“Excellence can be attained if you…
- Care more than others think is wise.
- Risk more than others think is safe.
- Dream more than others think is practical.
- Expect more than others think is possible.” – Jim Gentil
This week’s quote has so much wisdom in it so we will explore it under the 4 topics that it deserves. I suggest that if you take the time over the next four weeks to focus on each of these statements you will see major change occur for yourself and your practice.
Caring more than others think is wise begs the distinctions on ‘caring’ to be explored. To take the extreme lack of care you may literally care less about that person and his or her values and beliefs than you do about your own. This leads to distance, alienation, and resentment – This is careless and is definitely not useful in practice or in your relationships.
If you take on a position that others have more knowledge, power, ability or any other trait than you do and you put yourself down as compared to them. If you walk on ‘egg shells’ around them and are afraid to state your position you will be operating yourself in a careful frame. This leads to sacrifice and ultimately resentment.
Caring, therefore is when you communicate your viewpoints, priorities and outcomes in terms of the other person’s. While we call it caring in a practice context we call it selling in a business context. This practice breeds long-term personal and practice relationships.
In the state of caring both people’s principles are honoured, affirmed, and fulfilled. It is a win-win relationship and it is impossible to do it too much.
