The start of a new school year at Lincoln always brings with it a sense of structure and momentum: classes are underway, rehearsals are beginning, competitions are approaching, and projects are taking shape. But before we settle fully into the rhythm of our routines, it is worth pausing to ask a quiet but important question:
What does it really mean to pursue excellence?
Because at Lincoln School, this is exactly what each of us is called to do. Our community’s Vision Statement is clear: excellence through innovation, integrity, and leadership. We are not asked simply to show up, but to engage with intention…to bring care, attention, and purpose to each moment. To see our learning, our relationships, and our responsibilities as daily opportunities to grow: intellectually, emotionally, and ethically.
This vision is not reserved for the future. It is realized in the choices we make right now. In the way we approach our schoolwork. In how we treat one another. In how we lead, whether or not we hold a formal title.
The beginning of a new school year carries with it an invitation to reflect on what that kind of excellence looks like in everyday life. Because it does not arrive all at once. It is built over time, through consistent habits, thoughtful attention, and the decision to do our best in the moment we are in.
To ground this reflection, start by watching “Ode to Excellence” by Eddie Pinero. It’s a reminder that excellence is not just an outcome—it’s a way of being.
What Excellence Actually Looks Like
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking of “excellence” as a big moment: a high score, an award, a college acceptance, a major performance. But at Lincoln School, we know that excellence is made up of smaller, consistent, and quieter things.
For students, it is the decision to challenge yourself with a harder course, to turn in that last assignment even when you are tired, to revise your project because you know you can do better. It is choosing to stay focused during a lesson, to study even when a teacher isn’t watching, and to approach assessments, whether MAP, the SAT, MEP tests, or IB exams, with the seriousness they deserve. These exams do not define your worth, but they are moments to demonstrate what you have learned, what you understand, and how far you have come.
Excellence also lives in places that aren’t academic in the traditional sense. It shows up when a student cleans up not only their own table after lunch, but someone else’s. When you pick up the random piece of trash someone has left in the Central Plaza, or when you take the time to find the appropriate recycling container. When you pick up after recess or wipe down a whiteboard at the end of class, you are saying something powerful: that you care about your space, your peers, and the environment we share.
For our teachers, excellence is rooted in reflection, in refining lessons, in holding students to high standards while supporting them every step of the way. It is showing up fully, even on the hard days, and modeling what it looks like to be a lifelong learner.
And for families, it is in the routines that happen off-campus, like supporting a regular bedtime, limiting screen time and distractions, helping students learn to manage their responsibilities, and reminding them that effort matters more than perfection.
We notice excellence at Lincoln every day. It is in the student who asks thoughtful questions during advisory. The athlete who comes to early morning training. The artist who rehearses one more time before a performance. The group that stays after school to finish building a prototype for a class project. None of them because they have to, but because they want to get it right.
Watch this excerpt from a commencement address by Roger Federer for a powerful reminder that staying present and showing up again and again, even when it’s hard, is what builds real strength.
Effort Outweighs Talent
It’s also easy to fall into the trap of thinking that one’s talent determines success. At Lincoln, we know that the process determines the product, or put another way: the journey is the destination. This isn’t just a pithy saying, it is the scientifically supported truth that practice makes perfect. For this reason, we know that putting in the effort, be it in the form of homework, practice, or rehearsals, sets us up for success when it is time to perform at our best.
Angela Duckworth has the data to prove it! Watch this excerpt where she talks about the importance of putting in the practice!
The Day to Day Matters
It is easy to fixate on the big stuff: final exams, college applications, personal projects, concerts, exhibitions. But the truth is, those moments are shaped by the days that come before them.
Being present in class. Taking out your earbuds and genuinely listening. Making the decision to finish your homework instead of scrolling. These are the choices that build momentum. They are not flashy. They will not show up on your transcript. But they matter.
Because those habits compound. One focused class turns into a better quiz grade. One week of solid preparation builds your confidence for a presentation. A consistent bedtime routine gives you the energy to participate fully the next day. These small choices stack up, quietly but steadily. That is how growth happens.
This idea of small gains with big impact is beautifully explained in “Atomic Habits: How to Get 1% Better Every Day” by James Clear. Take a few minutes to watch before reading on.
Excellence = Wellness
My favorite part of that excerpt from James Clear is that he talks about the simple truth that sometimes “liking” something comes later. People often make the mistake of only pursuing activities they already enjoy, assuming that joy must come first. But the truth is, we tend to enjoy what we’re good at, and becoming good at something takes time, effort, and persistence. Sometimes, we have to develop a skill before we can discover the joy in it. Success breeds confidence, and confidence opens the door to fulfillment. By limiting ourselves to what feels easy or instantly gratifying, we miss the deeper satisfaction that comes from growth and mastery. In many cases, practicing something we don’t initially want to do is not just how we improve, it’s how we uncover passions we never knew we had.
Watch this excerpt from Angela Duckworth where she talks about the clear connection between effort and satisfaction.
Build Habits, Not Just Hype
The students at Lincoln who inspire me most are not just talented. They are intentional. They are building systems that support their success.
They use planners. They review material before assessments. They take time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t. They take advantage of office hours and work sessions. They follow up with teachers when they need help. They check their email. These may seem like minor things, but over time, they add up.
Our entrepreneurial learning practices and programs push students to think differently: to be creators, collaborators, and critical thinkers. Whether students are pitching a product idea, designing a research project, or leading a workshop, success is not about a last-minute burst of effort. It is about consistency. It is about habits that allow you to show up every day with clarity and purpose.
This is also true in our service learning, Personal Project, and CAS programs. The most impactful work has come from students who approach these programs with heart and intention, who look for ways to engage with real-world problems, to contribute to their community, to stretch beyond the minimum requirement. It is not just about checking a box. It is about living out what it means to be a responsible, compassionate citizen.
In so many ways, the invitation for all of us…students, teachers, families…is to replace reaction with intention. To pause long enough to notice when we are drifting. And to gently steer ourselves back toward purpose.
For a powerful reminder of how deep discipline shapes success, watch “Think Small to Accomplish Big Things” with Michael Phelps.
A Whole Life Commitment
Lincoln is not just a school. It is a community. It is a place where young people are learning what it means to be not only scholars, but also artists, athletes, teammates, leaders, and friends.
You see this in a student who stays after class to practice a solo. In the quiet intensity of an IB Visual Arts student refining their portfolio. In a service project that connects classroom learning to a real-world issue. In the energy of a soccer game, the vulnerability of a drama rehearsal, the honesty of a conversation during advisory.
These are the moments that define the Lincoln experience. And they deserve our best.
An Invitation to All of Us
So this is not just an open letter about our school, it is an invitation. A reminder that who we become is shaped by who we choose to be today.
Let us commit to the small things. Let us be present. Let us notice what matters. Let us follow through. Let us be generous with our time, our effort, and our care for one another.
We are not perfect. None of us are. But we can all decide to try. To aim a little higher. To be a little more focused. To stretch a little further.
The grind is real. The growth takes time. But the greatness? It is already here: inside this community, inside each one of us.
Let us live into it. One small step at a time.
Please Come to the Principal’s Office 