Lou Holtz said, “I can’t believe that God put us on this earth to be ordinary.” And I agree with him. We, all human beings, were created to live a life of excellence.
Contrary to Abraham Maslow’s “psychopathology of the average,” we weren’t created to drift along the path of least resistance, lulling ourselves into meaningless toil. We were created to build, do, create and make an impact in the world around us.
Where in your life do you have God-given, untapped potential? Don’t you want to unleash it? Why not go for it? You may surprise yourself.
In the busyness of our daily lives, the grind of our routines and battle to get things done, it is easy to lose sight of excellence. Our counterproductive thoughts (link to resistance post) tell us we aren’t good enough, qualified or deserving. We get overwhelmed by our to-do lists, errands and pressures to perform.
“If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right,” said Henry Ford. Indeed our beliefs about ourselves are truly what hold us back. Our thoughts drive us toward ordinary. However, we can take control of those deceptive thoughts that aim to stifle our potentials.
The truth is, we were created with specific skills, strengths and talents. We were made with specific passions. We were given distinct personalities. What we do with these gifts is up to us.
There is a fork in the road. You can take the even path through the grassy meadow. Or, you can take the quintessential path less traveled, the one scattered with risks and rewards. You’ll only find fulfillment along the second path.
- You can take the path of least resistance. You can hope your talents will be good enough to get you through life. You can aim to survive.
- You can cultivate your gifts. You can develop them; learn to use them in creative ways to improve the world around you. You can aim to thrive.
For those who want to embrace their inner excellence and cultivate their gifts, here are 10 of my favorite quotes to encourage you on your journey. Use them to fight back against doubt, worry and fear. Use them to spur you on to live the life you were made for – a life of excellence.
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“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
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“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.” – Paul Brandt
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“To achieve greatness: start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
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“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” – Michelangelo
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“Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” – Pat Riley
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“Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” – Zig Ziegler
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“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“The will to win. The desire to succeed. The urge to reach your full potential…these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” Confucius
- “If you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always gotten.” – Gary Koyen
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“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” – Vince Lombardi
To find happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment, we must cultivate excellence in ourselves. It is what we were made for. Anything less would be like expecting a filet mignon and being served last week’s meatloaf. It’s a bit of a let down. Combat your inner skeptic and embrace the truth that you were made for a life of excellence.
Question: What is your favorite quote that inspires you toward excellence? I can’t wait to see what you leave in the comments below.