I have chosen excellence!

Yes, today, I have chosen excellence as a way of life. And I shall begin very small by performing simple and uncomplicated tasks successfully and in an excellent manner. Over time I hope to extend my area of excellence to more complex and important tasks, and ultimately to all aspects of my life. In this space, among other things, I shall, in time to come, record my successes and failures, my victories over myself and my self-inflicted defeats.

Is excellence a habit?

Was it Aristotle who had said that excellence was a habit? If it is, then the question would arise how to form this most desirable habit. I do not know for sure but I will venture to give an answer.

Every day we must be performing fifty to hundred different tasks, small to big. In my opinion, for performing any task excellently, it is a pre-requisite that we create the best possible physical conditions for carrying out the task and then we must do it intentionally, enthusiastically and mindfully. It should be our effort to do an excellent job at least a few times every day. Initially it will be tough but then over time we will get into the mode and acquire the habit of excellence.

Acceptance of mediocrity is a mill-stone around our neck!

There are so many reasons for India still making the ranks of a developing country but the most important that comes to my mind is acceptance, and sometimes even celebration, of mediocrity in all spheres of the Indian society. Striving for excellence is taking the hard call, so, make do with the ordinary, the mediocre or worse, even Jugaad (Hindi term for ‘make-do somehow’). A natural corollary to this mental make-up is the ‘chalata hai’ (Hindi for “anything goes”) attitude. That attitude will do if the presently low standard of development is to be maintained but not for making a quantum improvement in any field. 

Kaizen in personal life

The ultimate challenge is to apply the principle of kaizen or continuous improvement in our personal life. At times we would goof up or slip on banana skins of our own creation, but the effort every time should be to correct ourselves, stand up and then take a confident step forward. We have to make time an ally in which to improve ourselves again and again and yet again!

Stretch yourself

Stretch yourself to the full, the world is big enough!