If you will ask other people about me, there’s a high possibility that they will describe me as someone who immensely values excellence in the things that I do. I will not deny it because it has always been a part of my system, of my personality, of my being me.
Initially, I did things excellently because I wanted to prove myself to others. I wanted all the people around me to know that I am someone who is able to deliver great outcome. Well, basically, I wanted to show off because I wanted to be valued.
Ever heard of your parents saying “papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako” (While you’re still on your way, I’ve already gone there)? Believe them. Because it may not be true that age comes with wisdom but there is truth in saying that you become wiser as you age. As I am now in my early twenties, I realized that passion, diligence and excellence are important not because you long to be noticed or you have to build a name for yourself. You have to be good and to do good for reasons far more relevant and life-giving than that.
Allow me to give you 5 good reasons why you have to strive for excellence.
1. You will have fewer regrets in the long run.
We will never run out of regrets in life because we are human. We do not have the capacity to absolutely know and control the future. We can only predict the things that may happen but we can never truly tell what exactly lies ahead. But even though the future is a big blur, we are all aware that its outcome is directly affected by the choices we make in the present.
It’s quite simple but never easy. When you do well in school, you pass and when you do really well, you receive an exemplary award. If you decide to do otherwise, then we all know what to expect, don’t we? It’s a math equation of 1 x 2 = 2. When you multiply your effort, you’ll expect higher and better results.
Therefore, the fewer obviously wrong choices you make, the fewer regrets you will have not just for today but also in the days and years to come.
2. You’re actually doing yourself a favor.
Who wouldn’t want to be successful? Or at the very least, happy seeing how far they have gone because of hard work and determination? Well, success and happiness are just part of the things you will reward yourself with if you choose to be excellent.
In choosing to be excellent, you’re not just making the people around you proud. It is in choosing to be excellent that you will be able to discover and love yourself more.
You will know your strengths and develop them. You will know how far you can push yourself and what seemingly impossible things you can make possible. You will know how to balance your idealistic goals with realistic ones. You will challenge yourself to always go the extra mile because you can. Also, you will arrive to the point of realizing that your weaknesses are just mere downsides of your strengths.
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3. You can fully savor the sweet taste of victory.
By saying “fully” it literally means beyond what is on the surface. You will be able to celebrate your sacrifices without other things bothering your mind because you know for yourself that you have done your best, you have given your all, you have exhausted all possible and even impossible efforts you can exert.
I can’t perfectly describe how sweet it is to taste victory “fully” but once you will experience it, you’ll know for yourself that that is what I am talking about because some things can never be explained in words, some things can only be understood through experience.
4. You will never run out of opportunities to grow.
When you choose to be excellent, surrounding yourself with proactive, optimistic and passionate people becomes effortless. Also, when you choose to be excellent, it is important that you find yourself a mentor. These people are the ones who will help you grow. Do not forget to thank them because you owe a big part of the great person you are and you will be to them.
Of all the “hugot” lines of the movie That Thing Called Tadhana, what struck me most is the one stated by Anthony when they were at a museum in Baguio City. He said, “Akala ko magaling na ako, marunong lang pala.” (I thought I was the best [painter] there is, but I wasn’t. I just knew how to be one.) Just like Anthony, you will also undergo a lot of learning and unlearning. The path you’ve chosen is a constant humbling journey.
5. You don’t just end there.
You don’t end inside a box with a label “just another excellent individual.” In the things that you will do and do excellently, you will not end with yourself. Eventually you will be doing all those things for other people, for greater purposes and for glorifying the One who has blessed you with what you had, what you have and what you will have.
This will also come naturally. You will realize that if you’re only doing the things that you do for yourself, you will easily get tired, frustrated and disheartened but when you do those things excellently for others, like your God, your family, your friends, your community or your country, you will always find yourself surprisingly more determined, more passionate and more excellent.
You will have a sense of sacrifice. And you will always be happy. Because being happy is not the absence of pain and struggle. Being happy is the presence of genuine joy that you’ll only get from loving. After all, love is the greatest and primary reason of why we choose to be excellent.
