--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfectionism rarely begets perfection…" description: "\"Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction - only disappointment.\" — Ryan Holiday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg" --- # Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction… ![“Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction - only disappointment.” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg) > “Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction - only disappointment.” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfectionism often leads to disappointment rather than true perfection or satisfaction, warning against obsessive standards. **In simple terms:** Perfectionism breeds disappointment. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection. Themes perfectionism expectations disappointment Mood reflective motivational Type self-help philosophical When to use this quote - career - creative projects - personal goals Key Concepts psychology self-improvement Questions to Reflect On - How can you set realistic goals? - What does satisfaction look like for you? A Different Perspective Unrealistic standards can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begets Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begets-perfection-3731072/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-satisfaction-3731070/) [Perfectionism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfectionism/) [Perfectionism Rarely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfectionism-rarely-3731069/) [Rarely Begets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rarely-begets-3731071/) [Satisfaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfaction/) ## Related quotes > [If we pretend to have reached either perfection or satisfaction, we have degraded ourselves and our work. God's work only may express that, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/if-we-pretend-to-have-reached-either-perfection-or-satisfaction-we/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [If you are a real perfectionist, you can't finish any job! We, the mortals, we don't have enough time to be perfectionist! Perfectionism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-are-a-real-perfectionist-you-can-t-finish-any-job-we-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Perfectionism prevents action. Waiting until you have devised the perfect solution to something is merely a form of procrastination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/staffan-noteberg/perfectionism-prevents-action-waiting-until-you-have-devised-the/) [Staffan Noteberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/staffan-noteberg/) > [Perfectionism is a perpetual flight into an illusory future that cannot be attained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/perfectionism-is-a-perpetual-flight-into-an-illusory-future-that/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [Everything that these folks are saying that they're trying to move away from, like comparison, perfectionism, judgement, and exhaustion as a status symbol -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/everything-that-these-folks-are-saying-that-they-re-trying-to-move/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is really a challenge for me, and it causes me to be super-critical of myself in so many ways: about body image constantly;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-nettles/perfectionism-is-really-a-challenge-for-me-and-it-causes-me-to-be/) [Jennifer Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-nettles/) > [“Research shows, however, that anxiety is linked to some aspects of perfectionism but not others. Specifically, while anxious people are concerned about mistakes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-petersen/research-shows-however-that-anxiety-is-linked-to-some-aspects-of/) [Andrea Petersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-petersen/) > [“Perfection may not be possible, but striving for excellence is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/perfection-may-not-be-possible-but-striving-for-excellence-is/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [“You know, the whole thing about perfectionism. The perfectionism is very dangerous. Because of course if your fidelity to perfectionism is too high, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-know-the-whole-thing-about-perfectionism-the-perfectionism-is/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [To strive to be perfect is going down the road of self-destruction. To strive to be yourself is going down the road of greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/to-strive-to-be-perfect-is-going-down-the-road-of-self-destruction-to/) [Isaiah Harden (Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-harden-me/) > [Intuitionism is not constructive, perfectionism is unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/intuitionism-is-not-constructive-perfectionism-is-unacceptable/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is the death of a great room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mcdonald/perfectionism-is-the-death-of-a-great-room/) [Anne McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mcdonald/) > [“Keep going even when the going is slow and uncertain. Make your dream your prayer and your service. Don’t wait for recognition. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-g-renee-hill/keep-going-even-when-the-going-is-slow-and-uncertain-make-your-dream/) [G.G. Renee Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-g-renee-hill/) > [“I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-think-perfectionism-is-based-on-the-obsessive-belief-that-if-you/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the-same-way-with-grunt-work-not/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The greats - they protect their sleep because it's where the best work comes from. They say no to things. They turn in when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-greats-they-protect-their-sleep-because-it-s-where-the-best-work/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Where little danger is apprehended, the more the enemy will be unprepared and consequently there is the fairest prospect of success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-little-danger-is-apprehended-the-more-the-enemy-will-be/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [We often learn the hard way that our world is ruled by external factors. We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. Never forget: the crazy stays at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/it-s-your-job-to-find-a-release-and-an-outlet-for-the-stress-and-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Where the head goes, the body follows. Perception precedes action. Right action follows the right perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/where-the-head-goes-the-body-follows-perception-precedes-action-right/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The risks of speaking extemporaneously are apparent the first time you wing it and promptly put your foot in your mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-risks-of-speaking-extemporaneously-are-apparent-the-first-time/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The tools of the Internet and social media have made it possible to track, test, iterate, and improve marketing to the point where these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-tools-of-the-internet-and-social-media-have-made-it-possible-to/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Disappointment quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [“My earthly body has been a terrible disappointment to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/my-earthly-body-has-been-a-terrible-disappointment-to-me/) [Frédéric Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [In trying not to disappoint others; we disappoint ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/in-trying-not-to-disappoint-others-we-disappoint-ourselves/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [There are still many more days of failure ahead, whole seasons of failure, things will go terribly wrong, you will have huge disappointments ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/there-are-still-many-more-days-of-failure-ahead-whole-seasons-of/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [When disappointments knock you down, get back up and go again because out of our greatest rejection comes our greatest direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-disappointments-knock-you-down-get-back-up-and-go-again-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,467 Disappointment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction - only disappointment.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Holiday" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-or-satisfaction-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappointment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-or-satisfaction-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a4/ryan-holiday-514_disappointment_perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-o_1219842.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction - only disappointment.” — Ryan Holiday", "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": "Ryan Holiday", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Perfectionism rarely begets perfection, or satisfaction...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-or-satisfaction-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/perfectionism-rarely-begets-perfection-or-satisfaction-only/#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 } } ] } ```