--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who attain to any excellence…" description: "\"“Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.”\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png" --- # Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in… ![“Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png) > ““Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.”” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## 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 dedicated, singular focus; it rarely comes through easy or varied efforts. **In simple terms:** Greatness needs focused effort. Key Takeaway Commit to one pursuit for excellence. Themes excellence focus dedication Mood motivational serious Type inspirational pragmatic When to use this quote - career development - artistic creation - academic research - skill acquisition Key Concepts mastery specialization Questions to Reflect On - What single goal will you pursue? - Can you balance focus with flexibility? A Different Perspective Monotony can limit broader growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attain/) [Attain Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attain-excellence-2328431/) [Excellence Commonly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence-commonly-2328430/) [Excellence Gained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence-gained-2328434/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pursuit Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-excellence-267477/) ## Related quotes > [Those who attain any excellence, commonly spend life in one pursuit; for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-attain-any-excellence-commonly-spend-life-in-one-pursuit/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Excellence itself, aretē as the Greeks, virtus as the Romans would have called it, has always been assigned to the public realm where one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/excellence-itself-aret-as-the-greeks-virtus-as-the-romans-would-have/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Every activity performed in public can attain an excellence never matched in privacy; for excellence, by definition, the presence of others is always required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/every-activity-performed-in-public-can-attain-an-excellence-never/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“Aspire higher to attain excellence in whatever you do. But be careful when you reach the peak, where the only way is the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/aspire-higher-to-attain-excellence-in-whatever-you-do-but-be-careful/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [My hunger is not for success, it is for excellence. Because when you attain excellence, success just naturally follows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/my-hunger-is-not-for-success-it-is-for-excellence-because-when-you/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [By persistent labor man may attain to all excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/by-persistent-labor-man-may-attain-to-all-excellence/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [My philosophy all my life has been the pursuit of excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kluge/my-philosophy-all-my-life-has-been-the-pursuit-of-excellence/) [John Kluge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kluge/) > [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/) > [“Consectatio Excellentiae. The pursuit of excellence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefanie-pintoff/consectatio-excellentiae-the-pursuit-of-excellence/) [Stefanie Pintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefanie-pintoff/) > [“Knowledge doesnt come with age- it comes with your pursuit for excellence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-rawr/knowledge-doesnt-come-with-age-it-comes-with-your-pursuit-for/) [Kitty Rawr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-rawr/) > [“The golden rule of excellence is: Everything you say; every though you entertain; and everything you do has direction that serves as an advance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rayn-blair/the-golden-rule-of-excellence-is-everything-you-say-every-though-you/) [Rayn Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rayn-blair/) > [The pursuit of excellence is the proper vocation of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassius-jackson-keyser/the-pursuit-of-excellence-is-the-proper-vocation-of-man/) [Cassius Jackson Keyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassius-jackson-keyser/) > [“successful people shoot for the stars, put their hearts on the line in every battle, and ultimately discover that the lessons learned from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-waitzkin/successful-people-shoot-for-the-stars-put-their-hearts-on-the-line-in/) [Josh Waitzkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-waitzkin/) > [The pursuit of excellence is a continuous process through life. Enjoy the pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-chao/the-pursuit-of-excellence-is-a-continuous-process-through-life-enjoy/) [Elaine Chao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-chao/) > [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/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [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/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Attain quotes > [Nothing was ever in any man that is not in you; no man ever had more spiritual or mental power than you can attain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/nothing-was-ever-in-any-man-that-is-not-in-you-no-man-ever-had-more/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Anything you really want, you can attain, if you really go after it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/anything-you-really-want-you-can-attain-if-you-really-go-after-it/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“one could not attain greater personal excellence without also paving the way for everyone else in society to attain it as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-phillips/one-could-not-attain-greater-personal-excellence-without-also-paving/) [Christopher Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-phillips/) > [I'm friends with a lot of Brits, and they tell me when they're over here what a huge phenomenon 'The Wire' has become. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/i-m-friends-with-a-lot-of-brits-and-they-tell-me-when-they-re-over/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [Wanting is not enough, long and you attain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petrarch/wanting-is-not-enough-long-and-you-attain-it/) [Petrarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petrarch/) > [Do not sit down in Satan's easy chair of do-little, but arise and aim at the elevated standard which it is your privilege to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/do-not-sit-down-in-satan-s-easy-chair-of-do-little-but-arise-and-aim/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [Expect the best, not the worst, and you will attain your heart's desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/expect-the-best-not-the-worst-and-you-will-attain-your-heart-s-desire/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Endeavor to work as hard as possible to attain a new aim with each day that comes by. Don't go to bed until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aliko-dangote/endeavor-to-work-as-hard-as-possible-to-attain-a-new-aim-with-each/) [Aliko Dangote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aliko-dangote/) > [The required demeanor each individual has to attain is to fathom. Success is surrendering thinking about the situation your in, work hard, and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-melvin-jr/the-required-demeanor-each-individual-has-to-attain-is-to-fathom/) [Kenneth Melvin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-melvin-jr/) > [Those who would attain to any marked degree of excellence in a chosen pursuit must work, and work hard for it, prince or peasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/those-who-would-attain-to-any-marked-degree-of-excellence-in-a-chosen/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Attain the unattainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/attain-the-unattainable/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [We are aware that in 2005 our efforts to preserve the stability and prestige of the Republic of Bulgaria in the area of foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-aware-that-in-2005-our-efforts-to-preserve-the-stability-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If the undocumented have to work hard to attain citizenship, those of us who already are citizens should have to work hard to sustain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-liu/if-the-undocumented-have-to-work-hard-to-attain-citizenship-those-of/) [Eric Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-liu/) > [We will not attain a state of perfection in this life, but we can and should press forward with faith in Christ along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/we-will-not-attain-a-state-of-perfection-in-this-life-but-we-can-and/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“Most sane human beings who have managed to attain and retain fame each uses it to dramatically increase their name’s chances of being remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/most-sane-human-beings-who-have-managed-to-attain-and-retain-fame/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) [Browse all 113 Attain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commonly-spend-life-in-some-single/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commonly-spend-life-in-some-single/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/samuel-johnson-50_attain_those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commo_2648275.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often…” — Samuel Johnson", "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": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Those who attain to any excellence...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commonly-spend-life-in-some-single/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/those-who-attain-to-any-excellence-commonly-spend-life-in-some-single/#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 } } ] } ```