jL | In Practice - The Final Five Percent
In the classroom - the cost of the final 5%: I’m a big James Clear fan - if you don’t know him, his book Atomic Habits is worth checking out. In his weekly newsletter this week (read it here), he discussed the extreme cost of perfection. He asserts that “Perfection is expensive. The last 5 percent of quality almost always costs a disproportionate amount of time and money.” As you might guess, he goes on to discuss that most things aren’t worth the added cost to get to the end. While probably true when discussing the cost difference between a Rolex and a Timex (kids…these are watches), the final 5% of quality is where true musicianship lives. Over the next several weeks, many of my colleagues and friends will take their ensembles to Texas’ UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest, and we’re desperately chasing the final 5%. While sometimes it might seem that giving up is the best course of action (see below 😂), we have the opportunity to share something special with our ensembles. In a world extremely comfortable with ‘good enough,’ we can inspire people to make something excellent because they can. Keep chasing the best in your students - they’re capable of way more than they give themselves credit for.
Behind the scenes - I QUIT: It’s that time of year again; time for my semi-annual ‘Great Resignation.’ Basically, about twice a year (typically in late October and right after Spring Break), I get so tired of ‘being the only one who cares’ and decide I’m going to have to grow up and actually do something with my life. I start scheming my next career in real estate (or used cars) and talk to the other voices in my head about how much happier I’ll be if I just give up on teaching. It used to really scare me, but now it makes me laugh. Sometimes I even meet with my boss (in my mind during my commute) and let him know I’m done. Occasionally, I even pound out an imaginary Facebook ‘What’s Next’ post (I’m really…if it isn’t there, did you really even quit?) After a good laugh (and sometimes a few tears and a nap…wish I was joking 😛), I feel energized and ready to get back to it.
The reality: Of course, no one cares as much as you do; if they did, they’d be leading you. Your stress level and fatigue are real and need to be monitored, but your passion is a priority for everyone around you. They ‘don’t care as much as you do’ because you can see what the people around you are capable of, even if they can’t yet. On the really tough days, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to enjoy quitting, then get back to work. Your level of attention to detail, your passion for excellence, your tenacity, your vision, your coaching, your confidence, your unwillingness to give up on others even if they’ve given up on themselves, makes you extremely valuable - your circle of influence needs you!
Remember: Excellence is a very different word than success. There’s just something intrinsically beautiful about the idea that you make something excellent because you can, not because it will get you something.
The essence of excellence is that it is an end in of itself that needs no justification. ~ Jim Collins