--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perfect is determined in shortened…" description: "\"Perfect is determined in shortened measures of time, not over long periods of time or lifetimes. It would be unnatural.\" — W. Somerset Maugham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/w-somerset-maugham-237_determined_perfect-is-determined-in-shortened-measu_2099719.jpg" --- # Perfect is determined in shortened measures of time, not… ![“Perfect is determined in shortened measures of time, not over long periods of time or lifetimes. It would be unnatural.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/w-somerset-maugham-237_determined_perfect-is-determined-in-shortened-measu_2099719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/w-somerset-maugham-237_determined_perfect-is-determined-in-shortened-measu_2099719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d85/w-somerset-maugham-237_determined_perfect-is-determined-in-shortened-measu_2099719.jpg) > “Perfect is determined in shortened measures of time, not over long periods of time or lifetimes. It would be unnatural.” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perfection is measured by short, intense periods rather than lifetime spans, making endless pursuit unrealistic. **In simple terms:** Perfection is fleeting, not lifelong. Key Takeaway Focus on short-term excellence. Themes perfection time realism expectations Mood motivational pragmatic Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - project deadlines - creative bursts - performance reviews Key Concepts philosophy psychology goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance short and long term goals? - Is perfection a useful ideal? A Different Perspective Long-term goals may suffer from short-term focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [In the country the darkness of night is friendly and familiar, but in a city, with its blaze of lights, it is unnatural, hostile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-the-country-the-darkness-of-night-is-friendly-and-familiar-but-in/) [W. 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Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sekou-odinga/we-have-a-number-of-brothers-left-in-the-prisons-about-15-of-them-and/) [Sekou Odinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sekou-odinga/) > [The observation that species are amazingly conservative and static entities throughout long periods of time has all the qualities of the emperor's new clothes:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niles-eldredge/the-observation-that-species-are-amazingly-conservative-and-static/) [Niles Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niles-eldredge/) > [You don't have to have perfect wisdom to get very rich - just a bit better than average over a long period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/you-don-t-have-to-have-perfect-wisdom-to-get-very-rich-just-a-bit/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I've had very deep relationships that lasted for long periods of time with people - you could almost call them marriages, even though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-ve-had-very-deep-relationships-that-lasted-for-long-periods-of-time/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [There was a long period of time when Sam Fuller had a lot of projects fall through and had a lot of difficulties getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-hanson/there-was-a-long-period-of-time-when-sam-fuller-had-a-lot-of-projects/) [Curtis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-hanson/) > [Any time there's a coaching change, that's something that's pretty significant, and especially for the New York Giants, who have had the same coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cruz/any-time-there-s-a-coaching-change-that-s-something-that-s-pretty/) [Victor Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cruz/) > [Before success comes patience... when we add to our accomplishments the element of hard work over a long period of time, we'll place a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/before-success-comes-patience-when-we-add-to-our-accomplishments-the/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The Shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-shadow-is-a-moral-problem-that-challenges-the-whole-ego/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [What really counts is not the immediate act of courage or of valor, but those who bear the struggle day in and day out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/what-really-counts-is-not-the-immediate-act-of-courage-or-of-valor/) [John F. 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Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. 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Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Determined quotes > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-not-willing-to-learn-no-one-can-help-you-if-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is not bliss — it is oblivion. Determined ignorance is the hastiest kind of oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wylie/ignorance-is-not-bliss-it-is-oblivion-determined-ignorance-is-the/) [Philip Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wylie/) > [I was determined to be an actor and make a name in the industry, and hence, I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawazuddin-siddiqui/i-was-determined-to-be-an-actor-and-make-a-name-in-the-industry-and/) [Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawazuddin-siddiqui/) > [Always remember, there is more strength in you than you ever realized or even imagined. Certainly nothing can keep you down if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/always-remember-there-is-more-strength-in-you-than-you-ever-realized/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [Early experience shapes the structure and function of the brain. This reveals the fundamental way in which gene expression is determined by experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/early-experience-shapes-the-structure-and-function-of-the-brain-this/) [Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [The more we sense...our ultimate potential, the more determined we become to achieve it. 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It's part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-always-been-competitive-and-determined-it-s-part-of-my/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/we-are-determined-that-before-the-sun-sets-on-this-terrible-struggle/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) > [I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-washington/i-am-still-determined-to-be-cheerful-and-happy-in-whatever-situation/) [Martha Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-washington/) [Browse all 2,245 Determined quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perfect is determined in shortened measures of time, not over long periods of time or lifetimes. It would be unnatural.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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