On the wall in my office, I posted a quote about excellence that reads, "Excellence is the gradual result of always trying to do better..."
When I first read it online, it spoke to me in such a meaningful way that I had to print it out and place it in my line of sight as a simple reminder each day to do better. Not just at work, but to be a better listener, to procrastinate less, to stick to my exercise regimen even when I'm tired and to work towards the goals that are important to me even on the days where nothing seems important to me. This mindset doesn't come easy, I find that there are always contradictory forces at work attempting to help us under-perform if we allow them to (hashtag binge watching, internet browsing, Face-booking, etc.).
This is why I appreciate people and environments that keep me stimulated and encourage me to do work I'm proud of. Sometimes negative reinforcement pushes me in a way that no well-meaning, sweet-talking motivational life coach could. Excellence should not be confused with perfection since the idea of "perfect" work is mostly a subjective matter. Below I have listed some positive reinforcements that I use to not only get it all done but to also produce thoughtful, high-quality, timely and most of all, excellent work.
Conditioning is similar to repetition. It's training yourself through repetitive actions to become, better. Athletes, singers and even professional networkers use conditioning to become the best at what they do. If you want to improve your email response time with students, practice by responding to all emails from students within 24 hours, even if its just a reply to let them know that you'll look further into their issue. Or, if you decide that waking up an hour earlier in the morning would make you more productive, try setting the alarm to rise and shine even on the weekends. This process conditions your body to the sleep pattern you choose.
Mentorship is a very useful tool since some solid guidance can help you avoid common professional mistakes. Having a good mentor can provide you with a blueprint to success in whatever areas you desire. If someone has accomplished something you wish to accomplish yourself, they're likely the best person to shadow. This also works both ways, being a mentor to others can also sharpen our skillset.
Studying your craft is another path to excellence. As a sociologist, this is one of the best tools I've utilized in order to improve my knowledge-base and overall understanding of the field. Finding research topics and theoretical perspectives that coincide with my studies has improved my clarity in a way that only dedicated and deliberate study time could.
Competing is not always a bad thing, especially when the person you are competing with is yourself. That's right, since excellence is the gradual result of always trying to do better, what can be more rewarding than outdoing what you considered to be your best. The sky is the limit here.
Reminders don't have to be done constantly or they might become annoying, and subsequently you may start to ignore them, like those smartphone apps that are supposed to remind you to drink water. For this I would take more of a clandestine approach. For example, each time I happen to see repeated numbers like 555 or 111, its a subtle reminder to myself to pay attention to my thoughts and to make sure they are positive, productive and uplifting. The more I notice repeating numbers, the more I happen to see them, (thanks to my reticular activating system). These gentle reminders set me on the path to excellence at moments when I least expect it.
Connection is so important when deciding to produce excellent work. If I'm not connected to the projects I am working on to some degree, I get bored, and boredom does not foster excellence on any level, unless your goal is to be excellent at being bored. Having a personal connection to your work product will ensure that you put the required time and energy into getting it right in order to be proud of your results.
Environments can foster productivity or procrastination. Getting involved in unproductive claptrap throughout your day is bound to interfere with how productive you can be. So often our environments don't challenge us or bring out the best in us but we rarely make the changes that are needed to improve our space. Upgrade your environment, upgrade your life. Place motivational posters on your walls, maybe a vision board for your career or some happy pictures of family so you can remember why excellence is so important to you in the first place.
Distractions like social media, office gossip or browsing Amazon ten times a day, filling, emptying and refilling one's virtual cart is the definition of distraction. Distractions can come in so many forms, but its up to you to decide if something is a much needed break from the monotony or a rabbit hole that will suck several hours out of your day.
Agility is one of my favorite aspects as it relates to shooting for excellence. Being able to roll with the punches or having the ability to quickly adapt without having a conniption says a lot about your character. Falling to pieces at the slightest discomfort does not scream excellence. This doesn't mean that you won't want to fall apart when the school calls to tell you to pick up a sick child right before you're due to pitch a project idea that you've been working on for months. But when you choose to keep a cool head solutions are clearer. "Never let them see you sweat!" doesn't mean you don't sweat, it just means that its not everyone's business when you do.
I hope you've enjoyed reading what excellence means to me. If you have any suggestions or examples of your own, please feel free to comment below.
Jameelah Ra'oof MIS, MS
Coordinator of Teaching, Learning & Academic Excellence
Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE)
Texas Woman's University
940.898.3427
Stoddard Hall - Room 305A
