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Are you striving for excellence in both your personal and professional life? Or, are you one of those individuals who produces mediocre results, but expects outstanding opportunities, and when those opportunities do not materialize, screams "foul!" in the forum of discrimination, reverse discrimination, racism, sexism, or some other "ism?" Most people would rather place blame than accept responsibility for the results that they produce. Oprah Winfrey says, "I was raised to believe that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that’s how I operate my life." In order to be successful in a time of accelerated change, overwhelming complexity, and tremendous competition, everything you do must be done with excellence.

If you want to ensure excellence and inspire those around you to do the same, consider mastering the following fundamentals:

• Make a Personal Commitment to Excellence
• Pay the Price
• Exceed Expections
• Never Settle for Good Enough

Make a Personal Commitment to Excellence. How strong is your commitment to excellence? Vince Lombardi said, "The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor." To achieve excellence, total commitment is necessary. Being totally committed to excellence means you understand that there is no job unworthy of your best effort. It means you will give your best, in everything, in every way, and in every situation. Commitment to excellence is not a "sometimes" thing; it is a way of life.

Pay the Price. Stephen Covey says, "Real excellence does not come cheaply. A certain price must be paid in terms of practice, patience, and persistence--natural ability notwithstanding." A woman rushed up to famed violinist Fritz Kreisler after a concert and cried, "I’d give my life to play as beautifully as you do." Kreisler looked at the woman and said, "I did." You must pay the price, if you wish to reap the reward. You must give your abilities, your energy, your gifts, your love, your resources, your talents, and your time. In other words, you must give your life!

Exceed Expectations. Good enough is the enemy of excellence. It is no longer good enough to meet expectations. It’s time to exceed expectations and, in the process, set new ones. Progressive Insurance Company understands what exceeding expectations is all about. When you call, Progressive will check the rates you would be charged by up to four leading auto insurers. And if another insurer has a better rate, (guess what?) they’ll tell you who it is. Most people respond by saying, "Well, I never expected that from an insurance company." And Progressive simply says, "Well, maybe you should." Set yourself a part. How? By doing more than is expected.

Never Settle for Good Enough. How good are you at what you do? Pat Riley, coach of the Miami Heat, says, "You don’t want to merely be the best of the best. You want to be considered the only one who does what you do." You must reach for a level of excellence where your name will become synonymous with what you do. When asked, "What is the safest car in the world?" Most people respond by saying, "Volvo." Think about that. Out of all the cars they could have said, they said Volvo. When you settle for nothing less than excellence, people will remember your name.

Excellence comes from personal conviction, a willingness to pay the price, going the extra mile, and never being satisfied with good enough. Butler said, "Every man’s work, whether it be literature or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself." Ask yourself: What kind of portrait am I painting? Those individuals who consistently paint a portrait of excellence will enjoy a distinct competitive advantage.

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