“Excellence is beautiful from a distance, and brutal up close.”
I came across that quote while walking on the beach Friday morning. It caused me to stop walking and sit in the moment.
It’s so true, isn’t it? If you’re reading this, you’re excellent at something. This isn’t just true of Mozart and Beethoven, Jordan and Biles, Curie and Newton, or Twain and Austen. We all excel at something.
Maybe like Kasey, you’re an incredible decorator. Maybe you’re a phenomenal athlete, like my buddy Nick. Maybe you’re gifted at making people feel seen, loved, and valued, like my sister, Nicole. Maybe you’re a master at making delicious food like my friends Mauricio and Cory. Maybe you’re freakishly organized, like my mother-in-law, Kiki. Or, maybe you have the uncanny ability to breathe life into people through public speaking, like my colleague Lightning Lisa.
Whatever your gift is, it’s beautiful to see in action, like theirs. No doubt, people have complimented you on it, and it’s caused that unmistakable feeling of pride to well up within your chest. It should, because it’s special.
As leaders, we have the gift of being surrounded by excellence in our people. Right now, I bet you can think of people you work alongside who are supremely gifted, who make things happen that others thought might not be possible, and who increase the value of their entire organization by the quality of their work. It’s unmistakable because, as the quote says, it’s beautiful.
But the quote reminds us of something else, too. Excellence always comes with a price tag. Nobody ever became excellent at something without giving themselves to it fully. Thousands of hours practicing, countless failures, inexplicable frustration, and many opportunities lost are scattered along the pathway to excellence. Quite often, these sacrifices increase as excellence reaches new heights. Over time, those costs can leave even the most gifted people wondering whether they can keep going.
Sometimes, a few sincere words of gratitude can help someone remember why the effort matters. Think of someone whose excellence makes your team better. When was the last time you told them, specifically, what they do so well? Tell them what you admire, acknowledge the effort behind it, and let them know what it means to you and to the people they work alongside.
More importantly, I challenge you to make a habit of it. When we routinely express gratitude, we help people see the difference their work makes. And when we celebrate their excellence in front of others, we give the whole team something to learn from and aspire to. In doing so, we magnify that excellence throughout our organizations.
I bet someone came to mind while you were reading this. I hope you’ll tell them today.
#ChooseToBeGreat
Angelo
