Excellence

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." --Aristotle

Aristotle's statement is one I wholeheartedly agree with. Habits are powerful things, good or bad. It is time more of us started to make the good habits work for us. It is discouraging to hear many of my male students say, "I'm just not good at school." Those same young men (and young women) are often great athletes, musicians, or artists, spending countless hours practicing, doing, the thing they love. If only they would transfer that energy to the classwork I assign! Success will not occur overnight, but neither are habits created overnight. They creep up on us. According to most theorists, it takes thirty days to make a habit. Today's students can measure time nano seconds. Thirty days is forever. Unfortunately, this is a lesson most students will learn when they are much older. I, however, keep trying to spread the message.