STORY:
EverythingCounts!

Excellence Counts - helpful advice for a new millennium

By Gary Ryan Blair
Special to Everything2000

The pursuit of excellence is not only politically correct, it is highly profitable. Excellence is a form of currency. A commitment to excellence can help you capture true wealth and realize the inherent value of your potential. A lack of commitment devalues potential, credibility, and reputation.

Each of us has an important responsibility, and chances are that it's not listed on your job description: a commitment to excellence. You will never outlive its importance, usefulness, and necessity.

If you are to become the person you were meant to be on the day you were born, do whatever you do with all your might, with the unshakeable belief and understanding that excellence counts. You must live and die in the spirit of quality and excellence-always do the best you can!

Web site bookmarks are today's version of the infamous "little black book." The highest compliment you can give a web site is a bookmark on your browser. Strive to earn a position of excellence, a bookmark in the minds of the people you work with and for.

Mediocrity is a choice-not always made consciously-but still a choice.

Unless you choose excellence, you accept mediocrity by default.

You commit career malpractice every time you do things in a mediocre manner, every time you show up late, every time you are unprepared. There is no inherent value in mediocrity, no reason for people to stop and pay attention, nothing worth bragging about. You will never hear anyone say, "Hey, look at me! I'm mediocre and proud of it!"

Being "world-class" has nothing to do with size, education, or bloodline; it has everything to do with decision, commitment, action, and persistence. Excellence is a destination for anyone who appreciates, respects, and demonstrates hard work and good judgement!

A demonstrated pattern of excellence is like your own personal USDA seal of approval. It creates confidence and enhances peace of mind. It functions as an insurance policy against mediocrity and an assurance of continuous growth. A genuine commitment to excellence allows you to bump yourself up from coach to first class anytime you wish.

We all have a range of career choices and opportunities. But we expand the range and quality of our choices when we practice excellence. We reduce them when we accept mediocrity. Attempt to make every opportunity one of importance because every opportunity counts.

What is considered excellent today will become the minimum cost of admission tomorrow. You're only as good as your last performance. The bar is constantly being raised. If you don't produce excellent results consistently, someone else will.

There is no grace period for mediocrity, and you must have a zero tolerance policy for it. People expect the best. If they can't get it from you, they'll find it elsewhere.

Never relax the rules of excellence. When you compromise quality, you suffer physical and emotional detachment from your goals. Have the belief that the efficiencies of your business and life are infinite, that everything can be improved upon, that every project can be completed in an excellent fashion. Why? Because when it comes to excellence, everything counts!

Credit Line: Gary Ryan Blair, "The GoalsGuy", is the author of the best selling book What Are Your Goals? He writes and speaks extensively on the subject of goal-setting. His "EverythingCounts" series will appear on Everything2000.com each Monday through January 2000.For more information visit www.GoalsGuy.com or call 1-877-GoalsGuy.

DATE: 09/27/99

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