Russell Simmons Quotes

No one achieves greatness by becoming a generalist. You don't hone a skill by diluting your attention to its development. The only way to get to the next level is focus.

If you spend your life trying to be good at everything, you will never be great at anything.

The shoemaker makes a good shoe because he makes nothing else.

He who is wise puts aside all claims which may dissipate his attention, and confining himself to one branch excels in that.

Life isn't about trying to be an expert in everything. It's about being an expert in one thing and offering it to the world.

I'm not the kind of guy who dabbles in a lot of things.

I want to do one thing and do it well.

I've always been one to do the work and just hone my craft.

What's really the driver of talent is not raw ability. It's not even just experience. It's what's called 'deliberate practice,' which is to say, if you do something a lot, you get really good at it.

I don't want to be jack of all, master of none. I want to focus completely and excel as an actor with every project.

When you have a deep focus, you can't go wrong at all. Not when you're an expert at what you do.

I have put in more than 10,000 hours perfecting my craft. And I am good at it.

Sometimes it's better if you can play in only one position. You see that with other players. These guys specialise in one position and they can completely concentrate.

Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.

The first thing you've got to do is know your craft, and then you can do something else with it.

A man cannot be professor of zoölogy on one day and of chemistry on the next, and do good work in both. As in a concert all are musicians,-one plays one instrument, and one another, but none all in perfection.

Excellence in one area is the beginning of excellence in every area.

I'd rather be really good at something or not do it at all.

I don't believe in doing everything and being mediocre at all of them. I believe in being good at one thing.

When you go to Nashville and start co-writing, you start doing it as a job and the more you do it the better you get. You know if you build houses for 30 years you're better than you were the day you started. You know the ins and outs, you know all the nuances.

I'm very good at what I do, and I don't turn my hand to something unless I'm very good at it, frankly.

We're just getting better at our trade, man. We know what we're doing, and the reason why is that we've spent 30 years doing it. There's nothing that can replace that.

Do not talk a little on many subjects, but much on a few.

Practise things you're good at. Keep on top of things you're not so good at, but be world-class at your best. Never think, 'I'm very good at this and that, I can leave those for a bit.'

You can only do so many things great, and you should cast aside everything else.