Excellence or Mediocrity

From May 2019

So what is the difference between excellence and mediocrity?  Excellence is passion, commitment, midnight oil, and elbow grease.  Excellence doesn't come easy.  Mediocrity is getting by.  Excellence is about striving to be the best. Mediocrity is about performing the minimum requirements. Excellence is about going the extra mile.

Midnight Oil 

Excellence can't be achieved by doing the minimum requirements.  We receive what we give.  The dreamers and the doers who change the world put in extra hours thinking, planning, and working towards their goals.  It is believed that those who think, dream, and reflect on their actions are the ones working towards excellence.  Rather than just taking whatever is thrown their way and settling for the average.  

Yes, average tends to be easy while excellence is somewhat hard.

Mediocrity is performing the minimum requirements. Excellence is going above and beyond what is required sometimes in unexpected ways.

A life of excellence can't be achieved in an 8-to-5 window. This isn't a call to workaholism, but rather a challenge to realize that dreamers and doers who change the world put in extra hours thinking, planning, and working toward their goals. Our minds and bodies obviously need an appropriate amount of rest, but our spirits need time to cultivate a vision for excellence.

Practice makes perfect, right? Maybe close. The point is, people who do things well have usually spent a lot of time doing those things poorly, learning, and improving. This takes time. It takes years. Excellence is only possible when we're willing to transition from dreaming to doing. We have to be willing to devote time, energy, and resources toward our big goals.

Every day is a brand new chance to decide to reject passivity and mediocrity and choose intentionality and excellence. So which do you choose, mediocrity or excellence?  What do you expect from your team?  From yourself?

Remember the phrase - 'If it's to be, it's up to me.'  Sometimes if things aren't going the way we think they should, it's time to take a proactive approach and step up and take action.  Perhaps taking on a Leadership role to make a difference.  'Be the change you want to see in the world' or in your BNI chapter.  Instead of settling, strive for the best results.

Remember the story about the Little Red Hen.  Everyone wanted to eat, but no one wanted to do the work.  

What are some things you have tried/changed?  What was your experience?

Here are some additional resources:

I Hit HidWall

Rules, Rules - Everywhere Rules

Addition by Subtraction 

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leaderboard for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.