Excellence, a word rooted in the Latin term “excellentia,” meaning superiority, loftiness or surpassing, has evolved into a cornerstone of our family and businesses—Diamond Directors and LEAD Center For Youth.
Traditionally, excellence is associated with going above and beyond, aiming for heights that surpass the norm. But in our pursuit of excellence, we redefine it with a focus on meeting expectations.
In our world, excellence doesn’t mean overextending oneself to achieve the unattainable. Instead, it means understanding and meeting the expectations set before us. We believe that true excellence is about fulfilling commitments with precision and integrity, rather than stretching beyond our limits and potentially compromising other vital areas of life.
Innovation, to us, is not about creating something entirely new but about taking what already exists and making it better. Excellence, therefore, becomes the foundation upon which we innovate. By meeting expectations, we build trust and reliability, which are essential for any sustainable growth or improvement.
As a baseball coach, I often think of excellence as a 10-pitch at-bat, where each pitch represents a letter in the word “excellence.” Each fastball is an opportunity to hit hard, straight up the middle, focusing on one actionable step at a time. This approach to excellence is not just about the outcome but about the process—the discipline, the commitment and the consistency.
Here’s how we break down **EXCELLENCE** as a fastball thrown your way, ready to be hit hard as a line drive up the middle for a base hit:
- Empowerment: Inspire and uplift others to reach their potential.
- Xtraordinary: Strive for remarkable outcomes in all you do.
- Commitment: Dedicate yourself fully to the task at hand.
- Ethics: Uphold the highest standards of integrity.
- Leadership: Guide others with vision and responsibility.
- Learning: Continuously seek knowledge and growth.
- Effort: Put in the necessary work and perseverance.
- Nurturing: Foster positive environments and relationships.
- Consistency: Maintain steady performance and reliability.
- Execution: Deliver results with precision and follow-through.
In our lives and work, excellence starts with a simple question: “What do you expect of me?” If I say yes to those expectations and meet them, that’s excellence. I don’t seek to do more than that because I must also meet expectations for myself, my wife, and my children before anything else.
Excellence is not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most and doing it well. By meeting expectations, we achieve true excellence—one pitch at a time, hitting line drives of success up the middle.
For more information, visit L.E.A.D. Center for Youth today.
If you found this inspiring and thought-provoking, or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, add me on Discord and let’s go deeper.
C.J. Stewart has built a reputation as one of the leading professional hitting instructors in the country. He is a former professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization and has also served as an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds. As founder and CEO of Diamond Directors Player Development, C.J. has more than 22 years of player development experience and has built an impressive list of clients, including some of the top young prospects in baseball today. If your desire is to change your game for the better, C.J. Stewart has a proven system of development and a track record of success that can work for you.
