--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm…" description: "\"A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.\" — Mary Kay Ash" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg" --- # A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further… ![“A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.” quote by Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg) > “A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.” [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enthusiasm can carry a modest idea farther than a flawless idea that fails to inspire. **In simple terms:** Passion drives ideas more than perfection. Key Takeaway Inject enthusiasm into any concept. Themes motivation leadership innovation Mood inspirational practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - product launches - marketing campaigns Key Concepts energy influence execution Questions to Reflect On - How can you spark excitement for a simple idea? - When does polish outweigh passion? A Different Perspective Enthusiasm without substance may falter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) [Generates Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generates-enthusiasm-298369/) [Idea Generates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-generates-1893888/) [Idea Inspires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-inspires-298368/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [Mediocre Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-idea-298367/) ## Related quotes > [A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go farther than a great idea that inspires no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusiasm-will-go-farther-than-a/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [This was a really big opportunity. This script was even mediocre. The idea was great, but Jay came on with his guys made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-william-scott/this-was-a-really-big-opportunity-this-script-was-even-mediocre-the/) [Sean William Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-william-scott/) > [My parents taught me that I could do anything I wanted and I have always believed it to be true. Add a clear idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-goss/my-parents-taught-me-that-i-could-do-anything-i-wanted-and-i-have/) [Pete Goss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-goss/) > [Even a mediocre idea created and presented with passion can change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boland-t-jones/even-a-mediocre-idea-created-and-presented-with-passion-can-change/) [Boland T. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boland-t-jones/) > [I believe with all my heart that America remains 'the great idea' that inspires the world. It is a privilege to be born here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-believe-with-all-my-heart-that-america-remains-the-great-idea-that/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [Enthusiasm is contagious. You can start an epidemic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/enthusiasm-is-contagious-you-can-start-an-epidemic/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Mediocre men often have the most acquired knowledge. It is in the darker. It is in the darker regions of science that great men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/mediocre-men-often-have-the-most-acquired-knowledge-it-is-in-the/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Philadelphians are every whit as mediocre as their neighbors, but they seldom encourage each other in mediocrity by giving it a more agreeable name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/philadelphians-are-every-whit-as-mediocre-as-their-neighbors-but-they/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [I was haunted always by my other life-my drab room in the Bronx, my square foot of the subway, my fixation upon the day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-was-haunted-always-by-my-other-life-my-drab-room-in-the-bronx-my/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [To the distracting occupations belong especially my lecture courses which I am holding this winter for the first time, and which now cost much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/to-the-distracting-occupations-belong-especially-my-lecture-courses/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [To run with the majority during the race of life is to be mediocre all of the time and wrong most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-smith/to-run-with-the-majority-during-the-race-of-life-is-to-be-mediocre/) [Len Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-smith/) > [We create a standard for how we want to do things and everybody's got to buy into that standard or you really can't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-create-a-standard-for-how-we-want-to-do-things-and-everybody-s-got/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Preserve your energy - do not waste it on mediocre activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-wilde/preserve-your-energy-do-not-waste-it-on-mediocre-activity/) [Stuart Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-wilde/) > [Finding patterns is easy in any kind of data-rich environment; that's what mediocre gamblers do. The key is in determining whether the patterns represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/finding-patterns-is-easy-in-any-kind-of-data-rich-environment-that-s/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [I want to be involved in things I can be really proud of. There's a lot of bad films being made and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisling-loftus/i-want-to-be-involved-in-things-i-can-be-really-proud-of-there-s-a/) [Aisling Loftus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisling-loftus/) ## More by Mary Kay Ash > [Sometimes listening itself may not be enough-some people must be prodded if you are to find out what they're thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/sometimes-listening-itself-may-not-be-enough-some-people-must-be/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [I put a lot of emphasis on how to treat people. The reason for this is simple. The real success of our personal lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-put-a-lot-of-emphasis-on-how-to-treat-people-the-reason-for-this-is/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [God does not ask your ability Or