---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tall peaks are not always better than…"
description: "\"Tall peaks are not always better than long plateaus as true greatness must include protracted excellence.\" — Matthew Hayden"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg"
---

#  Tall peaks are not always better than long plateaus as…

![“Tall peaks are not always better than long plateaus as true greatness must include protracted excellence.” quote by Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg)

> “Tall peaks are not always better than long plateaus as true greatness must include protracted excellence.”

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

## About This Quote

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

Excellence sustained over time outweighs brief peaks; true greatness is measured by lasting performance.

**In simple terms:** Long-term excellence beats short peaks.

Key Takeaway

Focus on consistent quality.

Themes

greatness excellence longevity

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career development
- sports training
- artistic practice
- business growth

Key Concepts

sustained performance quality over time

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you nurture lasting excellence?
- What habits support sustained achievement?

A Different Perspective

Short bursts may be impressive but lack depth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Plateaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-plateaus-4870516/) [Peaks Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peaks-better-4870515/) [Plateaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plateaus/) [Plateaus True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plateaus-true-4870517/) [Protracted Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protracted-excellence-4870514/) [Tall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tall/) [Tall Peaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tall-peaks-4450749/) [True greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-greatness/)

## Related quotes

> [You know what's been interesting about my career? It's been this slow rise with long plateaus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogler/you-know-what-s-been-interesting-about-my-career-it-s-been-this-slow/)

[Dan Fogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogler/)

> [“These mountains make me realize just how much beauty the good Lord has gifted us. If He’s given us all of those to enjoy,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-wiley/these-mountains-make-me-realize-just-how-much-beauty-the-good-lord/)

[Dorothy Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-wiley/)

> [We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive to seek higher plateaus in the things of the Spirit is all but gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-have-measured-ourselves-by-ourselves-until-the-incentive-to-seek/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [“In Life There are No Limits, Only Plateaus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/in-life-there-are-no-limits-only-plateaus/)

[Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/)

> [History knows no resting places and no plateaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-knows-no-resting-places-and-no-plateaus/)

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

> [“We are writing this book as a rhizome. It is composed of plateaus. We have given it a circular form, but only for laughs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze-f-lix-guattari/we-are-writing-this-book-as-a-rhizome-it-is-composed-of-plateaus-we/)

[Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze-f-lix-guattari/)

> [Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-fisher/stocks-have-reached-what-looks-like-a-permanently-high-plateau/)

[Irving Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-fisher/)

> [After nightfall the face of the country seems to alter marvelously, and the clear moonlight only intensifies the change. The river gleams like running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/after-nightfall-the-face-of-the-country-seems-to-alter-marvelously/)

[Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/)

> [Men's private self-worlds are rather like our geographical world's seasons, storm, and sun, deserts, oases, mountains and abysses, the endless-seeming plateaus, darkness and light,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-baldwin/men-s-private-self-worlds-are-rather-like-our-geographical-world-s/)

[Faith Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-baldwin/)

> [We are part and parcel of a single and all-encompassing evolutionary current that is itself Spirit-in-action, the mode and manner of Spirit's creation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/we-are-part-and-parcel-of-a-single-and-all-encompassing-evolutionary/)

[Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/)

> [We may as well face it: the whole level of spirituality among us is low. We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-may-as-well-face-it-the-whole-level-of-spirituality-among-us-is/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [The landscape everywhere, away from the river, is of rock - cliffs of rock; plateaus of rock; terraces of rock; crags of rock -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley-powell/the-landscape-everywhere-away-from-the-river-is-of-rock-cliffs-of/)

[John Wesley Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley-powell/)

> [I have been watching and drawing the surface of Mars. It is wonderfully full of detail. There is certainly no question about there being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-e-barnard/i-have-been-watching-and-drawing-the-surface-of-mars-it-is/)

[Edward E. Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-e-barnard/)

> [San Francisco is one of the great cultural plateaus of the world - one of the really urbane communities in the United States -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-ellington/san-francisco-is-one-of-the-great-cultural-plateaus-of-the-world-one/)

[Duke Ellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-ellington/)

> [Our life's journey of self-discovery is not a straight-line rise from one level of consciousness to another. Instead, it is a series of steep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-wilde/our-life-s-journey-of-self-discovery-is-not-a-straight-line-rise-from/)

[Stuart Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-wilde/)

## More by Matthew Hayden

> [Everything this series is being built up to be - I think it's going to live up to those expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/everything-this-series-is-being-built-up-to-be-i-think-it-s-going-to/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [One-day cricket is a very important part of our play. We've got a long way to go until the next World Cup and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/one-day-cricket-is-a-very-important-part-of-our-play-we-ve-got-a-long/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/all-this-going-around-is-not-aggression-if-you-want-to-see-aggression/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [It's a fun day, a day which kicks off the start of our tour, it's got great tradition - Australian cricketers just love tradition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/it-s-a-fun-day-a-day-which-kicks-off-the-start-of-our-tour-it-s-got/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [This game is something Australians really look forward to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/this-game-is-something-australians-really-look-forward-to/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [I've seen God. He bats at No. 4 for India in tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/i-ve-seen-god-he-bats-at-no-4-for-india-in-tests/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [It's a very special venue and a very special occasion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/it-s-a-very-special-venue-and-a-very-special-occasion/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [How does Usain Bolt know you? You're just my soccer coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/how-does-usain-bolt-know-you-you-re-just-my-soccer-coach/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [Both sides have been playing tremendous cricket over a couple of years and they're both very good units.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/both-sides-have-been-playing-tremendous-cricket-over-a-couple-of/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

> [You never want an Australian with his back against the wall. You put any 12 blokes together and you'll get a job done. Whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/you-never-want-an-australian-with-his-back-against-the-wall-you-put/)

[Matthew Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

[Explore all 11 Matthew Hayden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/)

## More Excellence quotes

> [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/)

[Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/)

> [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/)

[Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/)

> [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/)

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

> [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/)

[Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/)

> [You learn a lot from quality players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/you-learn-a-lot-from-quality-players/)

[Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/)

> [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/)

[James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/)

> [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/)

[Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/)

> [“Anytime I see a rainbow, what comes into my mind is how skillful and talented someone was to create an ark that didn't leak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/anytime-i-see-a-rainbow-what-comes-into-my-mind-is-how-skillful-and/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/)

[R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/)

> [We may be masters of our every lot By bearing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/we-may-be-masters-of-our-every-lot-by-bearing-it/)

[Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/)

> [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-cannot-all-be-masters-nor-all-masters-cannot-be-truly-followed/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Leadership, pure and simple, is the assumption of responsibility for the pursuit of excellence in group life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-selznick/leadership-pure-and-simple-is-the-assumption-of-responsibility-for/)

[Philip Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-selznick/)

> [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/)

[Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/)

[Browse all 4,187 Excellence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Tall peaks are not always better than long plateaus as true greatness must include protracted excellence.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Matthew Hayden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-long-plateaus-as-true-greatness/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Excellence"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-long-plateaus-as-true-greatness/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/matthew-hayden-40280_excellence_tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-lo_2206728.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Tall peaks are not always better than long plateaus as true greatness must include protracted excellence.” — Matthew Hayden",
                "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": "Matthew Hayden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-hayden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Tall peaks are not always better...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-long-plateaus-as-true-greatness/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-hayden/tall-peaks-are-not-always-better-than-long-plateaus-as-true-greatness/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
