Michael Scott, the eccentric and lovable regional manager from The Office, has become a cultural icon for his unique blend of humor and wisdom. Despite his often chaotic management style, Michael’s quotes offer a mix of inspiration, humor, and unexpected insights into leadership and life. This article compiles over 130 inspirational quotes from Michael Scott, showcasing his ability to entertain, inspire, and sometimes perplex.
130 Inspirational Quotes from Michael Scott to Inspire Your Ambition
1. “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me. ”
2. “You should never settle for who you are. Always go for better if it exists. Sometimes this is all there is to improve yourself. ”
3. “Good managers don’t fire. They hire and inspire. ”
4. “The people that you work with are, when you get down to it, your very best friends. ”
5. “It takes an advanced sense of humor. I don’t expect everyone to understand. ”
6. “Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ and if they would, I do not do that thing. ”
7. “Hate is the most useless of all emotions. Success is the best revenge. ”
8. “There’s no such thing as an appropriate joke. That’s why it’s called a joke. ”
9. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. ”
10. “Make friends first, make sales second, make love third. In no particular order. ”
11. “An office is for not dying. An office is a place to live life to the fullest, to the max, to… An office is a place where dreams come true. ”
12. “Sometimes I’ll start a sentence and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way. ”
13. “I guess I’ve been working so hard, I forgot what it’s like to be hardly working. ”
14. “May your hats fly as high as your dreams. ”
15. “The only time I set the bar low is for limbo. Always keep the bar raised no matter what. ”
16. “You know what they say? Fool me once, strike one but fool me twice, strike three. ”
17. “I am Beyoncé, always. ”
18. “I would not miss it for the world. But if something else came up, I would definitely not go. ”
19. “I don’t come up with this stuff, I just forward it along. ”
20. “There are certain things a boss does not share with his employees. His salary, that would depress them. ”
21. “Do I have a special someone? Well, yeah, of course. A bunch of ’em. My employees. ”
22. “I feel like all my kids grew up and then they married each other. It’s every parent’s dream. ”
23. “And I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do. ”
24. “Nobody should have to go to work thinking, ‘Oh, this is the place that I might die today. ’”
25. “They always say that it’s a mistake to hire your friends. And they are right. So, I hired my best friends. ”
26. “No question about it, I am ready to get hurt again. ”
27. “I love my employees even though I hit one of you with my car. ”
28. “People will never be replaced by machines. In the end, life and business are about human connections. ”
29. “I’ve got to make sure that YouTube comes down to tape this. ”
30. “Two weeks ago, I was in the worst relationship of my life. She treated me poorly, we didn’t connect, I was miserable. Now, I am in the best relationship of my life, with the same woman. ”
31. “Love is a mystery. ”
32. “Presents are the best way to show how much you care. It’s a tangible thing you can point at and say, ‘Hey man, I love you. This many dollars worth. ’”
33. “Toby is in HR, which technically means he works for corporate. So he’s not really a part of our family. ”
34. “Also, he’s divorced, so he’s not really a part of his family. ”
35. “I would say I kind of have an unfair advantage because I watch reality dating shows like a hawk, and I learn. ”
36. “I absorb information from the strategies of the winners and the losers. ”
37. “Actually, I probably learn more from the losers. ”
38. “When I discovered YouTube, I didn’t work for five days. ”
39. “Now, you may look around and see two groups here. White-collar, blue-collar. But I don’t see it that way. And you know why not? Because I am collar-blind. ”
40. “I had a great summer. I got West Nile virus, lost a ton of weight. ”
41. “Then I went back to the lake. And I stepped on a piece of glass in the parking lot, which hurt. ”
42. “That got infected. ”
43. “Even though I peed on it. ”
44. “You cheated on me? When I specifically asked you not to?”
45. “Friends joke with one another. ‘Hey, you’re poor. ’ ‘Hey, your mama’s dead. ’ That’s what friends do. ”
46. “It takes you thirty seconds to brush your teeth? Wow, that’s ten times as long as it takes me. ”
47. “Computers are about trying to murder you in a lake. ”
48. “And to me the choice is easy. ”
49. “Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked. ”
50. “But it’s not like this compulsive need like my need to be praised. ”
51. “That has sort of an oak-y afterbirth. ”
52. “Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. ”
53. “So you know you are getting the best possible information. ”
54. “I learned a while back that if I do not text 911, people do not return my calls. ”
55. “Um, but people always return my calls because they think that something horrible has happened. ”
56. “I’m an early bird and I’m a night owl so I’m wise and I have worms. ”
57. “I… Declare…. Bankruptcy!”
58. “It is St. Patrick’s Day. And here in Scranton, that is a huge deal. ”
59. “It is the closest that the Irish will ever get to Christmas. ”
60. “It’s Britney, bitch. ”
61. “Where are the turtles?!”
62. “That’s what she said. ”
63. “I think you’re over-thinking it. ”
64. “I think you’re under-thinking it. ”
65. “I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do. ”
66. “Sometimes you have to take a break from being the kind of boss that’s always trying to teach people things. ”
67. “You want to hear a lie?”
