Excellence Lives On

A few weeks ago while leaning against a wall I heard a quote. I cannot remember it exactly now but the point remains the same. The person speaking quoted Joe Paterno, venerable football coach at Penn State University. The quote sounded something like this. Those who strive for something great frequently never achieve excellence and they are constantly worried about losing what they have. While those who strive for excellence frequently accomplish something great in their quest for excellence.

I found this message intriguing. That message pervades as I write this column sitting in a coffee shop. I’m surrounded in an environment of a corporation that did nothing except strive to give people a great tasting product and yummy treats. They now have people all over the world purchasing and drinking lattes and cappuccinos by the score.

This doesn’t mean that I agree with all of their business practices. I know the price of coffee has been kept low over the last few years yet the price of coffee at the shop keeps going up. But, this place has great coffee and I always know I’m going to get an excellent product.

Back to the message in the quote, I took it to heart. I’ve read much about people who build personal empires or rise up from the ashes and right all that wronged them in life. I’ve also seen people who continue to bathe in squalor. The success stories always mean more. They always say to me that I can do it. I can do it. I have to figure out what I want and then go for it.

I’ve written before about greatness. I strive to become something more than I’ve ever been. Currently I’m about 60 lbs overweight. I’m out of shape and up until recently I haven’t worked for 3 years. I can correct each and every one of these things if I choose to do it, if I strive for excellence.

For me excellence is the idea that I set my own expectations and it’s up to me whether or not I meet them. It’s a process. If I work at this process of excellence who knows what may happen at the end?

At work I simply see everyone as a peer with different sets of responsibilities. Not everyone agrees with me but I reconcile my beliefs with others’ expectations or decide to move on. I think this view of my coworkers allows me to expect more of them in a way that’s conducive to higher achievement. I view them positively. Therefore they act in a more positive way. I think this is an excellent way to see the situation.

I used to strive for something great to happen. While in Vancouver I spent time with a man who just wanted money. That’s all he wanted. He fleeced people and shafted them in any way he could. He didn’t care about the people with which he worked. He just wanted money. He thought that if he had money he could travel the world and be happy. He strove for something great. Having someone give him $3 million would be great but he didn’t do much to get it.

I must strive for excellence. If I strive for excellence at all times with my writing then great things will happen. My plan is to write this column, get it self-syndicated, write a novel and then become a public speaker. But first I must be an excellent writer in my own way. My responsibility is to create something that touches people while I help myself. That’s why I share my experiences. That’s why I write.

Great things can fizzle out. However, excellence remains.

Thanks for reading to the end.