11:11 Waves Blog 77: Excellence 

Weekly ideas to stimulate reflection, inspire new possibilities and encourage new ways of doing and being. 

1. Test the water 

This week’s word is: Excellence 

Excellence is the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. 

The word "excellence" comes from the Latin word “excellentia”, which is derived from the verb “excellere”, meaning "to rise up" or "to surpass". It combines “ex-” (meaning "out of" or "beyond") and “cellere” (which means "to rise" or "to be high").   

What is your definition of excellence and how do you relate to it? Discuss the question here. 

2. Experience the initial wave 

To broaden your perspective, take a few minutes to read the following thoughts and notice what comes up for you. 

I. 

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit". Aristotele 

II. 

"Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better". Pat Riley 

III. 

Excellence and perfection are often used interchangeably, but they embody distinct concepts, especially in contexts like personal development, sports, and professional achievements. Here’s a breakdown of the differences:  

3. Dive deep 

To gain a deeper understanding and spark new discoveries, this week I invite you to reflect on the following questions:  

• What are some areas in your life where you could shift from a perfectionist mindset to one focused on excellence? 

• What specific actions can you take to embrace excellence and reduce the pressure to be perfect? 

4. Ride your radiant wave 

This week, I invite you to focus on being excellent rather than perfect. Even though the greatest athletes strive for perfection, they understand the importance of prioritizing excellence as their goal. This mindset is what enables them to achieve greatness repeatedly. To inspire you, check out this super short video by Sport Mental Coach Jean François Ménard and then follow the steps below.

• After you watch the video, pick a task or activity you are currently working on or one you want to start. It could be related to your work, a personal project, or a skill you want to improve. 

• Set a clear and achievable standard for what excellence looks like in this task. Focus on doing your best within realistic boundaries rather than aiming for an unattainable level of perfection. 

• Take action! 

• At the end of the week, reflect on your experience. Ask yourself: 

  • What did I achieve by focusing on excellence? 

  • How did accepting imperfections influence my progress and satisfaction? 

  • What can I learn from this experience to apply in future tasks? 

• Celebrate you progress!