--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Excellence is not a singular act, but a…" description: "\"Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit.\" — Shaquille O'Neal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/shaquille-o-neal-659_athlete_excellence-is-not-a-singular-act-but-a-h_1618137.jpg" --- # Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. ![“Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/shaquille-o-neal-659_athlete_excellence-is-not-a-singular-act-but-a-h_1618137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/shaquille-o-neal-659_athlete_excellence-is-not-a-singular-act-but-a-h_1618137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/shaquille-o-neal-659_athlete_excellence-is-not-a-singular-act-but-a-h_1618137.jpg) > “Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit.” [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excellence results from repeated actions, not a one‑off event; habits shape high performance. **In simple terms:** Greatness is built by habits. Key Takeaway Build good habits. Themes excellence habit performance Mood motivational inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - sports training - personal development - leadership Key Concepts habit formation consistency Questions to Reflect On - What habit will you start today? - How can you reinforce positive routines? A Different Perspective Habits can be hard to maintain without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Act Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-habit-232583/) [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Best sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-sports/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Excellence Singular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence-singular-232584/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Singular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singular/) [Singular Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singular-act-232585/) ## Related quotes > [Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/excellence-is-not-a-singular-act-but-a-habit-you-are-what-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [The hardest skill to acquire in this sport is the one where you compete all out, give it all you have, and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-reese/the-hardest-skill-to-acquire-in-this-sport-is-the-one-where-you/) [Eddie Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-reese/) > [You can't put a limit anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/you-can-t-put-a-limit-anything/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-when-no-one-else-does/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [Excellence is not an act, but a habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marva-collins/excellence-is-not-an-act-but-a-habit/) [Marva Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marva-collins/) > [Excellence isn't an act, it's a habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/excellence-isn-t-an-act-it-s-a-habit/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/excellence-is-an-art-won-by-training-and-habituation-we-do-not-act-2/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Will Durant”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-cantan/we-are-what-we-repeatedly-do-excellence-then-is-not-an-act-but-a-2/) [Nicola Cantan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-cantan/) > [Excellence is not an act but a habit. The things you do the most are the things you will do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marva-collins/excellence-is-not-an-act-but-a-habit-the-things-you-do-the-most-are/) [Marva Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marva-collins/) > [We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-what-we-repeatedly-do-excellence-therefore-is-not-an-act-but-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” ―Aristotle,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-what-we-repeatedly-do-excellence-then-is-not-an-act-but-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-what-we-repeatedly-do-excellence-then-is-not-an-act-but-a-habit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As to virtue . . . it is an act of the will, a habit which increases the quantity, intensity and quality of life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-carrel/as-to-virtue-it-is-an-act-of-the-will-a-habit-which-increases-the/) [Alexis Carrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-carrel/) > [“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation: we do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/excellence-is-an-art-won-by-training-and-habituation-we-do-not-act-4/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) ## More by Shaquille O'Neal > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-if-the-big-dog-ain-t-me-then-the-house-won-t-get-guarded-period/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I don't send messages, I'm not a fax machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-don-t-send-messages-i-m-not-a-fax-machine/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told our guys they must not have cable because Antoine Walker knows how to play, Derek Anderson can play, Shandon Anderson knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-our-guys-they-must-not-have-cable-because-antoine-walker-knows/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I was really upset. 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Tight end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/write-this-since-my-boy-is-the-coach-i-m-going-to-try-out-for-the/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Everybody talks about being a role model. But if you look up the word 'role' in a dictionary, it describes playing a part. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/everybody-talks-about-being-a-role-model-but-if-you-look-up-the-word/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Why don't you bring your face up here and let me punch it? Then you can tell me (if I'm stronger).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/why-don-t-you-bring-your-face-up-here-and-let-me-punch-it-then-you/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm known as The Big Baryshnikov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-known-as-the-big-baryshnikov/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Enunciation, diction, all that stuff. None of that is in my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/enunciation-diction-all-that-stuff-none-of-that-is-in-my-personality/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told Leonard, in the immortal words of Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2, 'I'm going on vacation. 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Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. 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