Friday Review: EXCELLENCE
Do you strive for excellence, or accept average? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“One key to knowing joy is to be easily pleased.”
“I once was better at this than I am.”
Do you strive for excellence, or accept average? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“One key to knowing joy is to be easily pleased.”
“I once was better at this than I am.”
Life rarely follows the script we write!
Just when we think we know our direction, something shifts — a job ends, health changes, someone leaves, or opportunity knocks when we least expect it.
So much of life is really the story of how we navigate these unexpected changes.
The people who move forward aren’t those who avoid surprises, but those who adapt and stay curious. They allow disappointment and discovery to coexist.
Each twist of fate can strengthen resilience if we meet it with humility and attention.
EXERCISE:
Today, take one small step toward flexibility — listen instead of react, breathe before deciding, or reframe what feels uncertain.
Notice how every pivot — handled with patience and grace — adds a new meaningful chapter to your life.
We become what others — or we ourselves — expect of us.
Imagine your potential unleashed because someone believes your best is possible.
Expectations are more than wishes — they’re the fuel for extraordinary action.
When greatness is expected, complacency fades and resilience grows.
Instead of shrinking from challenges, we engage, stretch, and outdo ourselves, driven by the belief we can truly excel.
Expect greatness of yourself today: step up, speak up, aim higher.
Expect greatness from those you guide, mentor, or coach. Their best may surprise you, and your encouragement will become the catalyst.
EXERCISE:
Here are some top books that support today’s quote. Give them a read — or if time is limited, do a search for a quality book summary or U-Tube video of their key messages.
Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
—Seth Godin, American author, marketing expert, entrepreneur
Each exchange — a casual chat, a heated argument, a polite nod — is a classroom if you’re bold enough to enroll.
Most people coast through conversations collecting validation, not wisdom. But what if you treated every interaction as a mirror, a test, or a gift?
That annoying colleague might be teaching patience.
That quiet stranger might be modeling presence.
Every moment becomes richer when you ask, “What can I learn here?” instead of “What’s in it for me?”
The world never stops offering hints about who you are, how you lead, and how you love.
The only question is: Are you listening closely enough to catch the lesson before it disappears?
EXERCISE:
When someone in your life irritates you, pause and ask: What is this reaction teaching me?
This question reframes discomfort into a growth opportunity, showing where your patience, ego, or compassion could evolve.
Life’s richest nourishment rarely comes from food or fame — it comes from connection.
These people are your emotional vitamins, guarding your heart from the hunger of loneliness. Yet relationships, like gardens, whither without care.
So: call first, forgive faster, listen longer.
In a world obsessed with independence, real strength lies in interdependence — the gentle give-and-take that reminds us we belong.
When you nurture the bonds that feed your soul, you’re not just avoiding loneliness — you’re cultivating joy, meaning, and warmth that solitude can never replace.
EXERCISE:
Here are a few books that can help enhance your connection skills and reduce loneliness for an even more fulfilling life:
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes-Lonely World by Uvek H. Murthy
How enthusiastic are you about your daily activities? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Though you can love what you do not master, you cannot master what you do not love.”
“Hustle and heart will set you apart.”
“It is difficult to be creative and enthusiastic about anything for which we do not feel affection.”
Words of gratitude fill the air at Thanksgiving, and Kennedy’s powerful reminder urges us to do more than just speak our thanks.
True gratitude is shown through our actions — in kindness, generosity, and how we treat others every day.
This season, let’s embrace gratitude not just as a feeling or a phrase, but as a way of life.
By living our appreciation, we not only honor those blessings but inspire goodness and connection in the world around us.
EXERCISE:
Challenge yourself this holiday season and into the new year to pair every “Thank You” with an intentional act:
Hold a door, give an unexpected compliment, or help with chores — actively transforming gratitude from a word into a living experience.
When facing a new challenge, doubt often tries to hold us back.
Pride may insist it’s impossible, shouting with certainty that there’s no chance to succeed.
Experience can warn that it’s risky, whispering reminders of past setbacks and failures.
But in those moments, the quiet voice of the Heart gently encourages us: “Give it a try.”
That whisper is Hope, inviting us to trust in possibility and growth. The greatest moments in life are born not from certainty or caution, but from courage and openness to new experiences.
Listen closely to your heart’s encouragement, for it’s there that dreams take root and progress begins.
EXERCISE:
How will you honor the whispers of your heart, take a chance, and believe in what could be?
How will you summon the courage and get your blood flowing with specific actions to overcome doubt and realize your heart’s desire?
Every new sunrise offers a chance to shape tomorrow in inspiring ways.
It’s easy to forget how much power we hold in the small choices and actions we make each day. From sharing a kind word, pursuing a good habit, or saying yes to growth — every moment is alive with possibility.
There are countless things we can do today to create a brighter future — whether it’s learning something new, reaching out to help another person, or embracing a fresh perspective.
Change builds with each action, and the energy you invest now multiplies, transforming challenges into opportunities.
If you want to change tomorrow, start by taking one small intentional step today — your decisions are seeds, and tomorrow is their garden.
EXERCISE:
What are a few of the countless things you can do today to change tomorrow for the better? Consider telling friends and family of your intentions and ask them to join the fun.
Your brain isn’t a machine. Push it nonstop, and it rebels with burnout and fog. Let it drift aimlessly, and it dulls.
The real magic happens when you honor the full cycle and embrace deep rest to restores clarity.
Shifting gears isn’t laziness — it’s precision tuning. Think of yourself as a high-performance instrument that needs contrast to create harmony.
The world celebrates hustle, but endurance belongs to those who know when to step back.
EXERCISE:
How well are you balancing focused work, play, and rest? Where is it necessary to switch gears to stay sharp, curious, and more fully alive?