Comments

I love 'Excellence' for its ability to act as an ever-so-simple yet effective benchmark in life and business. Did I give 'excellent' service? If not, why not? Was that project excellent? Was the service I received in that store excellent? Etc..

It's the antithesis of mediocrity, which I have no time for. As TP says, now is the time (MORE THAN EVER) to apply The 'E Word' To Everything in 2009.

Just in the last 24 hours I have asked myself: Why is my town's independent bookstore closed for the holidays when people are out shopping? (it doesn't do that well to be able to shut for long). Why is the local estate agent shut for two weeks when people are knocking on its (locked) doors wanting to view properties for sale? Why was the floor and tables of that cafe I went in so dirty and what did that say about their brand experience?

These are just a few examples of mediocrity; imagine if they had strived for Excellence instead, how much more successful they could be...

Posted by Ian Sanders at December 30, 2008 1:52 PM

Excellence is remaining focused on training for the London Marathon in April 2009
Excellence is the thought of running past that finishing line
Excellence will be enjoying the taste of good old English fish and chips once again after April 2009 :-)

An 'excellent' Happy New Year to all at TP

Posted by Trevor Gay at December 30, 2008 3:14 PM

Thank you very much for the "excellence mantra". I will print it and frame it so I have these messages at hand every day at the office. As you have said, in times of economic troubles there's nothing as being excellent.

Posted by Luis Lara at December 30, 2008 6:28 PM

Excellence is not an obese senior getting slim for 3 months & fast walking a marathon & trying to tell all about it!
Excellence is not a 4.5 hour marathon - that is not a "run" - it is a slow jog at best - aka fast walk!
Excellence is not Oprah "running" a 4.5 hour one & now back at 200 lbs. - such an inspiration!
Who hasn't done a marathon or 5? --2:48 PR & it felt outstanding for 1 day :>)

Posted by Contraire at December 30, 2008 6:35 PM

'Sean' 'John' 'Diamond' or as I now see 'Contraire' ....Please, please, please, if you are going to use different names do be a bit more original and find different words rather than regurgitate your same worn out, tired style and mantra. Nevertheless I wish you a Happy New Year from a very content, non-obese, 56 year old who will be very happy to complete the course in 4.5 hours :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at December 30, 2008 6:48 PM

I am with you Trevor...I participated in a lot of triathlons before I competed in them. This 57 year old always feels great crossing the line...and rarely looks at the clock. I have my eye set on the Chicago marathon as a sixtieth birthday gift to myself. Happy New Year Trevor! I know it will be an Excellent one...

Posted by Mike Neiss at December 30, 2008 8:30 PM

Dear Tom & TP.com team, before 2008 ends, allow me to hereby express my appreciation for the difference you guys have made in my life (I've been following your blog for about 6 months).

- Tom,your ideas & view points (spoken out loud) gave me so much more than inspirations! They affirmed thoughts & killed the doubts within, gave me the courage and belief in self...you are a real-life example that being different is something to be proud of,though going against the current is tough, we still gotta stand by our own beliefs...and go make a difference!

- I love the Cool Friend Interviews! It opened the door for me to discover other outstanding thinkers & doers of our time...great source of inspirations! I haven't yet discovered any other site that has such great generous feature,,,

- "they say plan it, i say do it"...the seed of my personal development for past 6 months...

Thank you and wish you all a Meaningful 2009 with tons of Excellence!

Posted by John C. Ng at December 31, 2008 3:49 AM

Hi Mike and Happy New Year to you too. I am very impressed with your efforts. Competing in a number of triathlons is a fabulous achievement- well done. I am equally sure you will achieve your 60th birthday ambition in the Chicago marathon. I will be happy if I can complete one marathon. The time is not at all important to me. What is important is the personal satisfaction; being part of the big day; and most important raising money for my charity. Almost 40,000 people take part in the London Marathon and well over half of us will have times of 4 hours plus so I am content to be in the company of the majority :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at December 31, 2008 3:58 AM

Excellence though isn't the "majority" - it is daring to break 3 hours as a senior - doing the proper training with nutrition then risking it all. The Oprah pace & 200 lbs later clearly is not excellence - especially with relentless self promotion by our Gay-boy! :>)

Posted by Contraire at December 31, 2008 6:11 AM

Sean-Diamond-John-Contraire - I have no desire to break 3 hours thanks. Suicide is not an option I wish to pursue at this point of my life. Your relentless ‘self promotion’ of personal record (2 hours 48) is impressive - congratulations. For information I’m following a 24 week marathon training programme, including nutrition, written by a UK marathon expert and that’s good enough for me.

As regards - "Excellence though isn't the "majority" - Who says its not?

Posted by Trevor Gay at December 31, 2008 6:25 AM

Trevor Gay Excellence in depression & self promotion & paranoia with several after you now! :>) Including National Health Service & Labour party assciates - plus e-mail about you exchanged by those who post @ this website - I bow to that Excellence in your pursuit of negative angst! And thanks to the 2008 online crowd - Heaven protect us all in '09 :>)

Posted by Contraire at December 31, 2008 6:16 PM

Sean-Diamond-John-Contraire - who needs to self promote when I have you as my agent? - Thanks again and Happy New Year.

