Perfection is very difficult to achieve, and perfection was what I wanted in McDonald's. Everything else was secondary for me.

There is absolutely nothing special about walking on a rope stretched along the ground. Where there is no risk, there can be no pride in a deed accomplished, and therefore no happiness.

Achievement must be made against the possibility of failure, against the risk of defeat. It is no achievement to walk a tightrope laid flat on the floor. Where there is no risk, there can be no pride in achievement and, consequently, no happiness. The only way we can advance is by going forward, individually and collectively, in the spirit of the pioneer. We must take the risks involved in our free enterprise system. This is the only way in the world to economic freedom. There is no other way.

I didn't know what we would be selling in the year 2000 but whatever it was we would be selling the most of it.

Luck is a dividend of sweat.

No self-respecting pitcher throws the same way to every batter and no self-respecting salesman makes the same pitch to every client.

Perfection is very difficult to achieve, and perfection was what I wanted in McDonald's. Everything else was secondary for me.