Arete

Arete - The Greek word for goodness, excellence, or virtue. Originally it was intertwined with the notion that of fulfillment of function or purpose, of being to greatest extent of one's own potential. It originally dealt in courage and strength, but was later expanded to include a broader range of concepts ( the Wikipedia discussion is here).

Excellence, simply put, is something which we have largely lost sight of. It's something that individuals, organizations, and companies proclaim as their end goal, but fail to back up with words and deeds.

How did we lose this quest for excellence? More importantly, how did I lose this quest?

It starts from two roots: one, when we surrender our own personal quest to achieve excellence because it doesn't immediately provide gratification in a way that we often see those around us enjoying; two, when we realize that if we aspire to less than excellence, the ability to move forward is increased.

Excellence is hard. It requires commitment to something often unseen, often unrewarded, and often contrary to a world where efficiency and urgency are rated as far more important. "Excellence is important" one will often hear; "but we need to be practical and get things done."

Excellence requires thought. It requires planning. It requires persistence toward a goal which is often unseen by others. It requires an unyielding dedication to achieve something which is of infinite worth though not of measurable value.

If I practiced excellence in my life, if I limited myself to those actions and activities where I actively sought to achieve excellence, what would my life look like?

When did I learn to settle for mediocre?