What is excellence? By definition it is the quality or state of being superior or outstanding. But what is in a definition, it does not describe a person, or an act. It only provides a guideline, or a rule of the word. But how do people achieve excellence? How does one do an excellent job, or lead an excellent life? And what does the word itself mean? I will examine and breakdown all of these questions in this essay.
The first and most important question is what does the word itself mean? Excellence, its definition means nothing. A definition is only words, excellence is behavior. To some people excellence is working hard, or getting good grades. To others it is going to church or scoring a touchdown. All of these are perfect examples of excellence, because excellence is how one feels about their accomplishments. Personally I believe excellence is trying your best and giving it you’re all, not listening to any of the naysayers, and just trying. Whether you try in academics, sports, work or even love, the important thing is that you try. Taking risks and not staying in a stagnant situation that makes you miserable. In essence, life, just trying to survive, and improve yourself is a task by itself.
Excellence in nature is something everyone strives for. Most people listen to the others that surround them, and when are told they can’t do something, or aren’t able they take it in and just give up. But what does that say, is it an excellent effort by listening to someone who is only saying what they did due to the fact that they could not accomplish the same thing? Anyone who has ever accomplished anything in life will tell you it starts with yourself. Believing is key, everyone is told at some point in their life that their dreams are “Dumb” or “Impossible,” but it is how you take it that defines you as a person. If you take it in and doubt yourself, then you will undoubtedly fail. Self confidence is the first step to excellence.
The next thing that adds to the definition of excellence is in your attitude. If you believe in what you are trying to accomplish, and are verbal about it others will follow. People can sense confidence, it emanates throughout a person and people respond to it as they do when someone is happy or sad. If you strive to be excellent and are confident of the goal of which you are trying to obtain then the rest will follow. People tend to attach themselves to excellence, when you attain your goal others will respond and be inspired to do the same. Hence the effect celebrities have on people. People see others doing the things they love, and enjoying life, while they themselves barely remember the dreams they once had. They are stuck, at their dead end jobs, with their worthless spouses and miserable lives, yet they continue, with mere admiration and slight resentment for people who do what they love. That is the first problem with excellence. Too few people in the world actually try to obtain it. It is like a ghost to people, always lingering out of reach, and most are too afraid to pursue it.
That is where I call for change. How do people expect to achieve excellence if they are too afraid to make the first move? If people would quit living the lives they have to, and live the lives they want to it would make for a better world. Money doesn’t buy happiness, is a phrase that is thrown around lightly. It is true, money does not buy happiness, but it does finance life. And people are too afraid to stray from their comfortable, safe lives. They do not take risks, they will observe their dream and watch others bask in the fruits of their hopes and dreams but they are too afraid to reach out for them themselves. Taking the initiative is the second step to achieving excellence. No one is going to hand you your dreams on a platter. If you want to be an athlete, than train, a teacher, then study and attend school, a writer, then write. Whatever it is you want in life is up to you. It is your for the taking, so don’t hesitate, just try your best and give it your all. If it is truly what you love to do, then that is what you are bound to do.
The final part of excellence in definition is the others perspective of you. Do not try to make an impression; do not go out of your way to make people think more or less of you. Just concentrate on your goal and the others will notice. If people are influenced by you, whether or not they tell you is irrelevant. There will always be people to encourage or deflate you along the way but do not stray from the task, results will follow. And when you obtain your goal, or some semblance of it the naysayers will notice. They will probably resent you more, for proving you wrong, but do not get discouraged, you will have influenced them more and caused a ripple effect making others reevaluate their lives and hopefully they will make the same choice.
