You tread on my dreams
At what point does the pursuit of excellence become an obession?
Today was a beautifully ugly day.
Early in the morning, I recieved a message from a very irate client, who was not satisfied with the final product we had delivered.
Halfway during the day, I got another call from a client who asked me to call him because “he is not happy”.
Early afternoon, I got seriously told off by a potential client for being five minutes late.
Late evening, I made a presentation for a personal project I was doing that was well received, but the payment, which I was counting on for a major deposit on something, did not come through.
And in between all that, there are small things that happened that just made me wonder what was wrong with the day.
When I look back at what happened in each one of those occasions, I realized that I actually put in everything I possibly could to meet the clients’ requests, to the extent of not sleeping a couple of days. As in I seriously did my best. And not to brag, but my best is not a shabby affair…
So again, I ask; At what point does the pursuit of excellence become an obsession? Or is it simply a lofty ideal goal we set for ourselves so that we can always have something higher to look up to?
—
Offtopic:
“Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with the golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams beneath your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams…“W.B. Yeats
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16 Responses to “You tread on my dreams”
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Ivan on September 23rd, 2008
I can relate. Seriously
The Emrys on September 24th, 2008
gotcha
petesmama on September 24th, 2008
I was feeling you, then you quoted Yeats and distracted me…
Anyway, you cannot go measuring your level of excellence by someone else’s reaction. If you know you put your soul into something and you are feeling it, then be content. The rest is just the lousy effects of capitalism – when we have to make money with our talents and not just please ourselves.
Solomon King on September 24th, 2008
@ Ivan, perks of being creative, right?
@Emrys, right back at you.
@Petesmama, that Yeats poem…
Miss Cheri on September 24th, 2008
Beautifully ugly day- Oxymoron
Such happens.
Purusit of excellence becomes an obsession when u sleep, eat, breathe, walk, talk and dream (all at the same time) about that that u seek excellence in.
Adding u to my blogroll… If u don’t mind.
Solomon King on September 24th, 2008
I don’t mind at all, Cheri. And what if you seek excellence in everything?
Becomes a bit of a pain, no?
The Rogue King » sometimes it pays to take that first small step on September 24th, 2008
[...] every night I go to sleep, however tough a day has been, there is still the pride in knowing that I may not be where I ultimately want to [...]
Mr.B2B... on September 26th, 2008
Dawg, i am with you on point
even the Yeats poem too!!
Kiana on September 26th, 2008
I simply adore Yeats
Solomon King on September 26th, 2008
Kiana! hey! Good to see you here.
ivan on September 26th, 2008
Yes, let’s give it up for yeast…and barley too! In a frothy brew.
wait, you said Yeats. Ugh. busted
Solomon King on September 26th, 2008
Dude…
Princess on September 27th, 2008
Yeats has the power to move me.
Nice digs, King.
The Apprentive on September 29th, 2008
Perhaps we need to distinguish the difference between Excellence and Perfection!
Solomon King on September 29th, 2008
Perfection can be pursued, but never attained. Excellence however, can be attained.
El on December 2nd, 2008
i think the pursuit of excellence becomes an obsession when you start to measure your excellence by everyone’s standards…… you can never really please everyone…. so start with your self, attain your excellence and be content with your achievements.
now, that poem just did me in…. along with many other people i read it to at the office…. too tight!!!! too too tight!!!! wow!!!
by the way i hope this is the initial post on this blog coz this is where i started and i like to start things from the beginning….. and just so you know, so far, so good…