Excellence is a Prevailing Attitude

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.” ~ Colin Powell

During my career, I had the pleasure and privilege of working for Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.  If you have experienced the Disney product by visiting the many theme parks, taking a cruise, buying merchandise or going to the movies, you have experienced the “excellence.” At Disney, excellence is truly a prevailing attitude from the front line Cast Members to the executive suite.  Everybody gets it.  The excellence doesn’t happen by chance, it happens by setting high expectations and following through with every detail.

So you may be thinking, nice story, but what has that got to do with me?  As an adult learner you made the choice to pursue your education.  You are making an investment in yourself.  At times, it may be tough balancing your family, work, community involvement and school obligations. I encourage you to “choose excellence” by setting high expectations for yourself.  Follow through by developing habits in the “little matters.”  Examples of this include developing good study habits; assessing and revising how you manage your time; asking for help/guidance; and developing a support network. Excellence is not achieved by chance.  It is a choice.  I challenge you to “choose excellence” for your educational journey and develop the habits to achieve excellence.  I guarantee it will be worth it.