Excellence Is a Daily Practice

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about daily habits.

Personally, I'm working on a few. I'm trying to sleep more, lift weights five times a week, walk 10,000 steps a day, and stretch several times each week. I'm also making an effort to read more, journal consistently, and spend less time mindlessly scrolling on my phone. My diet isn't perfect, but I'm focused on building healthy habits that are sustainable—not temporary.

I've come to believe that the way we care for ourselves says a lot about how we see ourselves.

A mentor once shared something with me that has stayed with me ever since: If you aren't taking care of yourself, you can't take care of others.

That simple statement has influenced how I think about discipline. For me, discipline isn't about restriction or perfection. It's about honoring the commitments I make to myself.

I've also realized how important it is for my values and my actions to align. It's perfectly okay to change your mind as you learn and grow. But authenticity comes from striving to ensure your actions reflect what you believe.

Over time, I've learned that not everyone operates from the same set of values—and that's okay. Understanding that has helped me adjust my expectations while becoming even clearer about my own.

A few months ago, I was asked to describe my leadership style in one word.

Without hesitation, I chose excellence.

That answer wasn't accidental. In fact, one of the reasons I was drawn to the Shidler College of Business was its mission: "We are an academic community achieving international excellence in business education, research, and practice utilizing Hawaiʻi's unique multicultural and geographical advantages."

Excellence, to me, isn't about being perfect or expecting perfection from others. It's about choosing to bring your best with intention, integrity, and heart—regardless of the task.

I recently finished reading Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, and one passage especially resonated with me:

"Black and white means you're doing your job with competence and efficiency; color means you make people feel great about the job you're doing for them. Getting the right plate to the right person at the right table is service. But genuinely engaging with the person you're serving, so you can make an authentic connection—that's hospitality."

That quote reminded me that excellence isn't only about completing a task well. It's about how we make people feel along the way.

As I prepare for a work trip this week, I've been thinking about the standards I want to hold myself to. Not because anyone expects it of me, but because they're the values I want to live by.

I want to stay disciplined physically and mentally. I want to continue learning. I want to care for my health. I want to show up for others with kindness and professionalism. Most of all, I want to bring excellence to whatever is in front of me.

Not because I'll always get it right.

But because excellence, like discipline, isn't a destination. It's a daily practice.