Here are five ways to strive for excellence and choose to be extraordinary .
Think Vertically .
“ Don ’ t you dare think horizontally ,” Dr . Qubein says . “ If you want to strive for excellence , at a minimum , you ’ ve got to think vertically .”
Horizontal thinking , the way average people think , is when people don ’ t think about why something is the way it is . While touring the HPU campus , a horizontal thinker will observe , “ Wow that ’ s so cool that they play classical music on the promenade .” Vertical thinkers demonstrate curiosity about why things exist . A vertical thinker would say , “ I wonder why they play classical music ?” Vertical thinking forces you to think beyond the surface , to dig deeper , and it helps you improve .
To take it a step further , diagonal thinking is when you connect the dots in such a way that you truly understand why something works or is successful . Diagonal thinkers “ know so much in-depth stuff that it makes this perfect jigsaw puzzle ,” Dr . Qubein said . “ That makes it hard for someone to imitate what you do .”
Don ’ t Seek Ideas ; Seek Wisdom .
The biggest mistake anyone can make in today ’ s environment is to focus on gaining more knowledge . “ If all you have is information , people will use you and discard you ,” Dr . Qubein said . “ If all you have is knowledge , people will only call upon you when they need you . But if you have wisdom , they will always respect you . And if they respect you , they ’ ll always do business with you .”
At HPU , Dr . Qubein heavily promotes that every student has a success coach and a four-year development of Life Skills plan . “ Knowledge does not equal understanding ,” Dr . Qubein said . “ The reason we all need to be coached , the reason we need heroes , role models , and mentors , is because we have to take knowledge — that is sometimes raw data — and turn it into understanding .”
Whereas you gain knowledge and skills from a book , a speaker , or a bootcamp , using a system such as a mastermind helps you gain wisdom . “ What you don ’ t get today , you get tomorrow ,” Dr . Qubein explained . “ It ’ s a continuum . It begins to penetrate your soul .”
Ask Yourself Every Day , ‘ What ’ s So Special About Me And My Company ?’
Prompted by the fact that there are a million people in the world who can do your job , Dr . Qubein asks himself every day how he can be more extraordinary , inspiring , and caring in each area of his life . Last year , in an effort to spur the revitalization of downtown High Point , North Carolina , he forged ahead with the construction of a nearly 60,000-square-foot
children ’ s museum project . “ This museum will serve as a beacon of hope for our city and for children to look forward to when we emerge from the pandemic .” Dr . Qubein stated . Dr . Qubein and his wife are the lead donors for the project , named the Nido and Mariana Qubein Children ’ s Museum in their honor . “ What ’ s so special about you ?” he asks . You must constantly ask the question and constantly be changing . “ If you don ’ t do it fast enough , you become old ,” Dr . Qubein said . “ You start making excuses . You stop taking risks .”
Always Be Better Than You Were Last Year .
If , today , the thing you are selling is the latest , the finest , and the best , then tomorrow , it may not be because things are continually changing . Aiming to be the best in technology , Dr . Qubein spent $ 90 million on technology for the HPU campus . To stay ahead of other universities , he invests in new technology every year . “ It ’ s a continuum ,” Dr . Qubein explained . “ I know I have to spend $ 5 –$ 10 million every year , just to stay even . If you are just as good today as you were a year ago , you ’ re worse off . You must be better than you were a year ago , just to stay even . That ’ s the way the world really works .” That is also why , despite the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic , he pushed forward with a $ 170-million basketball arena and conference center . “ This is unique ,” Dr . Qubein said . “ I don ’ t know of another [ university ] that has a hotel and a conference center and a basketball arena all together in one building . The arena is set to open this year . Always better your best and you ’ ll never look back with regret .”
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