Excellence is a highly desirable result. Yet the importance of excellence goes deeper than that. 卓越是一个非常理想的结果。然而，卓越的重要性远不止于此。

Even more valuable than the result of excellence is the quest involved in getting there. In surmounting the challenges that exist along the path to excellence, you strengthen and expand your abilities. 比卓越结果更有价值的是实现这一目标所涉及的追求。在克服通往卓越的道路上存在的挑战时，您需要增强和扩展自己的能力。

To create an excellent result you must first develop competence. That competence endures long after you’ve achieved the result. 要创造出色的结果，您必须首先培养能力。这种能力在您取得结果后会持续很长时间。

In this way, excellence feeds upon itself in an upward spiral of achievement. Over time, across varied situations and disciplines, excellence enables more excellence. 通过这种方式，卓越在成就的螺旋式上升中自我滋养。随着时间的推移，在不同的情况和学科中，卓越成就更多卓越。

Why go above and beyond to create excellence, when a more mediocre outcome is good enough? Because excellence does not end with the outcome. 当更平庸的结果已经足够好时，为什么还要超越自我来创造卓越呢？因为卓越并不止于结果。

As long as you’re putting forth effort, you might as well do so in a way that produces enduring value. Do the work to create excellence, and the world continues to benefit long after your work is done. 只要你付出努力，你还不如以一种产生持久价值的方式去做。做工作创造卓越，世界在你完成工作后很长一段时间内继续受益。

— Ralph Marston — 拉尔夫·马斯顿