What Does Excellence Truly Mean to You? Let's Share Our Thoughts and Insights

Can you define excellence in the true sense? I have something to share in this context, but I want to get a feel for what my dear friends think and perceive about this concept.

Regards

Hey, I think excellence is maximizing our human capacity, and that too with joy. Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can surely catch up to excellence!

Hi, in general, excellence means "one who excels in something to the heights is excellence," but from my perspective, the one who has the right attitude and uses it in the correct way to enlighten others' lives is excellence. Now, tell us what you wanted to share with us.

Cheers,
Swapna.

Very nice attempt by all of my friends, especially Vithica and Swapna, who included aspects of enlightenment for others too. 

Defining Excellence

Very simply quoting, excellence is: "To develop an acute and thorough understanding of anything so as to maximize potential and to live in harmony at all levels [myself, family, society, and nature] of my being, ensuring the continuity of happiness."

For achieving excellence, I need to be ready to understand from others if they have a better understanding than me. The other should have similar acceptance.

Ironically, we are told 100 times, "If you are to survive in this world, competition is a must." And it gets ingrained in us. What is the fact?

The fact is that we don't want to live in competition (or to say, friction) with our fellow beings because how can a feeling of opposition give us happiness? (Let me reinforce that the most basic aspiration of all human beings is happiness and its continuity.)

So the fact is, let us ask ourselves, if not competition, then what if we are to forge ahead? And then it should be naturally acceptable to me too.

It is excellence, which is described above and which is naturally acceptable to me because it gives true happiness and that too of enduring nature.

Your remarks are welcome on this... Please.

I have seen a display board near the lift in a hotel in Delhi about Excellence. The same is reproduced below for the benefit of all friends on this forum.

Quote: "Excellence is the gradual result of always wanting to do better."

Now, just think! Do you expect the best of people? Of yourself? From today, begin expecting the best of everyone and start a habit that ensures a wonderful outcome. Remember that high expectations of others (and of yourself) can inspire confidence and incredible results, results beyond what anyone may have thought possible.

Unquote.

This is really a wonderful definition of Excellence.

Regards,
-Aravind Madabhavi

Excellence is the state or quality of excelling. The pursuit of excellence is not:
- a quest for superiority
- about "competition"
- about "outstripping others"

It is about being one's best. This quote by Schlesinger says it all: "Excellence is the eternal quest. We achieve it by living up to our highest intellectual standards and our finest moral intuitions. In seeking excellence, take life seriously – but not yourself!" ~ Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.

Best regards,
Prasad

Excellence is like "Ocean Waves," which can form exactly according to the waves' flowing pattern and the strength of the surrounding air. Similar to how you, ocean_waves, may be forming your own ideas from the flow of concepts of other members. If you have something to share, why don't you put it here and ask for the comments/views of the readers?

Hello Dear All,

Can you define Excellence in its true sense? I have something to share in this context, but I would like to know what my dear friends think and perceive about this concept.

Regards

Dear Mr. Dhingra, I have already shared my opinion, "Very simply quoting, excellence is to develop an acute and thorough understanding of anything so as to maximize potential and to live in harmony at all levels [myself, family, society, and nature] of my being, ensuring continuity of happiness.

For achieving excellence, I need to be ready to understand from others if they have a better understanding than me. The other should have similar acceptance.

Ironically, we are told 100 times, "if you are to survive in this world, competition is a must." And it gets ingrained in us. What is the fact?

The fact is that we don't want to live in competition (or to say, friction) with our fellow beings because how can a feeling of opposition give us happiness? (Let me reinforce that the most basic aspiration of all human beings is happiness and its continuity).

So the fact is, let us ask ourselves if not competition, then what if we are to forge ahead? And then it should be naturally acceptable to me too?

It is excellence...which is described above and which is naturally acceptable to me because it gives true happiness and that too of enduring nature.

Regards,
Pankaj

Understanding Excellence

Excellence in this world of relative living is, again, relative. Excellence means you excel, but in what context? You may have to see it in the context in which it is talked about.

Mankind needs to look at the kind of human dissipation in the world. I am not simply restricting myself to studies or productivity, etc., but I am going beyond these realms. To round off on a philosophical note, I feel one has to be a good human being in the true sense of the definition of a HUMAN BEING to be excellent.

Dear all, please put in your comments.

Regards,
Prof. Jayaseelan