"He is lucky," they say. "Had some good breaks," say others. "Yup, knew the right people." "Plus, he was at the right place at the right time." These are the excuses people make vocally about others who've succeeded. Worse, these are the thought processes people uncritically buy into when confronted with the high achievement of others. As they say, the worst excuse is the one you sell your self.
Why is it that we are so quick to explain away extraordinary accomplishments? Why is our knee-jerk reaction to downplay peak performance as a quirk or bestowment reserved for the precious few? Perhaps we've learned incorrectly how things work. Maybe we haven't been properly educated in the game of success. It's possible we haven't thought through our assumptions deeply enough. Most likely, however, these incorrect responses to high achievement are rooted in the fact that the performance of others makes our own pale in comparison. We reach for an explanation that takes the pressure off ourselves and find one readily at hand in the popular culture around us. Mediocrity is worshipped, decadence masquerades as creativity, and lazy is the new cool. People who strive for high achievement and excellence are freaks or sell-outs.
Truth, however, is a pesky thing. It doesn't seem to give way to fads, laziness, popular culture, excuses, anger, or false doctrines. It stands tall through it all. And the truth about high achievement and success is that it occurs on purpose, by design, through the tremendous commitment and persistence of individuals who have chosen the harder path. In other words: high achievement is earned.
This is bad news for someone searching for an excuse or wanting to explain away their own lack of success. On the contrary, however, it should be liberating for the person who has a big dream! The formula is available to anyone, and here it is:
Hard Work X Smart Work (Practice) X Time = High Achievement and Significance
Notice that this equation has almost nothing to say about talent, connections, or breaks. These things may lend a hand regarding starting points, but have virtually nothing to do with finishing at the peak.
The first component, hard work, is an unavoidable component in success. It simply cannot be avoided or bypassed. The hard truth is that if one wants significant results, significant effort will be required. Curiously, however, this one isn't so hard for people to stomach. Everyone seems to know hard work is a big part of success. What gets missed is that working hard is not the end in and of itself; it must be paired with smart work. This is effort expended toward intentional and painstaking improvement. It is not easy, rarely fun, and isn't productive until mixed with the final component of time. Time is the great amplifier. It takes inputs and multiplies them into something seemingly greater than the sum of the parts. Intentional, improvement-oriented actions compound over time. Conversely, bad choices also compound over time. What one does in the little moments show up in big outcomes over time.
These three components explain the greatest achievements of mankind. They are the tools of the mature, reserved for individuals committed to maximizing their gifts and making a difference in this world. They are best utilized by an adherence to the principles of excellence in thought and deed.
So now we have come full circle. Excellence results from excellence. Excellent outcomes come from excellent inputs. Excellence in practice, preparation, commitment, effort, attitude, relationships, goal setting, execution, measurement, analysis, improvement, and persistence produces excellence in results.
Are you dreaming of excellent outcomes in your life, career, business, marriage, home, church, or art? Then do the hard work of adhering to the principles of excellence in everything you do. Raise your standards. Make excellence the cornerstone of the life you are constructing. Put it at the center of your personal culture. And don't worry about the competition. If you truly focus upon excellence, there won't be much competition.
