Excellence and Why It Is Important

By Daria Campbell

The virtue I would like to investigate this month is excellence. Do people even strive for excellence anymore? I think somewhere along the line people mixed up excellence with perfection. They are similar but not the same.

Excellence just like perfection is subjective. It is different to everyone, however the difference between striving for excellence and striving for perfection is that perfection is a myth. There is no room for flaws in perfection, it is without error or shortcomings. Nothing is ever perfect, where many things can be Most Excellent. “Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralising” Dr Harriet Braiker.

The only time I really think about the word excellent is when I remember back to my school days, when you got a top grade, and the teacher would write in red “Excellent Work”. It would swell your heart with pride knowing you did the best you could possibly do, and it was recognised.

People win awards for excellence all the time, but is it something we can all strive for? Sure, it is! If you remember that excellence should be driven by a noble purpose, and allows for flaws, imperfections, mistakes, and errors. It acknowledges these as part of the learning, and growth process. If you want to be excellent in what you do, what you say, and how you interact with others, this is a noble position to come from.  If you strive for it, if your heart is in the right place, you usually get there.

Whatever your gifts and abilities, you can administer them with a mindset of pursuing excellence. When you share what you have with genuine and positive intentions, you will witness fruitful outcomes. Embracing this approach will lead to greater contentment, as you’ll know you are striving for excellence. Carpe Diem! Seize every opportunity each day presents, for today is the only day you truly have.