"A cultivated and decent man cannot be vain without setting a fearfully high standard for himself, and without despising and almost hating himself at certain moments."
High Standards quotes
51 quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
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"I hold myself to a very high standard, and I hold my contributions to that same high standard. I will not accept any contributions that are illegal, inappropriate or tainted."
"I couldn't say a specific thing, but the media is not really held to high standards anymore."
"It was a staggering moment when I first heard the news. Lennon was a most talented man and above all, a gentle soul. John and his colleagues set a high standard by which contemporary music continues to be measured."
"It has not been possible to build that society. It set very high standards, because not only would life in the Soviet Union or in any other country which adopted that system, have to be just as good as in the Capitalist world, it would have to be better. So that other peoples, other nations would want to join it, and obviously we have failed in that."
"Inertia is comforting, and Americans will be extremely reluctant to make any change that might affect their high standard of living."
"Serena and I, we don't have anything to prove ... we still set a very high standard."