“To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one's ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone..”

-Bruce McLaren

I believe that quote is from Bruce's book; it was unfortunately prophetic but none of his peers ever explained it any better.
As a teenage mechanic working on a car in the paddock at Christal Palace Bruce was in the next paddock he said 'Hi' to me like we met every day. I was awe struck of course and I'm not sure what I said!!!