"The author himself is the best judge of his own performance; none has so deeply meditated on the subject; none is so sincerely interested in the event."
-- Edward Gibbon
"I don't judge myself by what someone says."
-- Sydney Schanberg
"Just make up your mind at the very outset that your work is going to stand for quality. . . that you are going to stamp a superior quality upon everything that goes out of your hands, that whatever you do shall bear the hall-mark of excellence."
-- Orison Swett Marden
It's very nice when someone notices, and I get compliments when I do something well; or at least, it spoke to them in a meaningful way. I don't even mind occasional criticism that I've missed the mark for someone, especially if they explain that. And although I would really like to please everyone and have what I do touch them in a meaningful way, I really don't do it for them as much as I do it for myself.
When I please myself; when I hit the mark in my own mind; when I feel really good about producing something--that is the highpoint for me. I seek to do this every time, and as I continue to try and expand, I hit it more often, but I don't hit it all the time. Know the feeling? You're seeking to do your true best and sometimes you actually do it. That's a great feeling, isn't it? You're not really doing it for someone else, they're just along for the ride, right? That is good.
It is this drive; this motivation that creates excellence.
Here's what I've learned about excellence: it is not a destination so much as a journey. One days excellence is another days mediocre. Excellence is something to strive toward continually. Stop at any point and the excellence stops too. At the same time, it is something that you achieve when you feel that you have done your level best effort at this space and time. There can be no more than your best, so your best will suffice as the definition of excellence.
When you define excellence in this way and take it out of the lofty clouds and bring it down here so we can touch it, now the whole world can have it and pursue it.
No more excuses. . . dang!
It Isn't Worth Doing If I Don't Give It My Best.
Spread Some Joy Today--Try giving more today than you get paid for. Just for the fun of it and just for the feeling of doing it. It will rub off on others!
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