Posted by Trevor Gay at December 31, 2008 7:39 PM

EXCELLENCE is getting to do what you need to do, go the extra mile and be home early to spend QUALITY time with the kids.
EXCELLENCE is seeing your children growing up and not regretting that you weren't there in showing them the path.
EXCELLENCE is Great Things multiplied through your family.

Posted by Dennis D. Balajadia at January 1, 2009 11:44 PM

I recall once hearing the phrase the mouth is the anus of the mind...nice to see it's translates into the cyber world as well.

Trevor...critics aside, your goal of completing a marathon is one of the many things I have gained a respect for over the past coup;e of months. There aren't but two folks you really have to be accountable to and one of the them as you have always pointd out is the man looking back at you in the mirror! Good luck with the marathon my friend!

Posted by Dave Wheeler at January 2, 2009 8:06 AM

Thanks Dave - appreciated.

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 2, 2009 1:53 PM

Bravo, Trevor. What a great goal!

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 2, 2009 2:31 PM

As a business it is better to be excellent at a small thing than mediocre at a large thing.

This is the problem of the startup companies driven by the VC's who demand a $100M business in 5 years. The founders focus on finding a $100M business which they will execute poorly vs. stringing together $10M markets (like pearls on a string) which they can execute well.

Not only do the founders suffer but the limited partners in the funds. Sad but true.

Posted by Bruce Fryer at January 2, 2009 8:36 PM

Well said Dave. Trevor it is truly a remarkable pursuit. You have got a ton of support for your run (hell, we don't care if you jog) on this site...Go get them!

Posted by Mike Neiss at January 2, 2009 9:09 PM

Agreed, Mike.

Some of us will NEVER reach the excellence that Oprah has shown year and year, exceeding expectations professionally and personally giving millions upon millions to charities yearly. Through consistence and excellence, Oprah inspires people worldwide. Who do you inspire by your words and actions? This too is excellence; excellence is more than service and products.

Tom Peters is excellent.

Recently, Oprah gave $365,000 dollars to an exemplary school in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Atlanta without solicitation. To hear the founder of the school tell the story is heartwarming. Only tiny little sad people despise the accomplishments and goals of others. But love to those too --really.

What the world needs now is love.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 2, 2009 10:42 PM

Excellence is love.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 2, 2009 10:44 PM

Cheers Mike and Judith – having a goal and working toward it is the real challenge for me. The time taken on the day in April will be completely irrelevant – I may walk some of the way. What keeps me focused though is the thought of crossing the finishing line after 26, and a bit, miles. We all have ambition and some have greater ambition than others. Sean-John-Diamond-Contraire is clearly an Olympic marathon standard runner with a personal record of 2 hours 48 minutes so, needless to say, I bow to his amazing ability in such matters. Judith you are soooooooooo right, and thank you, for reminding us that we must also love those who “despise the accomplishments and goals of others” such as criticism of Oprah who does such incredible work for those less fortunate. As I have said before, the easiest job in the world to do is someone else’s.Whenever I see someone putting down others goals and accomplishments I cannot help but be reminded of a quote from John Bright, who said, ‘He is a self made man and worships his own creator”

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 3, 2009 6:39 AM

Yikes. So much bile so early in the year. So sad. So depressing. So predictable.

The need to thrive by belittling others is the single trait I most dislike in a human being. (The only thing worse is the need to thrive by belittling others through contrived and belabored clever turns of phrase.)

Posted by tom peters at January 3, 2009 11:11 AM

Excellence means never having to say you are sorry.

Posted by LoveStory at January 3, 2009 10:31 PM

"Yikes. So much bile so early in the year. So sad. So depressing. So predictable."

Think about it. This quote could be interpreted as belittling.
And what is predicatable?
TP needs to drop some acid and go see Gov't Mule. (way better than Bruce SpringStein)

Posted by huh? at January 3, 2009 11:00 PM

The quote from Love Story is one of the most ridiculous that I have ever heard. It is as ridiculous on the big screen as it is on this screen; it is as stupid to love as to excellence. There would be no love or excellence in that regard. We are human, all too human.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 4, 2009 4:05 AM

Trevor Paranoia Depressive Gay - you were the master of the Year of Bile 2008 & now it is ancient history. Oprah is a famous one certainly but I'm perplexed as to how she can be 200 lbs. after preaching to the masses of her ability to self control & be so "highly spiritual". On the other hand she is super generous - but that reduces tax load & the cars she "gave away" on her show were given by the manufacturer not OW.

She is a glutton in a world where 1.2 billion people at least have not even clean water to drink. Pleasingly Oprah's fortune has dropped substantially & Stedman kicked her to the curb!

And to my view marathons are overdone with the tendency like Oprah - for people - to trash Creation's divine gift - 1st lose a massive amount of weight - 4.5 hour "run" a marathon & tell everyone - then get fat again. If that can be uplifting & even life change energizing then wonderful for simpleton Excellence values! :>)

Posted by Contraire at January 4, 2009 3:42 PM

Bravo,it was fantastic.
thank's a lot.

Posted by mahdi at January 31, 2009 3:07 AM