427 Quotes by Colin Powell

Perpetual Optimism is a Force Multiplier.

ON BUSY BASTARDS: A busy bastard can’t stop finding things to do. He never rests and as a result, his staff never rests. He’s always making work that expands to fill whatever time is available. The point I make in my book is: Be busy, work hard, but don’t become so busy that you cut out other things in life, like family and recreation and hobbies. And never be so busy that you’re not giving your staff and your followers enough time to do the same thing.

Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence

The freedom to do your best means nothing unless you are willing to do your best.

Whenever you place the cause of one of your actions outside yourself, it’s an excuse and not a reason.

As the old expression goes, if you take the king’s coin, you give the king his due.

I'm not perfect but I'll be the creator of perfection.

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity, An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people