There is an article I found extremely insightful as I research The Art Of Excellence. It's written by Dr. Brian Davidson entitled "Unraveling Human Excellence". I encourage you to give it a read. Dr. Davidson explains excellence like the 3 strands of a cord or rope. He asks the question, "Why do some people achieve remarkable results?" and makes the case that they have what he calls the "Intrinsic Edge" - where non-cognitive skills (factors we all intrinsically possess) are developed, giving us the competitive edge to achieve high performance.

I was particularly interested in the word, "intrinsic". The factors we already possess. Sounds a lot like our unique, God-given design, doesn't it?

Here are the notes from my backstage where I am building out the body of knowledge called, "The Art Of Excellence" which you are free to visit and contribute:

The Intrinsic Edge

• Three strands:
• Fire
• Extremely self-motivated as you work toward your goals with remarkable levels of passion and drive
• It's the fire from within
• Characteristics
• Self-awareness - accurate understanding and appreciation of our authentic self
• Self-determination - having and pursuing self-generated and very meaningful goals that align with your values and sense of purpose
• Growth mindset - the belief that your potential can be cultivated through effort
• Self-efficacy - the belief in your ability to accomplish your goals
• Discipline
• The ability to follow through and finish the self-generated goals and accomplish them
• Characteristics:
• Grit - the passion and perseverance to remain committed to the long-term goals
• Self-discipline - the ability to engage in deliberate practice and do the work we simply don't want to do
• Conscientiousness - being organized, careful, and dependable in the completion of our work
• Self-control - the ability to control our impulses and delay gratification for a larger, future reward
• Control
• The ability to adapt to changing situations and overcome adversity when it strikes.
• Knowing how important it is to modify and adapt to change.
• Characteristics:
• Adaptability - the ability to acclimate to a changing environment
• Situational awareness - being cognizant of your surroundings in order to harness new opportunities when they arise
• Hope - the ability to actively pursue your goals while maintaining the ability to navigate around obstacles
• Resiliency - the ability to bounce back from setbacks and emerge from adversity stronger than before

• The seal holding the strands
• Honesty - being truthful and trustworthy
• Integrity - doing the right thing, even when no one is watching
• Ethical behavior - doing good and doing no harm

Now, what makes this list of 3 strands (and the seal) unique is how you see yourself with these characteristics. We can all be high performing in our own way and that's the key: in our own way.

ACTION STEP

• Review the notes above
• Journal about how you see yourself with each of the 3 strands and their characteristics.
• Ask yourself how well you are with the seal of honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior

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