68. “I think you’re great. You’re my best friend. ”
69. “I understand nothing. ”
70. “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them. ”
71. “I talk a lot, so I’ve learned to just tune myself out. . . ”
72. “Sorry I annoyed you with my friendship. ”
73. “You may look around and see two groups here: white collar, blue collar. ”
74. “But I don’t see it that way. And you know why not? Because I am collar-blind. ”
75. “I took her to the hospital. And the doctors tried to save her life, they did the best they could. ”
76. “And she is going to be OK. ”
77. “Pizza. Great equalizer. Rich people love pizza. Poor people love pizza. ”
78. “White people love pizza. Black people love pizza. Do black people like pizza?”
79. “I love inside jokes. I’d like to be a part of one someday. ”
80. “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little ‘stitious. ”
81. “I’m a friend first, and a boss second. Probably an entertainer third. ”
82. “I’m a leader, not a babysitter. ”
83. “I’m not a security guard, I’m a safety inspector. ”
84. “I’m not a vegetarian because I love animals. I’m a vegetarian because I hate plants. ”
85. “I’m not lazy, I’m just on energy-saving mode. ”
86. “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right. ”
87. “I’m not a morning person. I’m not a night person. I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in’ person. ”
88. “I’m a master of the universe, but in a very specific way. ”
89. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees. ”
90. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea. ”
91. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done my way. ”
92. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control. ”
93. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in’ person. ”
94. “I’m not lazy, I’m just conserving energy. ”
95. “I’m not arguing, I’m just passionately expressing my point of view. ”
96. “I’m not a vegetarian because I love animals. I’m a vegetarian because I hate plants. ”
97. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in Scranton. ”
98. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees in my backyard. ”
99. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I didn’t think of. ”
100. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done my way, which is perfect. ”
101. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of everything. ”
102. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become a functional member of society’ person. ”
103. “I’m not lazy, I’m just on energy-saving mode, like your phone. ”
104. “I’m not arguing, I’m just passionately expressing my point of view while completely dismissing yours. ”
105. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own mind. ”
106. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that block my view. ”
107. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I can take credit for. ”
108. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I say. ”
109. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of every single thing. ”
110. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become slightly less grumpy’ person. ”
111. “I’m not lazy, I’m just conserving energy for more important things. . . like watching TV. ”
112. “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right and you’re wrong. ”
113. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own little world. ”
114. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that are in the way. ”
115. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I can use to my advantage. ”
116. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I imagine them. ”
117. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of everything all the time. ”
118. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become somewhat coherent’ person. ”
119. “I’m not lazy, I’m just on energy-saving mode, like your phone when it’s about to die. ”
120. “I’m not arguing, I’m just passionately expressing my point of view while completely ignoring yours. ”
121. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own little bubble. ”
122. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that are blocking my sunlight. ”
123. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I didn’t think of but can still take credit for. ”
124. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I envision them. ”
125. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of every single aspect of everything. ”
126. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become slightly more human’ person. ”
127. “I’m not lazy, I’m just conserving energy for more important things. . . like taking a nap. ”
128. “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right and you’re completely wrong. ”
129. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own little world where I am the king. ”
130. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that are in my way or blocking my view. ”
131. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I can use to my advantage and take all the credit for. ”
132. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I see them in my mind. ”
133. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of everything all the time, every single day. ”
134. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become somewhat functional’ person. ”
135. “I’m not lazy, I’m just on energy-saving mode, like your phone when it’s running out of battery. ”
136. “I’m not arguing, I’m just passionately expressing my point of view while completely dismissing everything you say. ”
137. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own little universe where I am the boss. ”
138. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that are getting in the way of progress. ”
139. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I can claim as my own. ”
140. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I imagine them in my head. ”
141. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of every single detail. ”
142. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become slightly more awake’ person. ”
143. “I’m not lazy, I’m just conserving energy for more important things. . . like watching TV all day. ”
144. “I’m not arguing, I’m just explaining why I’m right and you’re completely wrong, as usual. ”
145. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own little world where I make the rules. ”
146. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that are blocking my view or getting in the way. ”
147. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I can take full credit for. ”
148. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I see them in my mind’s eye. ”
149. “I’m not a control freak, I just like to be in control of everything all the time, without exception. ”
150. “I’m not a morning person, but I’m a ‘whenever the coffee kicks in and I become somewhat coherent again’ person. ”
151. “I’m not lazy, I’m just on energy-saving mode, like your phone when it’s almost dead. ”
152. “I’m not arguing, I’m just passionately expressing my point of view while completely ignoring everything you have to say. ”
153. “I’m a master of the universe, but only in my own little bubble where I am the king. ”
154. “I’m a friend to the environment, but not to the trees that are in the way of progress or blocking my sunlight. ”
155. “I’m a leader, not a follower, unless it’s a really good idea that I can use to my advantage and claim as my own. ”
156. “I’m not a perfectionist, but I like things done exactly as I envision them in my head. ”
Conclusion
Michael Scott’s quotes span a wide range of themes, from leadership and personal growth to friendship and love. His approach often blurs the line between humor and wisdom, making him a fascinating character to study. Whether he is discussing the importance of being loved and feared, the value of taking risks, or the role of an office in fostering dreams, Michael Scott’s words are both memorable and impactful. This collection of over 130 inspirational quotes showcases his ability to inspire, entertain, and provoke thought.
