98 % OF AMERICA WOULD RATHER BE COMFORTABLE THAN BE EXCELLENT . ISN ’ T THAT SAD ?
Dr . Nido Qubein
Amongst a sea of sameness and ordinary , Dr . Nido Qubein , President of High Point University ( HPU ), gives the call to action : “ Choose to be extraordinary .” Advocating this guiding principle to students and entrepreneurs , Dr . Qubein believes whether you have an ordinary life or an extraordinary one is a choice you make each day .
Dr . Qubein exemplifies what it means to transcend the ordinary . He transformed HPU from a small mediocre college into an explosively growing , vibrant university leading the pack in academic excellence , innovation , and creativity . No obstacle holds him back . During the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009 , HPU experienced tremendous growth . Philanthropic investors generously and eagerly provided funding and resources , with gifts of over $ 300 million . This wasn ’ t a stroke of luck either . In 2020 , while navigating the pandemic amid one of the worst economic disruptions in history ( college enrollment was down double digits nationwide ), HPU had their largest enrollment ever and was up 6 %.
Being extraordinary isn ’ t just something Dr . Qubein preaches to others . It ’ s a decision he makes for himself every single day . And what an extraordinary life he ’ s led . After his father died when he was six , he was raised by his single mother who had a fourth-grade education and “ a degree in common sense .” When he was 17 years old , he came to the United States from Lebanon with $ 50 in his pocket and little command of the English language . He supported himself with numerous entrepreneurial endeavors while attending college . His business ventures include growing a bank and Fortune 500 companies , serving as chairman of an international consulting firm , and serving on and chairing boards of national companies . He ’ s authored a dozen books and delivered more than 6,000 speeches . A philanthropist , he ’ s served as a director or chairman of many organizations . His awards , accolades , and accomplishments are far too many to list .
But he doesn ’ t strive for excellence and to be extraordinary for recognition or to impress anyone . “ I want to be best in class , not because I want to prove anything , but because I want to lay my head on the pillow that day feeling I gave it my very best ,” Dr . Qubein said .
Here Are Five Ways To Strive For Excellence And Choose To Be Extraordinary :
1
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 .”
With horizontal thinking , the way average people think , 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 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 helps you improve .
To take it a step further , with diagonal thinking you connect the dots in such a way that you truly understand why something works or is successful . Diagonal thinkers “ know so
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