What Does Excellence Look Like To You?

“My excellence is unconditional. My excellence isn’t an option or choice, it’s my DNA. My excellence isn’t a goal or destination, it’s a habitual lifestyle.”- Terri-Karelle

If you ask different people what excellence looks and feels like, they might all give you a different definition. I prefer not to talk about it, I tend to show it ...consistently. You really can't be excellent as a one-off, to be excellent, you have to be aware, thoughtful, sensitive, competent...consistently.

My dream was never to become an event host and when I really think about it, I didn't know it was an actual profession until I literally stumbled into it. With no formal training or qualifications in media, public speaking etc. it's natural to question your place in unfamiliar territories and spaces; and yet, here I am, 500 + events later. I have managed to carve out my own space, find the perfect niche for me and I have challenged and applied myself to every aspect and area of the job. My goal isn't to look at anyone else or compare myself to anyone else in the profession. Why? Because I am ME and there are things about my personality and attitude combined with my work ethics and self-accountability that make me different. It's this combo that has afforded me the privilege of being booked locally and internationally and presenting in spaces that I might only have read about.

I was scheduled to host the 2020 INMA Global Media Awards, a prestigious event that highlights the amazing work of the best news media brands in the world and awards the "best of the best" in respective categories. It's a black-tie event that attracts 500+ attendees from over 44 countries. The calendar was chock full of exclusive receptions at Paris' most iconic buildings and to say, I was excited, would have been the understatement of the century. I started brushing up on my french and gearing up for the most epic 90th-anniversary celebration on that side of the world. Unfortunately, coronavirus had other plans and instead of presenting from the Opera Ballroom of the InterContinental Paris, I ended up hosting remotely from my living room in Kingston, Jamaica.

On May 27, 2020, I recorded the ceremony in front of my computer accompanied by my Samsung 10 in a ring light, dressed in my locally made Uzuri International gown with matching mask. I approached this event, albeit online, the way I would have in person. I showed up!!

It wasn't before long that the photos spread like wildfire:

On Instagram: Reach-314,382; Likes- 47,899; Comments- 1195; Shares-573; Saves- 415; Reposts-9

On Twitter: Favourites- 3,955; Retweets-320; Comments- 125

On LinkedIn: Reactions-6,477; Comments- 390; Shares- 58

These metrics, I believe, are what most people would consider successful by social media standards. Viewers admire the look and they congratulate me on SHOWING UP and being on-brand regardless of the new "work from home" regime. I am grateful for each and every kind word and compliment, but showing up runs so much deeper. Often times we want the glory, fame, viral photos, and perks. We look at successful people and we say "that's cool, I want to be like...I want to look like... I want a job like that...I want to dress like...." But there is a side that no one sees, it has less glamour, fewer eyeballs, and certainly no fan-fare. The real question is are you willing to put in the work required to create and maintain enviable success? Most will say yes until they get a glimpse behind the scenes. This is my toughest job mentally and I will try to give you an idea why: 

Visit https://terrikarelle.com/what-does-excellence-mean-to-you/ to read the rest of the article

Cheers

TK