--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Excellence is a process, not just an…" description: "\"Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we have to hold out for high standards in the products or services we provide. The goods must be mo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png" --- # Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we… ![“Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we have to hold out for high standards in the products or services we provide. The goods must be more than "good enough." But so must our approach - you know, our methodology, the way we do business and deal with people. How could the ends be…” quote by Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png) > “Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we have to hold out for high standards in the products or services we provide. The goods must be more than "good enough." But so must our approach - you know, our methodology, the way we do business and deal with people. How could the ends be considered excellent if we can't be proud of the means?” [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excellence requires disciplined processes and ethical means, not just impressive results. **In simple terms:** Excellence is about method and integrity. Key Takeaway Focus on ethical processes. Themes excellence process ethics Mood analytical motivational Type business philosophical When to use this quote - product development - customer service - team leadership Key Concepts continuous improvement quality management Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure means match ends? - What standards guide your work? A Different Perspective Outcome‑focused cultures may ignore means. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Be proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-proud/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Excellence Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence-process-1340076/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Goods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goods/) [Goods Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goods-good-1555137/) [High standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-standards/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Just Outcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-outcome-2111871/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mean people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean-people/) [Methodology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/methodology/) [Outcomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outcomes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“foods from goods is good food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln-artman-himmelwright/foods-from-goods-is-good-food/) [Abraham Lincoln Artman Himmelwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln-artman-himmelwright/) > [Ideally a just constitution would be a just procedure arranged to insure a just outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/ideally-a-just-constitution-would-be-a-just-procedure-arranged-to/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Excellence is a process that should occupy all our days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/excellence-is-a-process-that-should-occupy-all-our-days/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-moran/perfection-has-to-do-with-the-end-product-but-excellence-has-to-do/) [Jerry Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-moran/) > [“In Music Through the Eyes of Faith, Harold Best defines excellence as "the process of becoming better than I once was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-kauflin/in-music-through-the-eyes-of-faith-harold-best-defines-excellence-as/) [Bob Kauflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-kauflin/) > [That's the whole point of... of prosecutorial discretion in the judicial system. It's finding a just outcome in an individual case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-thomas/that-s-the-whole-point-of-of-prosecutorial-discretion-in-the-judicial/) [Andrew Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-thomas/) > [Sadness is just an outcome of expectation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/sadness-is-just-an-outcome-of-expectation/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [When you hold out for high standards, people are impressed-but they don't always like you for it. Not everybody will be on your side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/when-you-hold-out-for-high-standards-people-are-impressed-but-they/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We need timeless principles to steer by in running our organizations and building our personal careers. We need high standards --- the ethics of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-need-timeless-principles-to-steer-by-in-running-our-organizations/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [The legal system doesn't always serve as a good guide for your conscience. You can step way over the ethical line and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-legal-system-doesn-t-always-serve-as-a-good-guide-for-your/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Yoga is the methodology with which to unveil the miracle that exists right in front of our faces and inside ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-yee/yoga-is-the-methodology-with-which-to-unveil-the-miracle-that-exists/) [Rodney Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-yee/) > [Ben was more improvisational, and relied less on methodology, and basically is a guitarist who switched to bass, whereas Jeff has a more traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cameron/ben-was-more-improvisational-and-relied-less-on-methodology-and/) [Matt Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cameron/) > [Take your brush here and there like a bee in an alpine meadow. In other words, don't laboriously work on or try to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/take-your-brush-here-and-there-like-a-bee-in-an-alpine-meadow-in/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [Subjectivism is not an absolute principle; it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for sound methodology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/subjectivism-is-not-an-absolute-principle-it-is-a-necessary-but-not/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## More by Price Pritchett > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [As tough as it sometimes looks on the front end, it's easier to do right than undo wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/as-tough-as-it-sometimes-looks-on-the-front-end-it-s-easier-to-do/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [In these times of self-directed teams, empowered employees, and "boundaryless" organizations, your worth as an individual employee will also get measured by your work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/in-these-times-of-self-directed-teams-empowered-employees-and/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Some people argue against both optimism and pessimism in favor of so-called realistic thinking. They distrust optimism on the grounds that it causes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/some-people-argue-against-both-optimism-and-pessimism-in-favor-of-so/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Your doubts are not the product of accurate thinking, but habitual thinking. Years ago you excepted flawed conclusions as correct, begin to live your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/your-doubts-are-not-the-product-of-accurate-thinking-but-habitual/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We all faced painful ethical challenges before we even knew how to spell our names. There were tough choices. Tradeoffs. Confusing signals regarding how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-all-faced-painful-ethical-challenges-before-we-even-knew-how-to/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Notice that "I" is at the center of the word "ethical." There is no "they." Achieving the ethics of excellence is our individual assignment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/notice-that-i-is-at-the-center-of-the-word-ethical-there-is-no-they/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [The only way we can develop muscle is through regular exercise. As soon as we stop stretching and working toward higher ethics, our standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/the-only-way-we-can-develop-muscle-is-through-regular-exercise-as/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [When you hold out for high standards, people are impressed-but they don't always like you for it. Not everybody will be on your side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/when-you-hold-out-for-high-standards-people-are-impressed-but-they/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [Everybody makes honest mistakes, but there's no such thing as an honest cover-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/everybody-makes-honest-mistakes-but-there-s-no-such-thing-as-an/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [If you must doubt something, doubt your limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/if-you-must-doubt-something-doubt-your-limits/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [High personal standards aren't enough for organizational excellence. You've got to be intolerant of low standards in others. . . . If you accommodate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/high-personal-standards-aren-t-enough-for-organizational-excellence/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [You can't put someone else in charge of your morals. Ethics is a personal discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-put-someone-else-in-charge-of-your-morals-ethics-is-a/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [If you become a giver, you'll make them feel like they want to reciprocate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/if-you-become-a-giver-you-ll-make-them-feel-like-they-want-to/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) [Explore all 55 Price Pritchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“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/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we have to hold out for high standards in the products or services we provide. The goods must be more than \"good enough.\" But so must our approach - you know, our methodology, the way we do business and deal with people. How could the ends be considered excellent if we can't be proud of the means?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Price Pritchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outcome-sure-we-have-to-hold-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outcome-sure-we-have-to-hold-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37d/price-pritchett-12389_approach_excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outc_397150.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Excellence is a process, not just an outcome. Sure, we have to hold out for high standards in the products…” — Price Pritchett", "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": "Price Pritchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Excellence is a process, not just...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outcome-sure-we-have-to-hold-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/excellence-is-a-process-not-just-an-outcome-sure-we-have-to-hold-out/#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 } } ] } ```