A Lean Journey 
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” — Will Durant’s summation of Aristotle’s ideas
What does this
quote really mean? Many focus on the words repeatedly
and act. In this context, I read the
words as follow:
quote really mean? Many focus on the words repeatedly
and act. In this context, I read the
words as follow:
Act to be an action:
a single response in a single situation.
a single response in a single situation.
Habit to be something done as part of a routine; the acts we do on a daily basis.
The implication
of the above is that it doesn’t matter what we do on occasion, in one-off
encounters; rather excellence is defined as a habit through your repeated
actions.
of the above is that it doesn’t matter what we do on occasion, in one-off
encounters; rather excellence is defined as a habit through your repeated
actions.
However what if
that is incorrect. What if excellence is not defined by repetition? Looking at it this way, we could rewrite the
quote, taking the word repeatedly out altogether:
that is incorrect. What if excellence is not defined by repetition? Looking at it this way, we could rewrite the
quote, taking the word repeatedly out altogether:
“We are what we do.
Excellence,
therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”
therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”
Get it? Excellence as a habit manifests itself as
excellence in all we do – we can
posture and pretend to others that we have things under control, but only by
actually doing things in conjunction
with a consistent motivation deep inside us does excellence become a habit.
excellence in all we do – we can
posture and pretend to others that we have things under control, but only by
actually doing things in conjunction
with a consistent motivation deep inside us does excellence become a habit.
Continuous
improvement is a journey, not a destination. It is more than a set of steps to
follow – it is a culture that, when embraced by the entire company, results in
significant business value.
improvement is a journey, not a destination. It is more than a set of steps to
follow – it is a culture that, when embraced by the entire company, results in
significant business value.
So my challenge
to you is this: Don’t just act. Do. Don’t just posture excellence – Be
Excellent.
to you is this: Don’t just act. Do. Don’t just posture excellence – Be
Excellent.
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