I assume that's meant to motivate players as they step into a new season each February, a fresh start that could potentially lead to their greatest achievements on the field.
It's probably impossible to know whether the words have ever truly inspired a player to work harder and go from mediocre to good, or from good to great. But it's not impossible for us to put the advice to use in our own lives, and that's my takeaway from the 2013 Braves fantasy camp.
Excellence, of course, isn't limited to sports.
I first thought a lot about this after I attended an event last September with members of the 1982 Braves team. A group of fans got to have a mini-fantasy camp of sorts hanging out with Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, Phil Niekro, Bruce Benedict and Gene Garber for a day as they reminisced about their roller coaster ride of a playoff run in 1982.
As the day went along, one thought kept going through my mind: These guys reached the highest level of their profession -- and succeeded for a long time.
Just making it to the big leagues means you're among the best to ever play baseball. Think about that. Even the "worst" player on any major league team is still an incredibly skilled athlete who has risen above the tens of thousands of others who pursued the dream but fell short. That's pretty special.
I was struck by how some of the '82 Braves didn't look like obvious baseball players, either now or when they played. I think of Garber, the Braves' sidearm reliever who saved 30 games in 1982 and spent 19 seasons in the majors. If you saw him on the street, you wouldn't peg him as an athlete. But he had a skill that he performed on a level above what most are capable, and he had the drive to be among the best.
My points: 1) Excellence comes in all sizes; and, related, 2) Excellence is probably attainable if we want it.
Here's a photo of me with Garber on the spot where he starred in many a Braves win, the mound at the old Fulton County Stadium site.
As cheesy as it may sound, being around the '82 Braves inspired me to try to be among the best at what I do. Not that I wasn't trying to do my best before, but it gave me new drive and determination. I got the same feeling during Braves fantasy camp. I hope you did, too.
I wasn't called to be a major league player. I wasn't blessed with those skills. I was called into journalism, something for which I actually do have the skills. But we don't keep stats. There isn't a central hall of fame for journalists, just as there isn't one for teachers, firefighters, parents, bankers or most other "regular" professions (at least not that I know of).
But (and not to sound like a bad motivational speaker here) that doesn't mean we all can't do top-level work in our jobs.
As a Christian, this brings 1 Corinthians 10:31 to mind: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Loose translation: Always do your best and remember where your abilities came from.
What is your calling?
You'd think everyone would want to be the best at what they do. But excellence takes work, and it may be hard to measure sometimes, so a lot of people are content to be average. I don't want to be average.
My job isn't perfect, and I'm sure yours isn't either. I still make mistakes, just as you do, just as major leaguers do. But I want to get better. I want to compete at the highest level. I want to be a go-to guy.
Maybe you hate your job, or maybe your job just isn't rewarding. If that's the case, what is it that you do well? What are your skills? What do you enjoy doing? If you're not already getting paid for it, try to find a way to make that happen. It may be more possible than you realize.
Fantasy camp was a great experience. I hope to go back next year. Fans, writers and broadcasters often say that baseball is a good analogy for life. It's true in various ways, including this one: Work hard, play hard and stay aggressive -- good things can happen.
