I’m Excellent! … but I'm trying to get better ~Steve
Steve is the TSA inspector who greeted me in the Seattle-Tacoma airport, one fine Sunday morning a few years ago as I was starting my journey home from visiting my grandparents. He is probably in his late 40s, with a grey mustache and a warm smile that crinkles his eyes. His job is fairly unappreciated – on this morning, he was comparing IDs to boarding passes at the A-N-S gates, helping shuttle travelers quickly through the security procedures.
When my turn came, I gave him my usual cheerful, “Hi! How are you?” … my goal is to be friendly and polite, but not over the top enough to trigger extended body cavity searches. Rather than the normal, bored, sighed “fine” that I usually receive in response, Steve replied, “I’m Excellent!” He paused, then continued, “but I’m trying to get better.” He handed me my documents back, and wished me a great day.
As I moved toward the metal detectors, his words registered with me, and I got a grin on my face, as it occurred to me what he’d said. I turned back to say something, but he was already engaged with another traveler, so I took a note of his name and general appearance and moved on my way.
His words have stuck with me over the years, and I confess I’ve stolen and recycled his response with glee! It tends to generate the same response I had … a few moments after you say it, the thought registers, and people start to chuckle. Nothing wrong with that! Think about his attitude though!!
First of all, I like to think that “how are you” generally is a greeting – not an inquiry about one’s health. Other than your closest friends and family, most people really don’t want to hear about your aches and pains, or how tired you are, or how pissed off you are at the guy who cut you off, or whatever. Sometimes your friends and family don’t even want to hear it. Generally they’re expecting, “Fine, and you?” and that’s the extent of it. However, when someone does say something other than “Fine…” face it – nine times out of ten, they’re going to tell you something negative. What a surprise when Steve said he was excellent. That’s the spirit!
Secondly, I *LOVE* the concept of being in a great place – and trying to get better!!! The spirit of continuous improvement is a wonderful thing, and for Steve, being “Excellent” was only a starting point! Now, there is a point where you can go too far, if you’re obsessed with perfection.
As Millie Betts often says, “Perfectionism is the highest form of self-abuse.” I’m not advocating that, or that you should be dissatisfied when you are in a good place. I’m simply suggesting to keep pushing yourself to go just a little further, do a little better, try a little harder, and in this way continue growing with every opportunity.
What is your attitude on life? Do you focus on that which is good and can get even better? Or do you focus on the negatives? Take time to celebrate the things that are really going well for you, and find little (or big!!) ways to make them even MORE positive than they already are. It’s all about continuous improvement.
Stephanie Brooke Lennon is the author of Family Bank Blueprint, GoldQuest, and What Would Water Do? Simple Strategies for Navigating Life's Obstacles. Her titles are available in Paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com. Follow Stephanie Brooke on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Amazon, and at BrookeLennon.com.