Aristotle has a lot of famous quotes.
“We are what we repeatedly do.”
I can agree with that.
“Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Wait, what?
We are how we act, but excellence isn’t action, it’s unconscious automation?
There’s a few problems here.
One, and maybe the most important one . . .
This isn’t Aristotle.
It’s a misquote, and was written by Will Durant in The Story of Philosophy.
And two, it’s a quote based on what Aristotle said, but it’s a poor interpretation.
Here’s Aristotle:
“Excellence, then, being of two kinds, intellectual and moral. Intellectual excellence in the main owes its birth and its growth to instruction (for which reason it requires experience and time), while moral excellence comes about as a result of habit.”
I’ll summarize (and keep in mind I am not practicing philosophy here, but using a philosophical idea to help you understand peak performance.)
There are two types of excellence: intellectual and moral.
Type One: Intellectual
Intellectual excellence requires time and experience (or the time for experiences) and owes its origins and progression to instruction.
Instruction + Experience = Intellectual Excellence
Good so far?
Type Two: Moral
Moral excellence is the byproduct of ritual participation.
[Habit is better understood as procedure or ritual in the ancient understanding.]
Right Rituals = Moral Excellence
Ok, that might be a little fuzzy.
But that’s because our modern minds are not the same as ancient understandings. What Aristotle is talking about here is building something that lasts. And these equations are the actions that lead to a lasting “Excellence in Character”.
[Character is the container that houses our virtues, values, morals and attitudes.]
It operates like a feedback loop. Align yourself with an aim and practice. The practice leads to mastery.
The key point here is that its participation in a thing that:
a) shapes you outside in (conformed) and
b) changes you inside out (transformed).
(The model I show in Chapter 3 of The Alter Ego Effect, shows you how it’s done.)
The pursuit and the progress gives rise to more refined actions, a.k.a. Mastery.
[Ari would’ve been a great skills coach.]
To sum up Aristotle’s stance here: participating in rituals aimed at more virtue/excellence is the only practical road to effective action.
Said another way: the right ritual, system, or practice is right if it produces excellence.
And it does so by revealing, encouraging, and reinforcing effective action. The right thing done the right way. The right action in the right sequence toward the right end.
[All right, now we’re getting somewhere. Sounds like ol’ Ari was a peak performance advocate. The act of engaging in the right ritual leads to moral excellence. Got it].
But, before we go on, let’s define what’s “right”. Not in some modern moral sense. But from an ancient action understanding.
To do that we must consider the end. The “telos”. What’s the aim, the goal, the desired result? Because what’s “right” is what gets us closer to that end.
[Telos is the end goal or aim, the intention, or what it means.]
We could sum it up like this: How you act toward the desired result will shape and change you.
[Now that’s bang on.]
Ok, If we combine and rewrite our earlier equations it looks more like this:
Ritualized Practice of Proven Instruction = Excellence
I’ve seen this first hand with clients.
First, their Alter Ego expands their world and allows them the space and shield to step anew into their arena (like oversized armor).
[They have a goal and a means to act toward that goal. They’re both protected and purposeful.]
And then, as they act, their core self fills the expanded space. The true them, the right them, the capable them expands, conforms and transforms. And as they do, confidence grows. Courage swells.
And they get . . .
- More committed.
- More focused.
- More heartened.
[This true or right “them” has nothing to do with the modern and misguided authentic self movement, but is the version of them aligned to their aim.]
This “armor self’ is the Alter Ego Effect™. When you have an aim clearly in mind, and a method to make it there, then the right actions can be made.
And those actions lead to excellence.
Not in an automated way, but in an awesome way. This process forges character, not unconscious habits. This is “ritual.” Conscious participation. Intended and aimed action. And it’s available to you.
Your “excellence,” your secret super power lurks hidden within waiting to be activated.
It’s buried beneath the trapped self–the self acting to stay small, hold onto to comfort, and justify distraction.
That’s your current armor.
It’s stifling. Hasn’t fit you in years. And it’s holding you back. Yet it’s all you know, so you keep stuffing it on. Cramming your capability into a tiny tin can.
How long will you let it keep you stuck?
It’s time to expand. It’s time to build a character that you can inhabit that comes ready-for-use. Your own Alter Ego that has the traits, values, and attitudes you need to excel.
Your character of excellence awaits.
And, if you listen to Aristotle, all you’re missing is one thing. Can you remember what it is? What’s the missing piece to unleash your secret identity?
Instruction.
(Remember Instruction + Experience = Excellence, and Right Ritual = Excellence)
Rewritten for peak performance:
[Ritualized Practice of Proven Instruction = Excellence]
Use your Alter Ego character to develop a deep, lasting excellence of character.
Let me show you the ritual practices that have helped entrepreneurs launch or level up, and elite athletes take the podium or hit personal bests.
Throw off the old armor. Put on the new. Do it now, with THIS proven instruction.
Right End. Right Path. Right Action. Right Now.
Be Excellent.
Be Bold. Take Action. Leave a Mark
Todd Herman
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