“The ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence.”
~ John F. Kennedy
Remember when you performed well in kindergarten and were rewarded with a gold star? Do you feel that, as an adult, you would still be earning gold stars? Would you be earning at least one every day? Every hour?
Why is it that, as adults, some of us quit doing our best? Laziness? An overwhelming fear of failure? “Analysis paralysis”–spending too much time analyzing a situation and never taking action?
Imagine what your life would be like if you did everything you ever pursued with one hundred percent excellence. We all believe we should have the best; however, to have the best, we must perform at our best and never compromise our standards. Whatever you’re doing right now, you can find a way to do it better.
Here are my 12 Steps on the Path to Excellence. These are simple concepts you can easily integrate into your daily lives.
- Constantly strive to do your very best in all areas of your life. Push yourself to be the very best you can be in every moment. Abraham Lincoln said it best: “I do the very best I know how–the very best I can–and I mean to keep on doing it until the end.” In my international selling music album, The Law of Attraction, I wrote a song entitled, “Always Do Your Best” because doing your best is the key to achieving excellence.
- Do things right the first time. Not everything has to be done perfectly; after all, there is the law of diminishing returns. It’s okay to take shortcuts as long as they provide a more efficient way of reaching your goal. That said, you never want to do something with “a lick and a promise” if it means you’ll later have to return to the task and spend more time to do it right.
- Never put things off you can do now. Don’t become a “tomorrow” person. Address what’s on your plate as soon as you can.
- Handle every problem you encounter with an attitude of excellence. Remember, problems are a necessity for growth; any time you solve a problem, a feeling of fulfillment surrounds you. Your true character emerges when faced with adversity.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Approaching tasks with an attitude of excellence does not mean everything you do will be error free. If you make mistakes or take some wrong turns, learn from them so you’ll do better next time.
- Never stop learning. Life is a continuous journey. Identify people who live a life of excellence and learn from them. Read their memoirs and study their techniques. Remember, invest your time with those who build you up–never compromise this rule!!!!
- Celebrate the achievements of others. Life is not a competition. Understand that if someone else can do it, so can you!
- Keep your word. Follow through on your promises. Integrity is one of the most important building blocks of excellence.
- Try something new. In order to obtain something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.
- Show gratitude to all–it replenishes! Giving thanks automatically raises your vibration. The Law of Attraction states that you can attract only what’s on the level of your current vibration; the higher your vibration, the more you’ll manifest!
- Enthusiasm is also a key ingredient for achieving excellence. Always find ways to generate excitement in all your endeavors.
- Live with awareness. Do not give you attention to anything that does not strengthen you. Become conscious of every action you take; otherwise you will live life by default. In my teachings, I say you can never do better than your present level of awareness, even when it comes to seemingly mundane tasks. Whether it’s brushing your teeth, studying, working with clients, eating or fitness habits… get off autopilot and ask yourself whether you’re doing the very best you possibly can. If not, find ways to do them better–even the little things.
Now take out a notebook and write down what you do on a daily basis. Look at that list and consider how you can implement my 12 Steps on the Path to Excellence. Then rekindle that enthusiasm you had as a child ahead and go earn yourself a gold star. When you can manage a day doing everything as best you can, then you can do it for the rest of your life.
Remember, life is about feeling good. Why? Because you deserve it!
Renowned Performance Trainer in the field of Business and Self-Development, Nikkos (Nikk) Zorbas passionately helps people dream big and release their potential from within. Nikk is the Best-Selling author of “Discovering Your Personal Power, and “Discover Your Business Power” both available on Amazon.com. His columns appear bi-monthly on www.MesquiteLocalNews.com. To learn more visit www.DiscoverYourBusinessPower.com/
