Excellence I: A Framework

Steve Jobs once said, "Be a yardstick of quality, some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." I would think of that as true in why some people strive to do works or become works of excellence. But I have some contributions as to how it happens. And here they are.

In my opinion, the first thing that makes people want to become is Desire. And that desire could be triggered from the stand-point of fear or knowledge.

Zig Ziglar once said, "Some say that motivation is just like bathing: it doesn't last. But that's why it's recommended daily." Zig was correct. But I beg to argue that living on daily motivation as a fuel for the human engine of labour and hard work is very inefficient for success because it is externally driven, subject to mood and is thus, strenuous work. But fear is a spirit. It works with the emotions. But, it is a spirit. And many people can be fuelled by fear, their entire life. It is a very efficient resource to make human beings do things. And we do not need to do much to sustain that fuel. In a way, fear can be harnessed for results that are good and excellent--depending on what we are afraid of. In another way, fear can make us make foolish decisions, relent, caution restraint, and hold back, for the rest of our lives. It cripples and it drives. It puts together and it propels. Each side is contextual: good or terrible. Margaret Atwood in her Masterclass trailer said, "If you are struggling to get started with writing, you're afraid of something." What are you afraid of that makes you struggle or, what are you afraid of that gives you thrust?

Knowledge is powerful. Knowledge informs us of possibilities. I believe desire can also be triggered by knowledge. When one is unaware of a possibility, if that one has not by any chance envisaged it, that one would not strive for that possibility. Until the day one has a taste of what could be possible, either through first-hand experience or transferred experience, if that one is mentally and spiritually prepared, that one will begin to desire. (Here, I do not liken spirituality to religion but rather to the heart preparation of one, which had been made ready as a result of one's previous life experiences.) True story, I never liked Soursop. But until the day my elder sister made me have a taste, my eyes opened. And since then, I have often desired and enjoyed it.

The second thing is what I call the Birth Seed of Energy. Some people are born with a remarkable desire to do things. They don't need daily motivations and affirmations. You can say, they are anointed, from birth, for exploits. They are driven from within. Sadly, I would argue that some people likewise have what I call the Birth Seed of Anergy. (They are in no sense opposites.) What I mean is, it seems like, some people have in their nature abilities to resist signals, lacking powers to react and respond to triggers that might effect change in their life. My point is cynicism, for some people, seems to be a nature, from birth. (At some point, I found this idea to be an insult to God. But, I realised that it's not His fault. Humans are born in sin, into sin and, as a result, they bring into life strange natures.) This seed is just enough to drive one to exploits or failures.

The third thing is for you to discover. It would be incorrect and proud to boldly say that they are just two things. We have to leave spaces for other people to discover things also--for themselves, most often. So, that's my informed observation. I hope it helps.

Peace.