your inability. He asks only your availability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/god-does-not-ask-your-ability-or-your-inability-he-asks-only-your/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [My priorities have always been God first, family second, career third. I have found that when I put my life in this order, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/my-priorities-have-always-been-god-first-family-second-career-third-i/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/if-you-think-you-can-you-can-and-if-you-think-you-can-t-you-re-right/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Many women have made the mistake of changing their beliefs to accommodate their work; it must be the other way around. No circumstance is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/many-women-have-made-the-mistake-of-changing-their-beliefs-to/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [I've often said that we are doing something far more important than just selling cosmetics; we are changing lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-ve-often-said-that-we-are-doing-something-far-more-important-than/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don't keep it a secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/everyone-wants-to-be-appreciated-so-if-you-appreciate-someone-don-t/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/honesty-is-the-cornerstone-of-all-success-without-which-confidence/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [Individuals sometimes feel insignificant and doubt that one person can really make a difference in this world. Well, believe me, one person can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/individuals-sometimes-feel-insignificant-and-doubt-that-one-person/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [What's interesting about subscribing to a life of giving is that you become addicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/what-s-interesting-about-subscribing-to-a-life-of-giving-is-that-you/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [God first, family second, career third](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/god-first-family-second-career-third/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [While clothes may not make the woman, they certainly have a strong effect on her self-confidence, which, I believe, does make the woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/while-clothes-may-not-make-the-woman-they-certainly-have-a-strong/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [I have learned to imagine an invisible sign around each person’s neck that says ‘Make me feel important,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-have-learned-to-imagine-an-invisible-sign-around-each-person-s-neck/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [God didn't have time to make a nobody, only a somebody.I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/god-didn-t-have-time-to-make-a-nobody-only-a-somebody-i-believe-that/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) [Explore all 133 Mary Kay Ash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) ## More Enthusiasm quotes > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Great things can be accomplish with passionate enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/great-things-can-be-accomplish-with-passionate-enthusiasm/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/enthusiasm-is-the-yeast-that-makes-your-hopes-shine-to-the-stars/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Nothing cools so fast as undue enthusiasm. Water that has boiled freezes sooner than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-iles/nothing-cools-so-fast-as-undue-enthusiasm-water-that-has-boiled/) [George Iles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-iles/) > [When you've got enough enthusiasm, and don't overthink, things turn out well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-trezeguet/when-you-ve-got-enough-enthusiasm-and-don-t-overthink-things-turn-out/) [David Trezeguet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-trezeguet/) > [The figure of the enthusiast who has just discovered jogging or a new way to fix tofu can be said to stand or, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-figure-of-the-enthusiast-who-has-just-discovered-jogging-or-a-new/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [Attempt to be creative for the joy it brings… Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/attempt-to-be-creative-for-the-joy-it-brings-select-something-like/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Enthusiasm is by far the highest paid quality on earth, probably because it is one of the rarest; yet it is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bettger/enthusiasm-is-by-far-the-highest-paid-quality-on-earth-probably/) [Frank Bettger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bettger/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [I wanted to do a talk show that reminded me of the old school ones I loved as a kid, without all the fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/i-wanted-to-do-a-talk-show-that-reminded-me-of-the-old-school-ones-i/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [ As we have seen after every other \[Donald\] Trump controversy, this one only increased their enthusiasm for him. His supporters thought the idea of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-inskeep/as-we-have-seen-after-every-other-donald-trump-controversy-this-one/) [Steve Inskeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-inskeep/) [Browse all 1,846 Enthusiasm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Kay Ash" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusiasm-will-go-further-than-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enthusiasm" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusiasm-will-go-further-than-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/mary-kay-ash-3346_enthusiasm_a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusias_1784951.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.” — Mary Kay Ash", "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": "Mary Kay Ash", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusiasm-will-go-further-than-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/a-mediocre-idea-that-generates-enthusiasm-will-go-further-than-a/#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 } } ] } ```