Aristotle — We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.Aristotle
Paraphrase of Aristotle by Will Durant
Excellence is relocated here — out of the dramatic single performance and into the ordinary, repeated day. Who you are is not your best moment but your usual one.
This is good news for a learner. You do not have to be brilliant today; you have to be consistent. Build the daily habit, and excellence becomes something you simply are.
Words that widen the world
A regular practice, especially one hard to give up.
Synonyms: routine, custom, pattern
Daily practice became a habit.
The quality of being outstanding or extremely good.
Synonyms: greatness, distinction, mastery
Excellence is built by repetition.
Common questions
It means excellence is not a single achievement but the result of consistent, repeated actions — a habit rather than a one-time act.
It is a well-known paraphrase of Aristotle's ideas written by the historian Will Durant, so we mark it as attributed.
Carry it with you
In your own words, what does this thought mean to you? Write three or four sentences in English about a moment when it felt true — saying it yourself is how it stays with you.
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