Preserve the Core and Stimulate Progress—The Paradoxical Secret to Enduring Excellence

What makes an organization or individual not just successful, but lastingly exceptional? The most insightful answer is often the hardest to practice: preserve the core while stimulating progress. Behavioral research calls this dynamic stability—a system that knows what anchors it, yet is never afraid to reinvent the rest. In the best companies, this paradox is deliberate, repeated, and ritualized.

A family or team that only ever strives for novelty loses its roots; one that clings only to tradition stagnates or decays. Enduring groups build planned times—quarterly, annually—where they step back and look for imbalance. Are we changing too fast? Or have we become complacent? These sessions aren’t easy—there’s tension, debate, and the humility of admitting mistakes. But in every case study, whether at a hundred-year-old business or a beloved choir, this ongoing diagnosis, and willingness to act on it, is what separates fleeting greatness from deep legacy.

If you want to build something that matters and lasts, prepare to live in this tension, questioning—then re-committing, every year, to both your essence and your capacity for change.

Carve out an hour each quarter to gather your team or family, and challenge yourselves on both sides: Are we still living our core values? Have we fallen behind in innovation or adventure? Put your recent decisions on a timeline and spot if you’re favoring comfort over growth—or vice versa. Choose one new experiment if you’re stagnant, or double down on a cherished tradition if you’re scattered. This routine check-up isn’t easy, but it’s the root of lasting excellence.