The Key

"Average is the enemy of excellence" 

I think there is a key to being successful.
I think there is a key towards reaching your potential.
I think that there is a key to be excellent.

I think hard work and perseverance are the key.

Now, don't get me wrong-- I think there are a lot of other things that are going to allow you to reach that point... but the key that unlocks to the door to excellence is hard work.

I'm not the queen of hard work. There are times when I am exhausted and don't want to do it anymore. There are times when I can't seem to find the point to keep trying. There are times when I just don't want to even start it.

I want to be excellent. I want to prove people wrong-- show them that I can do it. I want to reach the potential that other people see in me. I want to be MY very best that I can be. So I guess that means that step one is having the desire. Though, what if you only had the desire to be great? You would have the cause without the effect. You mentally are where you need to be, but unless you are out there giving your cause 100% then you are going to get no where. You will stay where you are. There will be no progress- no forward movement. To be excellent you need the desire coupled with hard work.

Second, you need to not be afraid. Don't be afraid of failure. Don't be afraid of letting yourself down. Don't be afraid of losing who you are. Don't be afraid of trying new things. Don't be afraid of disappointment. Don't be afraid to be the best. DO NOT be afraid of excellence. The only thing that we should be afraid of is being average. But be so afraid of it that you are determined to never settle for it. Fear clouds our minds and creates doubts. We don't have time to doubt ourselves. In the words of a very wise coach, "Embrace the suck, and get better!". We have to embrace what we're good at right now, and have a desire for that progress. Embrace the suck, and work your butt off so that you don't suck anymore.

Third, you need determination. Once you have that desire, and you aren't afraid-- you need to be dead set on completing and achieving your goal. You can't waver. You heart, mind, and soul needs to be in accordance with one another on becoming the best-- and don't defer. Be determined to be your best self- and nothing less.

Lastly, you need heart. Heart means that you are going to go all in. It means that you are going to jump into the deep end and tread water. It means that you will put your whole soul into your cause. Whether it is soccer, piano, knitting, croquet, even underwater basket-weaving-- whatever it is- GO ALL IN. If you have heart, hard work will be a natural consequence because your soul is telling you to get better. Your whole being is yearning to the best. To have heart, you have it all.

The key is simple. Use it. Unlock the gate to the greatest discovery of potential-- and put in the work to walk through that gap. Use the key.


Don't be mediocre.
Don't be average.
Don't even be good.

Be excellent.