I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon back in my mid 30's. It was an incredible experience from the first day of training until the end of race day. One of the many insights from that experience applies to the question about pursuing a life of excellence.

During the 26.2 mile course, we were led into a variety of neighborhoods and parks. There were moments of great music as bands were positioned along the course. There were crowds cheering us on. But there were other parts where it was silent. All you could hear were the huffing and puffing from you and the fellow runners around you.

The road to excellence is like that. There will be many moments when you are encouraged by those who wish you well on your journey. And there will be times when you will have to stay faithful in the silent moments when there are no cheerleaders cheering you on. But in the end, the journey of excellence is well worth the effort it will require.

Here are two main perspectives to keep in mind along the journey:

• TODAY. To the extent you are immersed in the art of excellence, your life will be more fulfilling in the here and now. Think of the times when are you frustrated, fatigued, and feeling controlled by circumstances. In most cases, these are symptoms of not operating in your Zone Of Excellence. But the more you dive into the rhythm of excellence, the more fulfilling your life will be - in the present moments.

• TOMORROW. To the extent that you accumulate excellence, the amount of regrets you will face will be less. Your excellence will cause you to create elements that will far outlive you. This is what it means to live forever. In terms of legacy, your impact will be felt for many more years than you will actually be alive.

ACTION STEP

• Think back to a time when you were completely and utterly fulfilled; when your heart sang
• List 2-3 elements that were present which made it such a fulfilling moment
• Consider those elements and how they could be showing you what kind of excellence you are designed for.

photo cred