Every so often, I try to take my expectations up a notch in an endless quest for excellence.
The first time I really discovered how far I could take excellence was when William L. Belan, who was on the committee approving the written analysis for my Master’s Project told me that the committee wanted me to rework my paper. That was a big disappointment and a huge learning moment.
I had thought that I’d done pretty well, but I discovered that I hadn’t even scratched the surface of what was possible.
Reading the revision of that paper today, I’m astounded by the depth of analysis that was entirely absent from my first draft that only showed up when I was afraid I might not get my degree.
That first draft wasn’t the first time I’d failed to achieve excellence.
Guilty of big thinking, I’ve failed at many projects.
My Requiem Mass is not even close to being finished. A novel I attempted in my twenties is unfinished.
If you want to do something big, you pick your moments.
Excellence is hard and runs deep.
Excellence requires a lot of energy, time, and effort.
My very first book was excellent because I made a decision to put in the work.
Excellence is fleeting.
Excellence is difficult to sustain.
It’s work.
If you make the decision to make something really excellent, you have to commit and persist.
The Impact Factor Movie was a real test of persistence.
So many things have to be excellent for a movie to be excellent.
You can’t do that alone.
Movies are collaborative.
Excellence is a choice and you have to make it every day — again and again.
When you slack off and don’t do the work, you have to go back and do it again and again.
Just like that paper so many years ago.
You do the work and you do the rework.
You get tired and you have to find the energy.
Choose your projects wisely.
If excellence is going to last, it needs to be preserved in something worth making.
So go create something valuable.
And then rework it again, and again … long enough to make it excellent.
That’s how you create true impact.
I’m working on something right now.
Together we can make it excellent.
You can check it out right now at:
http://mcarthurcenter.com
Together we can make it excellent.
All the best,
Ken McArthur
Best-Selling Author and Producer
KenMcArthur.com
The Impact Factor Movie
The Impact Masterminds