Excellence is never by chance.

"Excellence is never the result of chance; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution, and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities."

The above anonymous quote was prominently displayed in an office, where it seemed to draw very little attention. In any case, it has made enough of an impression to entice you to take a look at these wise words and see where they may apply.

It is essential to have a destination in mind and a map when embarking on a road trip unless it intends to wander around the country aimlessly. The majority of people on the planet are following someone else's plan. To put it another way, most people are aimlessly wandering, much like a traveler without a specific destination or map. It would be most beneficial to examine various areas or aspects of life and ask, "What is the intention here?" Consider family, business, spiritual practice, financial resources, retirement, education, self-development, health, and social interaction. According to their admission, most people are not living fully realized lives or reaching their full potential. A lack of clear and focused intention and direction is one of the primary causes.

"Sincere effort" is impossible to achieve in the absence of clear direction. When a clear intention is established, perhaps effort becomes sincere. Because they are uninspired by the task, most people only do an adequate job of trying whatever they are doing. Sincere effort is the result of a firm intention. It just happens. Examine the areas of one's life where one is "hanging out" or "clocking time." This indicates a lack of sincerity – an opportunity to develop a more focused and clear intention!

As humans, we tend to see things in purely linear "cause and effect" terms. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is undoubtedly simplistic. Still, most successful people have learned to take a perceived challenge and turn it into an opportunity for benefit, value, and profit. This is the result of introspection and the advice of open-minded and visionary individuals (of which there are few).

When each of these steps is taken, it creates an opportunity, a challenge, an impact, and a benefit. With these steps in mind, it is simply a matter of willpower to trade mediocrity for excellence!