Hey You! Thanks for Being Excellent.
The people making a meaningful impression and inspiring excellence across the country.
I’m back on the road, and back to finding reasonably healthy food on the road. A well-reviewed Culver’s caught my eye and I swung by for a salad to take back to the hotel room.
The girl taking my order was friendly and articulate, and when I shared my name for the order, she, with enthusiasm responded, “How pretty!” Now, if my name were something unique and flowery like Sophronia Grace Isabella and pronounced with an exotic accent, I’d understand. But when you happen to have a name which has been exceedingly popular for decades, very rarely do people tell me it’s beautiful. They usually just tell me who they know who is named Emily—their daughter, niece, sister, etc. Certainly no one taking orders at a drive-thru has ever sincerely complimented me on my beautiful name.
She wasn’t the only dazzler there though. Her colleague—given their level of professionalism I choose this title over “co-worker”—who took my money was well-groomed and polite and organized. And then the third Culverian who brought my salad to my car was tidy and polite. It wasn’t the politeness I was responding to, I don’t think. It was their attitude of care about what they were doing. Instead of slumping their way through their work, they seemed to go about their work with purpose.
When I checked in at the hotel, the man at the front desk was well-groomed and prompt in his greeting. He asked for my last name and quickly pulled out the requisite check-in paper with a “I’m all ready for you.” The whole experience took less than 60 seconds and was so extraordinarily positive that my parting words to him were, “You should run every hotel.”
Both these experiences made me think of another gentleman I saw working at a gas station in Arkansas. Or was it Georgia or Mississippi or…? Couldn’t even tell you—the number of states I’ve been through and back through in the past 15 months is really something and parts of them blend together. But I do remember that this man was cleaning off the gas pumps, making them legitimately the cleanest pumps at which I’ve ever had the privilege of refueling.
And I said something to him about it, because I sincerely appreciate it. Like the Culverians, he seemed to be going going above and beyond to make things nice for customers like us. Their going about their work with excellence rubs off on me and I bet it rubs off on you. And what I feel when I see them going the extra mile reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Fred Rogers:
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
People who go the extra mile make a difference to me, and inspire me to approach whatever I am doing with excellence. If we’re doing a thing, might as well approach it with some excellence, right? 100%.
Here are some ideas to consider implementing for more daily excellence:
Get all the way ready for the day at the start of the day.
Prepare the night before for the next day by reviewing your upcoming tasks, packing your gym or pickleball bag, or doing the dishes so you start the day with a clean sink.
If it’s been a minute, clean up your money/budget.
Clean out your purse or daily bag and deal with the things you really don’t need to pack around.
Clean a pair of your shoes to return them closer to new state. You’ll like them more.
Organize your desk so when you sit down to do excellent things you’re not distracted by piles and clutter.
Carry yourself erectly and smile broadly at (at least) some of the people you pass.
Deflect gossip with positivity or changing the subject.
Weekly/life excellence
And for the more-than-daily excellence, here’s a interesting question: What does your life require of you this week? What does your work require you to do this week? And what would it look like to do it with excellence?
For me, my work is networking and traveling and maintaining an intentional life on the road. And what it looks like to approach it with excellence is to do things like:
Choose a good attitude about this season of uncertainty, reframing it as critical exploration and personal growth/refinement.
Keep my car and suitcase/bags at least reasonably organized.
Taking the time to review upcoming phone calls and meetings so I can be organized about following-through on all my commitments.
Adopt a mindset that every person I interact with may be someone I’m meant to help or uplift and help however I can. Make it about them and not me.
Who inspires you with their excellence or when have you felt a pursuit of excellence make a difference in your life? Would love to know!
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Very uplifting!