How to Strive for Excellence

ByJowi Witt

I like to push myself to test my limits.
Sometimes in the past, I’ve pushed myself too far.


At 22, I almost had a burnout.
I have stomach issues ever since.


So: burnout is not really excellence.


Striving for Excellence is like driving on a three-lane highway.


You shouldn’t drive too fast and lose control
and cross over into oncoming traffic.


But you also shouldn’t drive too slowly
and steer off into the right side by pursuing perfection.


Striving for Excellence has two limits:



Don’t follow perfection. Don’t follow the hustle.


What are the three lanes?​
We have:



  • Quantity

  • Quality

  • and Time.




Excellence is achieved when we do one thing often.​
It requires mastery.


Excellence is achieved when:



  • You improve from feedback.

  • It’s been moving from good to great.


Excellence is achieved over time.​
You can’t rush your way to it.


Striving for excellence is being active.
It’s not achieved passively.
You can’t do it reactively.



It is only through practice — doing what you can, fully.


It also takes deliberate planning.
Sometimes it means taking a step back,
analyzing what you’re doing,
and re-prioritizing.


As this shows, it is about denial.
It means to follow one path boldly,
but also to still take one step at a time.




You’re not in a rush.​
Because Excellence, the way I understand it,
is actually never fully achieved.


There is a lifelong striving.
Excellence is achieved when we meet our Creator in heaven.
Then will Excellence meet perfection.



Until that day — it will be fully unfinished.


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