Superlative or Bust

“Close enough for government work” or “close enough for hand grenades” and a few other sayings come to mind as I think of getting close. Close is good, but it’s not great. Close is the average person’s way of saying they succeeded. Close is not hitting the mark. Close is approaching the mark, having it in sight, then settling for something else or worse still, telling yourself it’s good enough. I’ve done that very thing. I’ve told myself being average or mediocre was acceptable. It’s not and it’s never been when I know being average is not my best.

Superlative is derived from the Latin meaning extravagant or exaggerated. Something, maybe someone like yourself or myself, being described as extravagant, isn’t necessarily bad. Imagine your clients, your peers, your leadership team or managers speaking of you and your work in the superlative. Imagine the amount of accolades, awards, bonuses, salary increases, and other incentives you’d benefit from if your work, your end product or service offering was extravagant. What you offered and delivered was so far beyond your coworkers or competitors that the cost of your service or product or the time it took for you to deliver it was not an issue.

I believe, and I could be wrong, we live in a time of mediocrity. Being in the middle, being average, doing something that’s good enough, or close enough for government has become acceptable. As a society we’ve grown accustomed to and tolerant of substandard. I also believe that’s the reason that individuals that deliver something extravagant are heralded with all sorts or praise. In business, in athletics, in life, those that develop themselves, their skill sets and set themselves apart are the ones we tend to look up to. We tend to put them on a pedestal or edify them and their work, when it’s quite possible that on an individual basis we could achieve something similar with regards to superlatives.

I’m a couple of days behind my self imposed deadlines. I’m a bit frustrated. I’m desperately wanting to deliver an offering. But, I refuse to settle. I will not offer something average or inadequate. I will not launch and build my brand and organization with an offering that someone else can simply copy and compete with. I will not deliver without my offering being superlative. It’s not acceptable and I will not allow myself and my company to do so. If a deadline is missed, if a budget is broken, or some other standard is not met, all will be forgiven when an extravagant offering is placed in the client's possession.

Do not settle for mediocrity. Do not accept average. Do your absolute best, your very very best, each and every single time you begin and end something. It will be frustrating in the beginning. It will beg your innermost self to accept mediocrity. But know and believe, you can and will deliver the very best of what’s available in your market, your industry, your company, or your team. Others will take a bit of time to see it and acknowledge it, but you will know when you look in the mirror at night that you can lay your head on your pillow and rest well having delivered something superlative.

Today, Tuesday, July 9, 2024, I a

This is the first part of the entry.