-is-an-organization-s-most-fundamental-reason-for-being/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The drive for progress doesn't wait for the external world to say "It's time to change."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/the-drive-for-progress-doesn-t-wait-for-the-external-world-to-say-it/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The secret to a successful retirement is to find your retirement sweet spot. The sweet spot is where your passions, what you do best,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/the-secret-to-a-successful-retirement-is-to-find-your-retirement/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Managing your problems can only make you good, whereas building your opportunities is the only way to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/managing-your-problems-can-only-make-you-good-whereas-building-your/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Creative leadership impact increases in your 50's. When I turn 50 I want to say, "Nice start!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/creative-leadership-impact-increases-in-your-50-s-when-i-turn-50-i/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“The fact that something is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” is irrelevant, unless it fits within the three circles. A great company will have many once-in-a-lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/the-fact-that-something-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-is/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Don't take care of your career. Take care of your people. They will take care of your career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/don-t-take-care-of-your-career-take-care-of-your-people-they-will/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Indeed, the real question is not, "Why greatness?" but "What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?" if you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/indeed-the-real-question-is-not-why-greatness-but-what-work-makes-you/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Not one of the good-to-great companies focused obsessively on growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/not-one-of-the-good-to-great-companies-focused-obsessively-on-growth/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Compare Bethlehem Steel to Nucor. Both companies operated in the steel industry and produced hard-to-differentiate products. Both companies faced the competitive challenge of cheap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/compare-bethlehem-steel-to-nucor-both-companies-operated-in-the-steel/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) [Explore all 175 James C. Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“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/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) [A.K. Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-hasan/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. Everything else is rubbish!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/in-this-business-you-find-the-enemy-then-go-after-and-destroy-him/) [Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good is the enemy of great. That's why so few things become great.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James C. 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