In Search of Excellence

I saw Invictus recently. It is a great movie based on the the life of Nelson Mandela. It covers the tumulus time right after Mandela became the President of South Africa. He was trying to unite the country. The whites loves Rugby and Blacks loved soccer. South Africa was to host Rugby World Cup and South African team was an average team. Most commentators including many South African fans expected the team to reach Quarter Finals at best.

Mandela saw this as an opportunity to unite the country. He started learning the rugby rules, started following the South African team. He memorized the names of all the entire South African team. He also pushed the team to travel all over the country and spend time with kids and promote Rugby. This was against the wishes of his advisers.

He invited Francois, captain of the team for tea and told him, “We need inspiration Francois, because in order to build our nation, we must all exceed our own expectations.”

The South African team won the world cup beating many stronger competitors on the way. They truly did exceed their own expectations.

Mandela also talked about Invictus, a victorian poem that helped him through the trying circumstances when he spent a long tenure in jail.

Here is the Poem by William Ernest Henley:

Invictus

OUT of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

I saw a documentary on NBC a few days ago on the role; Gander, a Canadian town of about 10,000 residents played in the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Here is more information about Gander.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gander_International_Airport

During 1950-70, before the age of Jumbo Jets, Gander used to be a Transatlantic refueling stop. After the advent ofJumbo jets, Gander slowly lost its importance. 

Just after the plane crashed into the World Trade Center, all air traffic over the USA was shut down. There were many planes enroute to various destinations in the US. They had no option but to land at the nearest airport. Gander airport was flooded with more than 50 flights and almost 10000 passengers. They had to be deplaned and cared for until the routes to US were opened again.

 Just imagine a town getting as many visitors as the number of residents at a short notice (a few hours). People had to be fed, people with medical conditions had to be cared for; and that too for over 3 days. The town had just 550 hotel rooms.

 The way the town and its residents responded was just incredible. The mayor (or town manager) did an emergency radio broadcast asking for help. And the residents responded and how. Not only they managed the basic necessities and comfort for all passengers, they did it with such humanity that must be appreciated and the story must be shared with everyone on the planet.

 Here is a NY Times article on this story from November 18, 2001:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/18/international/18NEWF.html

A man once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby. Surprised, he asked the sculptor, “Do you need two statues of the same idol?” “No,” said the sculptor without looking up, “We need   only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage.” The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. “Where is the damage?” he asked. “There is a scratch on the nose of the idol.” said the sculptor, still busy with his work.  ”Where are you   going to install the idol?” The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. “If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?” the gentleman asked.

The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, “I will know it.”

The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not. “Excellence” is a drive from inside, not outside.

Excellence is not for someone else to notice but for your own satisfaction and excellence.