Striving towards Excellence

-Karthik Gurumurthy

From time to time, when we start our computer, we are prompted to update the software. A software update provides bug fixes and minor software enhancements and is made available by free download. Software updates sometimes include new drivers to support the latest hardware such as printers, CD drives and DVD drives. Lot of times when we don't follow these, some of the programs come to a stand-still. Same thing applies to our life. It is very vital to make the changes we need to make in order to move on in life.

I interact with lot of young children almost on a day-to-day basis. They are famous for asking "Why?". And our initial answer does not suffice. "Why are we doing this way, Why not that way?" is usually followed up with a second and third "why?"."Why" is the motivator. Continually asking "why" is the way we cut through the clutter of our existence and drill down deep enough to move from great to best and transform into right.

One of my favorite movies is Miracle. This is a true story based on how young US hockey team won the experienced tough Russian team at the Olympics in 1980. When the young team won, Herb Brooks, the coach of the team was asked why they were able to beat the odds and go all the way. He said, "The ones who said we weren't good enough- that we were too small, not strong enough, not fast enough, and couldn't learn the European style of play in such a short period of time- were proved wrong. Wrong, not because they misjusdged our abilities. Our  abilities deserved seventh place. They were wrong because of the 'intangibles.' How can you measure desire, commitment, faith, passion and courage? They weren't able to measure those 'whys.' You ask why we won. We asked ourselves, "why not?"

If we refuse to change we become obsolete. I don't know anyone whom I know and admire who really wants to be an obsolete entrepreneur, coach, parent or friend. No one I know and respect wants to be stagnant or remain ignorant.  I have had chance to interact with lot of entrepreneurs and teachers. Many of these are guilty of this. Lot of times it is easier to change the audience than to change the speech. Some educators know they change students, so why change lessons or teaching techniques they've used since they were student teachers? We have people forget the Native American adage, "Short time alive, long time dead."

Too many people think that if they could just change jobs, get a raise, change neighborhoods, change their body, or change their significant other, they would finally be happy. Maybe, maybe not. But if we wait for change, it might not come. We need to take change into our own hands. What I learned from my coaches is that change from the inside out is proactive and creates power that allows us to improve and become more of who already are. What we haven't accentuated is the reason it gives us power.