where character counts and integrity is the keystone

Personal Story, Quote

Aristotle, Excellence

We are what we do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

As I opened up my blog this morning, I saw this quote on my list of quotes to use and it really jumped out at me. I picked this quote up somewhere along my way to self-discovery and improvement. It struck me because I learned as a teen that there is a big difference between quality and quantity.  I was about 16 or 17 years old and I bought my first “expensive” pair of shoes, they cost $80 dollars. I remember looking and taking the time to find a pair of shoes that fit well and matched what I thought looked good also. They were a pair of Nike Mid-Top sneakers. My Scout Master at the time teased me that if I ever got hungry on a scouting trip I could always eat them. I know however, that I had made a good choice for me. Since then, I have paid attention to brands that build quality products. I recently realized that a Mountain Smith bag I bought in March of 1999, which is a very good bag. In fact, I still use it everyday.

You may be thinking how do products connect with this quote? Well, when we work to excel in something and build skills, talents, or change a characteristic. We have to develop the habit/skill until we become proficient and depending on it’s importance we practice it until we dream about it … and become ‘perfect’ in that thing.

iron wil