Aristotle

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

Aristotle, Plato and Socrates are old friends from my college days. I wrote my senior thesis for my philosophy major on Plato. It's interesting to compare them, because I find myself more and more aligned with Aristotle in my life.

Socrates was this old Athenian war hero who loved to discourse with anyone who would talk to him. He could break down anyone's ideas with challenging questions, but he believed that there was always this ultimate Truth that could be attained. Law school was built around this Socratic method. The problem with Socrates is that you had to uncover this "Truth."

Plato was a student of Socrates, and he took this so-called "Truth" and turned it into perfectionism. For Plato, there was a perfect form of everything. Your goal in life was to find that perfection.

Aristotle was a student of Plato. I never understood where Aristotle was coming from, because he seemed more interested in understanding the world around him--- classifying plants and animals, that sort of thing. Now, in my old age, I understand and identify with Aristotle. It's the process, not the result. The quote above says it all: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

Excellence is a habit. What's the difference? "Excellence" is 32,000 people finishing a marathon, because they trained for it to the best of their abilities. "Perfection" is the world record marathoner, who stops running when he or she is no longer competitive. Of course, there is something to be said and admired in both, but it's the repetition of 32,000 people crossing the finish line that creates the beauty of the event for me.

My friend Mike Madden recently sent me a set of discus training equipment for my 60th birthday. I've never thrown a discus in my life, but I made the mistake of telling him that it was something I always thought I could do. Mike participates in the Senior Games around the country. He understands the meaning of Aristotle's statement: "Excellence is a habit." As long as I have known Mike he is always taking on a new challenge for himself, whether it be law school, dancing, drama, or the triple jump. Two years ago, He was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. His response was to take up the triple jump. Mike inspires me.

These past few weeks, I've altered my training "habits" to take up the discus. It's a skilled event that will be a challenge. Fortunately with the power of the Web, I am able to obtain a lot of information about the training and skill required to throw it. I no longer think of perfection in life; however, I hope to obtain a form of excellence through proper training habits.