---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The secret to success is to do the common…"
description: "\"“The secret to success is to do the common things uncommonly well.”\" — John D. Rockefeller"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-d-rockefeller-3693_common-things_the-secret-to-success-is-to-do-the-commo_34241.jpg"
---

#  The secret to success is to do the common things…

![“The secret to success is to do the common things uncommonly well.” quote by John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-d-rockefeller-3693_common-things_the-secret-to-success-is-to-do-the-commo_34241.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-d-rockefeller-3693_common-things_the-secret-to-success-is-to-do-the-commo_34241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/329/john-d-rockefeller-3693_common-things_the-secret-to-success-is-to-do-the-commo_34241.jpg)

> ““The secret to success is to do the common things uncommonly well.””

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Excellence arises from mastering ordinary tasks beyond the usual standard, turning routine work into a competitive edge.

**In simple terms:** Master the mundane exceptionally.

Key Takeaway

Ordinary effort, extraordinary results.

Themes

excellence discipline efficiency innovation mindset

Mood

determined focused optimistic

Type

motivational advice

When to use this quote

- daily work routines
- team projects
- personal skill building
- service delivery

Key Concepts

skill development consistent performance quality focus

Practical Applications

- process improvement
- performance coaching

Questions to Reflect On

- What routine tasks could you elevate?
- How does consistency shape success?

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[Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/)

## Related quotes

> [The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-secret-of-success-is-to-do-the-common-things-uncommonly-well/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [Doing common things uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/doing-common-things-uncommonly-well/)

[Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/)

> [You gotta do common things, uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-yaeger/you-gotta-do-common-things-uncommonly-well/)

[Don Yaeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-yaeger/)

> [Learn to do the common things uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-carver/learn-to-do-the-common-things-uncommonly-well/)

[George Washington Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-carver/)

> [“Learn to do common things uncommonly well; we must always keep in mind that anything that helps full the dinner pail is valuable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-carver/learn-to-do-common-things-uncommonly-well-we-must-always-keep-in-mind/)

[George Washington Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-carver/)

> [She says it's really not very flattering to her that the women who fall in love with her husband are so uncommonly second-rate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/she-says-it-s-really-not-very-flattering-to-her-that-the-women-who/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [If you are a person who wants an uncommonly fine life, if you're willing to put in some time each day to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-are-a-person-who-wants-an-uncommonly-fine-life-if-you-re/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [To do a common thing uncommonly well brings success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-do-a-common-thing-uncommonly-well-brings-success/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was an uncommonly unattractive young man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/i-was-an-uncommonly-unattractive-young-man/)

[Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/)

> [One's only security in life comes from doing something uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/one-s-only-security-in-life-comes-from-doing-something-uncommonly-well/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [The only security a man can ever have is the ability to do a job uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-only-security-a-man-can-ever-have-is-the-ability-to-do-a-job/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Success is doing the common things of life, uncommonly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-is-doing-the-common-things-of-life-uncommonly-well/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The secret of success is to get up early, work late and strike oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-secret-of-success-is-to-get-up-early-work-late-and-strike-oil/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [And the Truth turns out to be nothing less than the amazing but undeniable fact that the whole outer world -whether it be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmet-fox/and-the-truth-turns-out-to-be-nothing-less-than-the-amazing-but/)

[Emmet Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmet-fox/)

> [We can sanctify ourselves in common things. We must do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-erskine-stuart/we-can-sanctify-ourselves-in-common-things-we-must-do-so/)

[Janet Erskine Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-erskine-stuart/)

## More by John D. Rockefeller

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I would rather hire a man with enthusiasm, than a man who knows everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-would-rather-hire-a-man-with-enthusiasm-than-a-man-who-knows/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [After it is all over, the religion of man is his most important possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/after-it-is-all-over-the-religion-of-man-is-his-most-important/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [There is no feeling in this world to be compared with self-reliance--do not sacrifice that to anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/there-is-no-feeling-in-this-world-to-be-compared-with-self-reliance/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [The American Beauty Rose can be produced in the splendor and fragrance which bring cheer to its beholder only by sacrificing the early buds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-american-beauty-rose-can-be-produced-in-the-splendor-and/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To think! All that power and he wasn't even rich!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/to-think-all-that-power-and-he-wasn-t-even-rich/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [The only question with wealth is, what do you do with it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-only-question-with-wealth-is-what-do-you-do-with-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes all the hours of the waking day to the making of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-know-of-nothing-more-despicable-and-pathetic-than-a-man-who-devotes/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-always-tried-to-turn-every-disaster-into-an-opportunity/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [There is nothing in this world that can compare with the Christian fellowship; nothing that can satisfy but Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/there-is-nothing-in-this-world-that-can-compare-with-the-christian/)

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> [The major fortunes in America have been made in land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-major-fortunes-in-america-have-been-made-in-land/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [Get rich by taking something common and making it uncommon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/get-rich-by-taking-something-common-and-making-it-uncommon/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

[Explore all 123 John D. Rockefeller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

## More Common things quotes

> [We can sanctify ourselves in common things. We must do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-erskine-stuart/we-can-sanctify-ourselves-in-common-things-we-must-do-so/)

[Janet Erskine Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-erskine-stuart/)

> [And the Truth turns out to be nothing less than the amazing but undeniable fact that the whole outer world -whether it be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmet-fox/and-the-truth-turns-out-to-be-nothing-less-than-the-amazing-but/)

[Emmet Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmet-fox/)

> [There was an awful rainbow once in heaven: We know her woof, her texture; she is given In the dull catalogue of common things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/there-was-an-awful-rainbow-once-in-heaven-we-know-her-woof-her/)

[John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/)

> [I used to do Korean classical music and started training to join an idol group after someone set me up an interview with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-him-chan/i-used-to-do-korean-classical-music-and-started-training-to-join-an/)

Kim Him-chan

> [I just want to comment on how It's become a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in Love with my sloppy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-avery/i-just-want-to-comment-on-how-it-s-become-a-common-thing-in-the-nhl/)

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[Anna Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kendrick/)

> [The most common thing that real reporters say to me is, "I wish I could say what you say." What I don't understand is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/the-most-common-thing-that-real-reporters-say-to-me-is-i-wish-i-could/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [Christianity has ever been the enemy of human love; it has forever cursed and expelled and crucified the one passion which sweetens and smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/christianity-has-ever-been-the-enemy-of-human-love-it-has-forever/)

[Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/)

> [I remember learning new words, trying to figure out what common things like cider, finding myself upset that my parents couldn't help me understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/i-remember-learning-new-words-trying-to-figure-out-what-common-things/)

[An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/)

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[Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/)

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[Maltbie Davenport Babcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maltbie-davenport-babcock/)

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[Thomas Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-guthrie/)

> [When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington-carver/when-you-do-the-common-things-in-life-in-an-uncommon-way-you-will/)

[George Washington Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington-carver/)

> [Lifes good, just don't think of the common things that'll ruin it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lifes-good-just-don-t-think-of-the-common-things-that-ll-ruin-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you're going to go for 'it' you have a common thing you share with other artists; that's desperation. You jump out a window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-katz/if-you-re-going-to-go-for-it-you-have-a-common-thing-you-share-with/)

[Alex Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-katz/)

Browse all 66 Common things quotes

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