The Excellence Mindset Pt 2: Growth Focused
Welcome back to the Excellence Mindset series! If you haven’t had a chance to read Part 1 yet, I encourage you to go back and check it out, as it lays the foundation for everything we’ll be diving into. But just in case you need a quick refresher as we dive back in, here’s what this series is all about:
The Excellence Mindset is a professional posture rooted in self-leadership, humility, and purpose—where growth is intentional, impact is strategic, and high standards are a daily choice.
As I reflected on the “intentional growth” aspect of this mindset, I was flooded with memories of difficult situations I’ve encountered throughout my career:
The long-tenured employee who insisted, “I’ve been doing it this way for years,” and refused to adapt.
The new hire who clung to their old company’s methods, unwilling to embrace new systems.
The loud team member who dismissed subject matter experts and made ill-informed decisions.
The quiet colleague who noticed a system failure but chose not to inform those who could fix it.
The leader who refused to hear insights from their team.
The leader who lacked original vision and simply copied what the competition was doing.
Are you seeing a pattern here? The problem doesn’t lie in being the longest- or shortest-tenured employee, the loudest or quietest voice in the room, or even the leader who flies solo or struggles to make decisions. The real issue is a resistance to growth and change. That’s why, if you want to be excellent, you must be intentional about growth.
Pillar 1 is “Growth Focused”—the cornerstone of the Excellence Mindset. Everything we’ll explore throughout this series builds on this foundation. Being growth focused means believing that:
There is always something new to learn.
There are always opportunities for improvement.
There is always someone in the room who knows something you don’t.
Your personal experiences give you a unique and valuable perspective.
This is a delicate balance that requires time and intentional effort to develop. I believe that embodying this mindset requires making some specific choices about how you think and respond in your day-to-day work. Let’s explore them one by one:
There is always something new to learn
If you are intentional about growth, there’s no room for the belief that you’ve learned it all. Technology is constantly evolving, new tools are created daily, and the world continues to adapt. A person striving for excellence adopts the mindset of a lifelong learner, recognizing that in any situation, process, or subject area, there is always something new to discover.
There are always opportunities for improvement
Even the most intricate, high-impact systems and processes can be refined. You must remain open to feedback and insights from others, viewing them not as personal criticism, but as valuable opportunities to improve and grow.
There is always someone in the room who knows something you don’t
One of the most destructive professional mindsets is believing you’re the smartest person in the room. That mindset leads to bulldozed ideas, broken trust, and stalled growth. Those who strive for excellence understand that they can’t know everything, and that the input of others is essential for sound decision-making and strong outcomes.
Your personal experiences give you a unique and valuable perspective
This point balances the previous one. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “If I’m not the most knowledgeable, I must not have anything to contribute.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. Your experiences, training, and personality shape a perspective no one else in the room can offer. When you share that perspective, while still staying humble, open, and growth-minded, you enrich the conversation and fuel progress.
A couple of months ago, I came across a LinkedIn post from Jacelyn Ng, who had just completed her PACE certification. Her reflection struck a deep chord with me. She wrote:
“Someone once told me, “𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨.”
And for a long time, I took it as a reminder to stay humble. But over time, I’ve realized that upskilling and growth aren’t about being too big - they’re about making sure you keep learning, evolving, and staying ready for what’s next.
I recently completed PACE as part of my own commitment to learning, improving, and staying ready for what’s next. Not for a title, not for validation - 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞. Because staying humble doesn’t mean staying stagnant.
Here’s to embracing the journey and always finding ways to improve!🚀”
Her post resonated with me deeply, as it perfectly illustrated the connection between pride and stagnation. Both often stem from the same place: a refusal to acknowledge the need for growth. To counteract that, we must cultivate what I call a humble hunger for growth. For administrative professionals, this mindset is both powerful and practical. Sometimes, it takes boldness to take initiative and step forward. Other times, it requires humility to pause, listen, and learn from those around us. Excellence lives in the tension between the two.
When I started at a previous employer, a good portion of my first week was spent completing a basic certification in the organization’s database software, as all employees in the division were required to do. However, based on my workload and the needs of my department, I decided to take it a step further. I pursued the professional-level certification and was quickly recognized as the office expert. Soon, colleagues, many of whom had been with the organization for over a decade, were regularly coming to me for help navigating the system.
At the same time, I was using a Word document and my calendar to track my tasks, which, in hindsight, was far from efficient. Another admin in the division introduced me to Todoist, a task management tool that had helped her stay organized and prioritize effectively. I had to be open to change and started testing the free version. I quickly saw its potential to improve my workflow, so I went all in, purchasing the pro version and building out customized workflows to support my role. That was seven years ago, and to this day, Todoist continues to streamline my career, education, and personal life.
In the first example, I could have stopped at the minimum requirement and remained underprepared to support my team. In the second, I could have resisted change and continued “MacGyvering” a clunky, inefficient system. But in both cases, I made the choice to be growth focused, and it made all the difference.
As you consider how to implement being growth focused into your Excellence Mindset, here are a few reflection questions to help guide your next steps:
Where in my career have I plateaued—technology, processes, communication style, or otherwise?
What mindsets are currently holding me back from being growth focused (e.g., pride, undervaluing my contributions, lack of adaptability)?
What is one skill, process, tool, or mindset I can be intentional about developing this month—not because I have to, but because I want to?
Remember: Growth is never done. It’s not about where you are, but how willing you are to keep moving forward.
I hope that this post was valuable to you, and look forward to hearing your insights in the comments below. Once you commit to growth, the next step is taking ownership. In the next post, we’ll explore how proactive habits and systems can elevate both your day-to-day impact and your long-term value.
