Excel To Excellence

The Free Dictionary defines excellence as:

–        the quality of excelling; possessing good qualities in high degree

–        an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone.

–         admirable excellence

–        impressiveness, magnificence, grandness, richness – splendid or imposing in size or appearance

Excellence is extraordinary.

It is an attitude.

an aspiration.

a way of life.

aspiring to the fullness of your potential.

always in pursuit of a higher standard.[i]

I love what Aristotle had to say about excellence.  “Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.  We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence but  rather have those because we have acted rightly.  We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”[ii]

If you are not doing your craft with excellence, then you are not only depriving yourself in all that you can be, but you are also depriving the world of what you have to offer.  If you do not care about your work, and in becoming excellent in what you do in every aspect as an artist, then how can you expect others to be interested in what you have to offer?

Before we can become successful, we need to strive for excellence in all things.  Value and respect what you have to offer.  Learn all that you can and strive to master your art.  When I say this, I am not talking about becoming a perfectionist.  There is a difference between being perfection and excellence.  Some people strive for perfection, but we will never be perfect and will always fall short which can lead (and very often leads) to discouragement and frustration.  I am talking about reaching for the highest potential that you have to offer.  Don’t do anything with just half of your heart.  Be just as passionate about the small details as you were for that large brush stroke you just laid down.  There is no greater feeling for me than laying down that last brush stroke or oil stick, knowing that I gave every part of it my best.  My excellence.

Think it.

Breathe it.

Live it.

Do it.

Then you will achieve it.