Business Encouragement Quotes

On Wednesday, the U.S. will observe a national holiday known as Veterans Day, “a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.” Wednesday also is the 130th anniversary of the birth of General George S. Patton Jr., the renowned WWII general elevated into legendary folk-hero status by the 1970 film, “Patton, ” winner of seven Academy Awards.*

Not only was Patton one of history’s greatest battlefield generals, he also was one of military history’s greatest generator of motivational quotes. (Some of those quotes we omitted due to his colorful language, which he described in the following way: “When I want my men to remember something important, to really make it stick, I give it to them double dirty.”)

But here is something those who aspire to be a Pattonesque leader should note: The character in the movie was played by George C. Scott, whose script included many direct quotes from the general, but were delivered in a god-like voice the real general didn’t have. Patton was naturally timid and spent years purposely developing the physical presence and delivery he believed were critical to his being a powerful military general.

So, on this Veterans Day, to honor the men and women who have served in the military and to recognize the 130th anniversary of his birth, here are our Top 10 General George Patton Motivational Quotes for those who own and run a small business. (And, as we’ve said, those owners and managers should seek out a veteran for their):

10. “A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution applied 10 minutes later.”

Patton felt most at home when with his troops, praising them, encouraging them and, as recounted in history, sometimes dressing-down those he believed weren’t performing their duties or showing the kind of fighting spirit the general damanded. Some who served in the Third Army would remember for the rest of their lives their brief glimpse of “Old Blood and Guts” rolling by on his Jeep. (Photo: US Army)

SmallBusiness.com translation: Stay close to the people who really matter, because that’s where you’ll find the things that can be fixed easily. If you wait until you learn it from a consultant, you’ll be spending way more money for a far less satisfactory solution.

(Quotation source: The Unknown Patton (1983) by Charles M. Province, page 165)

9. “A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood.”

Patton spent a lifetime preparing for the short period of his life history remembers. Twenty years before WWII began, this is a photo of Patton competing in the fencing portion of the Modern Pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics. (Photo via: Wikimedia Commons)

SmallBusiness.com translation: Prepare, prepare, prepare. Those who make something look so easy to do have spent hours and hours mastering their craft.

(Quotation source: Letter dated March 3, 1944, later published in Patton’s 1947 memoir War As I Knew It. Similar expressions were also used in his famous “Speech to the Third Army” in June 1944. The phrase is similar to one attributed to Erwin Rommel, “Sweat saves blood, blood saves lives, and brains saves both, ” and to an even older one by August Willich: “A drop of sweat on the drill ground will save many drops of blood on the battlefield” from The Army: Standing Army or National Army? [1866].)

8. “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.”

SmallBusiness.com translation: As much as you’d like to believe that technology, secret formulas, patents, location, planning or reading SmallBusiness.com will make you successful, success comes from the talent, creativity and commitment of you and your people, not things.

(Quotation source: Cavalry Journal, September 1933)

7. “Accept the challenges, so that you feel the exhilaration of victory.”

SmallBusiness.com translation: Ideas, plans, resources, luck. All of those are critical to the success of a business. But unless you are personally involved in the “doing” and not just the “investing in” and “suggesting to, ” you’ll never fully experience the thrill of victory.