James C. Collins Quotes

For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.

I'm just trying to matter and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody.

Retire from your job but never from meaningful projects. If you want to live a long life, you need eustress, that is, a deep sense of meaning and of contribution to worthy projects and causes, particularly, your intergenerational family.

The return from your work must be the satisfaction which that work brings you and the world's need of that work. With this, life is heaven, or as near heaven as you can get. Without this - with work which you despise, which bores you, and which the world does not need - this life is hell.

Life, if well lived, is long enough.

I don't want to be 60 years old standing on stage telling some jokes. I want my life to mean something.

It is not what we get. But who we become, what we contribute... that gives meaning to our lives.

When I see people that are my age and reaching 50, the ones that are really sparkly and full of joy are the ones that are committed to something bigger than themselves.

I have a rich, full, textured life.

Onstage or in films, you do affect peoples' lives, and sometimes that's very gratifying. But still, there's this little voice that says you should be doing something that matters.

I want the fact that I existed to mean something.

How shall we live so as to have the consciousness of not having lived in vain?

Basically, I should feel at the end of the day that I am doing something worthwhile.

I want to live a fulfilling life.

At the end of the day, most people just want to be valued. They want to feel they have put their time to something that will seem to have been of value when they die.

The value of life is not in its duration, but in its donation. You are not important because of how long you live, you are important because of how effective you live. And most people are concerned about growing old rather than being effective.

When people have a real sense of legacy, a sense of mattering, a sense of contribution, it seems to tap into the deepest part of their heart and soul. It brings out the best and subordinates the rest.

You want to do things you’re passionate about but also are useful to other people.

Without love of something I don't know if you can have a meaningful life at all.

The key to happiness is not being rich; it's doing something arduous and creating something of value and then being able to reflect on the fruits of your labor.

I have purpose. My life has meaning. I am engaged in a profession that I'm passionate about. I have some place to go every day. I'm expected. There's always a task at hand. I have beautiful relationships in my life. I have a beautiful home, I go to meetings. I work with others. I stay busy.

Making a living and having a life are not the same thing. Making a living and making a life that's worthwhile are not the same thing. Living the good life and living a good life are not the same thing. A job title doesn't even come close to answering the question. "What do you do?".

The need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, personal congruence, and contribution.

I'm psyched about what I can contribute that can be meaningful to myself and to others.

You can only make so much money in life and only enjoy so many creature comforts. The important thing is to do something meaningful-to leave something behind.