We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent.

The remark urges a shift from treating “excellence” as an abstract slogan to making it a personal, habitual standard. By contrasting excellence with what “not many folks” actively pursue, the quote critiques complacency and the tendency to settle for adequacy—whether in school, work, public service, or civic life. It frames excellence less as innate talent than as deliberate practice: sustained attention to craft, discipline, and continuous improvement. In an Obama context, the line also resonates with his frequent emphasis on responsibility and agency—suggesting that individual aspiration and effort are necessary complements to structural opportunity. The significance lies in its moral tone: excellence is presented as a choice and a duty, not merely an achievement.