The Pursuit of Excellence

 

                I have often heard it said that one’s performance should never be labeled as “sufficient” or “good enough”. When someone puts in energy, time, and effort into accomplishing something, the end result should be that of excellence and noteworthy of recognition. When we go grocery shopping, in most cases we don’t buy the cheapest item available but instead, I hope, we buy the item that has the best nutritional value and quality.

               Those with whom we choose to spend our time ought to be people that add value to our lives, urge us onto excellence, and challenge us to be better. If someone is part of your life who is negative, is not helping you improve, or is causing you grief, pain, and disappointment, you ought to reconsider with whom you spend your time and energy.

               Everyone has twenty-four hours each day, eight of which are mostly likely spent in sleep, a couple hours of meal preparation and eating, a couple hours in cleaning and organizing our homes and hopefully several hours a day with loved ones. If someone spends the bulk of their waking time immersed in social media, television, or movies, he is settling for “sufficient” or “good enough”.

               How one spends his time and energy at work should never be aimed at “sufficient” or “good enough”. Push yourself, challenge yourself, and aim for the highest bar of which you can conceive. Don’t settle for being just another employee who contributes just enough to not get fired. Be the one with wisdom, with the answers, and be the one to whom people go for help and direction.

               Don’t settle for mediocrity, don’t be content with the low bar set by others, be the one that excels in every field and who challenges others to improve themselves.