A Commitment to Excellence

Today I turn my attention to the legendary coach Vince Lombardi, and share a few of his quotes for you to ponder:

The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.

Lombardi's words here ring true. If your work is mediocre, and if your service is lackadaisical, your commitment will be lacking, and thus, excellence will not be within your grasp, fair-to-middlin will be.

Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price.

This past weekend, at the NPPA's Northern Short Course, I met many up and coming photographers who clearly are doing everything within their power to become successful. Here in town, I encounter the occasional photographer who is not doing all they can, and I see the sad fact that they are heading towards a life they wouldn't choose full of disappointment, and jealousy of their peers who are succeeding, and they can't understand why. I have seen many come and go, I wish them well, of course, but more importantly, I wish they had made the right choices in the first place.

A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.

Many of those photographers I see on the going end of coming and going are amazing artists and storytellers. They could be great, if they wanted to be. And, they say they want to be, but something, somewhere, somehow, is precluding them from really truly wanting to be great. Perhaps it's fear of success. Perhaps the abscense of determination or dedication. Often, it's the unwillingness to make sacrifices here and there.

I encourage you to make a commitment to excellence, and turn as much of your attention as humanly possible to your own success.You can be a great photographer.

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