Two things I read recently got me thinking about excellence, and the pursuit of excellence.

One, the website of a startup that I won’t name. The copy was not bad, but things were slightly off, such as the word choice, phrasing, and sentence structure. It wasn’t pristine. They’re based in a non-English speaking country, so the language barrier may have been a factor – but this is not an excuse in my mind.

Two, I came across a great Medium post about how to build a venture firm. This is a niche topic that won’t be relevant to most people (and for the record, is not something I intend to ever do), but I bring it up because the author’s mindset and attitude is generally applicable.

The most memorable lines for me were:

  • Do not underestimate the power of doing what you say you’re going to do; follow through is simply intoxicating (and unusual).
  • The author reflects that getting things over the finish line required a lot of work, a lot of intention and hyper vigilance.

What a great way to sum up what excellence is: intentionality, a lot of work, and doing what you say you’ll do.

Surround yourself with excellence early on

Reading about it is helpful, but it’s hard to internalize it without seeing and experiencing it firsthand. That’s why I think it’s important to surround yourself with the right people and spend time in the right environments as early on in your career as possible.

When you’re considering a new job, ask yourself, is this a manager, a team, and a company that pursues excellence and sets a high bar for themselves, or is good enough sufficient?

Excellence begets excellence. It’s also the kind of thing where once you see it, you can’t unsee it, and you know deep down whether you’re doing it or not.

I learned it from my old manager and company, and I’m grateful to them for showing me what it is. My old manager also repeatedly emphasized the importance of doing what you say you’ll do. I don’t think this is a coincidence.