I found that dance, music, and literature is how I made sense of the world... it pushed me to think of things bigger than life's daily routines... to think beyond what is immediate or convenient.
Mikhail BaryshnikovRead
Perfection is a theory. You cannot be a perfect human being, perfect artist. You cannot be a perfect husband, you cannot be a perfect father probably and probably I am not. But go through your daily routine with hope you will be a little better in all respects, and do something meaningful
Interpretation
What this quote means
Perfection is unattainable; focus on daily improvement instead.
Mikhail Baryshnikov emphasizes that the concept of perfection is merely a theoretical ideal that cannot be fully realized in human endeavors, such as being an artist or a family member. Rather than striving for an impossible standard of perfection, individuals should aim for incremental improvement in their daily lives, engaging in meaningful activities that enhance their skills and relationships.
Themes
PerfectionImprovementMeaningfulnessDaily RoutineHope
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about personal growth.
More from Mikhail Baryshnikov
All quotes →It's weird when you see pieces of choreography that were done for you 15 or 20 years ago and now they are being done by another dance company.
Mikhail BaryshnikovRead
I miss horribly those couple of hours before the performance when you get into the theater and you see people.
Mikhail BaryshnikovRead
No dancer can watch Fred Astaire and not know that we all should have been in another business.
Mikhail BaryshnikovRead
There comes a moment in a young artist's life when he knows he has to bring something to the stage from within himself. He has to put in something in order to be able to take something.
Mikhail BaryshnikovRead
Dancing is my obsession. My life.
Mikhail BaryshnikovRead
Similar quotes
Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful.
John MaedaRead
What you've got to do is recognize that you don't control everything for a start, you've got to play the cards you're dealt, the hand of cards you're dealt, as best you can, and that's what I always seek to do.
Malcolm TurnbullRead
Doubts and mistrust are the mere panic of timid imagination, which the steadfast heart will conquer, and the large mind transcend.
Helen KellerRead
Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected.
Sun TzuRead
Without dark clouds in our lives, we would never know the joy of sunshine. We can become callous and unteachable if we do not learn from pain.
Billy GrahamRead
For truth has such a face and such a mien, as to be loved needs only to be seen.
John DrydenRead