214 Quotes by James C. Collins

You can’t manufacture passion or “motivate” people to feel passionate. You can only discover what ignites your passion and the passions of those around you.

The people who don’t have a great life are the ones who settle for a good one.

Just because a company falls doesn’t invalidate what we can learn by studying that company when it was at its historical best.

Indeed, the real question is not, “Why greatness?” but “What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?” if you have to ask the question, “Why should we try to make it great? Isn’t success enough?” then you’re probably int he wrong line of work.

A dream is a feeling that sticks – and propels.

The greatest leaders build organizations that, in the end, don’t need them.

Look, I don’t really know where we should take this bus. But I know this much: If we get the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats, and the wrong people off the bus, then we’ll figure out how to take it someplace great.

If I’m going really, really fast, I can do a page of finished text a day, on average.

Most people will look back and realize they did not have a great life because it’s just so easy to settle for a good life.