Alexander Woollcott Quotes

Amateurs in professional situations make me very impatient.

As compared with the college politician, the real article seems like an amateur.

Carelessness with details sinks more careers than anyone will admit.

A grave aspect to a grave character is of much more consequence than the world is generally aware of; a barber may make you laugh, but a surgeon ought rather to make you cry.

Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti environmental. Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateurism seeks the development of the total awareness of the individual and the critical awareness of the ground rules of society. The amateur can afford to loose.

People who have experience and credentials, they should be talking about that [Donald Trump presenting on TV]. I know everybody cares about ratings, but come on. The whole world is watching.

That's what all we are: amateurs. We don't live long enough to be anything else.

Moral activity? There is scarcely such a thing possible! Everything is sketchy. The world does nothing but sketch.

I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly that America doesn't torture. And I'm gonna make sure that we don't torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America's moral stature in the world.

The most distressing aspect of the world into which you are going is its indifference to the basic issues, which now, as always, are moral issues.

Amateurs believe their enthusiasm will suffice.

The sign of the amateur is overglorification of and preoccupation with the mystery. The professional shuts up. She doesn't talk about it. She does her work.

If Hollywood didn't work out, I was prepared to be the best secretary in the world.

I was never an ingénue at any point in my career. I was hoping that whatever I was bringing to the table, it wasn't some physical attribute that would change or fade over time.

I always feel I'm an amateur. I don't most of the time know what I'm doing.

95% of being a success in the competitive world of fashion is just showing up on time and being there. I don't know how I knew that when I was younger. You have to stick around for people to remember you.

On every level of life, from housework to heights of prayer, in all judgment and efforts to get things done, hurry and impatience are sure marks of the amateur.

When I did the sitcom I was too naive. I thought, Well, they know what they're talking about, let's do that.

One can be a good critic and a moral observer, but one remains professionally detached as a writer and a filmmaker.

It is a moral achievement on the part of the doctor who ought not to let himself be repelled by sickness and corruption.

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

You can be an amateur and have a passion for something, but it takes a long time to actually become a professional, meaning that you can handle any situation.

If your career is not predicated on just your physical beauty, you're able to project a sophistication. You can take sophisticated to your grave. You can be that worldly woman, that woman who looks beautiful dressed up.

I leave the world and its affairs to the young and energetic, and resign myself to their care, of whom I have endeavored to take care when young.

The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.