Why Life’s Too Short for Bad Coffee

A perfect moment to savor.

I’m in a crowded café, the kind where ideas spark and ambition crackles. I sip my coffee and—ugh—it’s awful. Thin, bitter, lifeless. I shove it aside and think, Life’s too short for this. And right then, it clicks: this isn’t just about coffee. It’s about work, about how we show up, about the choices we make every day.

Why do we settle for average? Why do we choke down the stale, lukewarm grind of “good enough” when we could be chasing something bold and extraordinary? At work, we’ve all tasted bad coffee—those days when we coast, play small, or aim for “fine.” But here’s the deal: average isn’t who we are. It’s a habit we can break.

Think of a barista who’s a master at their craft. They don’t just make coffee—they create moments. Every pour, every detail, every choice is deliberate, alive with skill and passion. That’s what happens when we lean into our strengths. When we stop practicing mediocrity and start amplifying what makes us us, we don’t just do our jobs—we make waves, spark change, leave a mark.

So, let’s quit drinking bad coffee. Let’s stop settling for work that’s just okay. Life’s too short, and our potential’s too big. Instead, let’s chase excellence—not as a buzzword, but as a way of living: bold, intentional, and unapologetically ourselves.

Three Ways to Amplify Excellece at Work:

1.  Double Down on Your Superpower: You’ve got something you do better than anyone else—maybe it’s solving messy problems, rallying a team, or seeing what others miss. Stop wasting energy on stuff that drags you down. Say no to the noise and yes to what makes you shine. Ask yourself, What’s the one thing I’m world-class at? Then make that your focus. Excellence isn’t about being great at everything—it’s about owning what sets you apart.

2.  Push the Bar Higher Every Time: Average feels safe, but safe is where growth goes to die. Challenge yourself to make every task, every conversation, every day a little bolder, sharper, better. Picture that barista perfecting a pour-over—every move matters. Set a standard that makes you sweat, then go after it with everything you’ve got. Ask, How can I make this moment stand out? When you keep raising the bar, you don’t just perform—you evolve.

3.  Show Up with Fierce Intention: Excellence doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a choice. Walk into every meeting, every project, every day ready to make it better than you found it. Bring your biggest ideas, your full energy, your real self. Ask, What would it look like to give this everything? When you show up like that, you don’t just do great work—you build something that lasts.

Life’s too short for bad coffee, and it’s way too short for average work. So lean into your strengths, chase excellence, and pour your whole self into creating something remarkable. The world’s ready for what you’ve got.

#Leadership #CliftonnStrengths #Momentsthatmatter