28d • General discussion
Principle of the Week: Excellence Wins
Excellence wins.
It’s a simple idea.
It rolls off the tongue so easily that it feels like anyone could do it. Like it should be effortless. Like you could just decide to live it out every single day.
But anyone who has actually tried knows the truth—
the weight behind those two words is heavy.
Excellence sounds simple, but it demands tenacity.
It requires discipline.
And most days, it feels almost impossible to recreate.
This idea was championed by Horst Schulze, former President and CEO of the Ritz-Carlton and author of Excellence Wins. His belief ran completely counter to how most companies operate today.
Horst believed excellence isn’t something you turn on when it’s convenient.
It’s not reserved for big moments or high-dollar transactions.
It’s lived out in everything you do—from the smallest task to the greatest responsibility.
He famously coined the phrase:
“Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.”
The point wasn’t branding. It was identity.
He wanted his employees to understand that they mattered just as much as the guest. That service didn’t diminish their worth—it elevated their purpose. Excellence meant serving others with dignity, care, and intention… as ladies and gentlemen.
Excellence must be embodied.
Every detail. Every interaction. Every day.
That same philosophy showed up in sports when British Cycling coach Dave Brailsford took over a struggling team in the early 2000s. In the previous hundred years, British cycling had won just one Olympic gold medal.
Brailsford didn’t chase miracles.
He chased margins.
He focused on getting 1% better every single day—how they washed their hands, how bikes were transported, the dust inside the van, how helmets were worn, even the pillows the athletes slept on.
Small improvements. Done consistently.
The result?
Eight out of ten gold medals in the 2008 Olympics.
Nine out of ten in 2012.
Excellence didn’t show up all at once.
It was built daily.
And that’s the reminder for us.
Excellence doesn’t require perfection every day.
It asks for commitment.
Sacrifice.
Discipline.
Consistency.
It’s not about money.
It’s not about prestige.
It’s not about power.
It’s about being human.
Being present.
Being caring.
Being principled.
When you focus on excellence—on truly winning instead of simply beating others—you rise organically.
So the question isn’t whether you can be perfect today.
It’s whether you’re willing to be 1% better.
Be principled,
Caleb
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Principle of the Week: Excellence Wins
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