When it comes to the power of excellence, I never understood “excellence”. Always thought it was a level impossible to achieve except maybe for a few super gifted. Definitely not something I should try to achieve as I will fail even before I start. If you feel like that, don’t worry.
This 18th key of personal empowerment (or becoming the best version of yourself) in this non-academic series is already within your reach. You have everything you need to be excellent. I’m not even going to give you any tips (maybe just one tiny one) on becoming excellent in this article. Being excellent or having a spirit of excellence is one step closer to living a life in abundance.
But first I had to learn what the power of excellence is not, because I kept staring at the wrong definition. See, when it comes to personal empowerment, excellence is defined a little different than what we are used to.
Dive in with me:
What Excellence is NOT:
- PERFECTION
- Always doing everything 100% faultless and flawless the first time
- Never making any mistakes
- Being the best at something
- Some global, generic standard
- Always winning; BUT ALSO NOT:
- Being mediocre
- Underperforming, being lazy
- Doing what everybody else is doing
- Comparing yourself to others
Well, what is Excellence then?
Excellence is taking what skills, talents and resources you have, and doing the best you can do with them. For example: if you’re naturally athletic, make sure you follow a healthy lifestyle so that you can perform at your best. Not the best, your best. Whether that is to reach Olympic level, or to come second in a local race, it doesn’t matter. If you own an old car, make sure it’s clean and tidy. If you have a job, strive to be Employee of every Month.
Excellence in itself is not a skill. It’s a successful habit. And like all habits, it requires a choice. Yes, I’m going to repeat that: “You choose excellence.” Or you can choose to be mediocre, like everybody else. Doing what everybody else is doing; following the herd, always ending up stuck halfway between success and failure.
On the other hand: excellent people choose excellence. Those are the ones who make history, or get the promotion, or who are living the life in abundance. They choose excellence as well as integrity. They’re honest, trustworthy, truthful and reliable. Always. They take responsibility for their actions, without shifting blame.
The world can really use more excellent “chosers”! They choose excellence; regardless of their circumstances. I mean: you can live in a park on a bench, but still make a decision to make sure the area around your bench is the cleanest and tidiest in the entire park. You can still be friendly, polite, respectful and helpful even though you are poor. Because you chose excellence.
Excellence is not a global standard, but an individual one. It differs for each and every person depending on their skills, talents and available resources; therefor it is pointless to compare yourself to others. That is just another part of your authentic identity.
Examples of Excellence:
I usually give practical tips in my articles on how to use the specific key to its fullest potential. With this key however, there is only one tiny tip I can give: CHOOSE EXCELLENCE TODAY. There’s nothing really more to it. Simple, but it can be life changing. John W. Gardner said: “Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” So let’s look at some examples of “ordinary things” that we can start doing with excellence. You’ll know which ones are applicable to your life and situation – ignore the rest of them.
The Power of Excellence at the office:
- Arrive 5 minutes early for work, and leave 5 minutes after work. Shorten your lunch hour by 5 minutes.
- Don’t make personal phone calls from the office.
- Smoke- and coffee breaks are for your lunch hour, not during office hours.
- Don’t take office stationary or supplies home with you.
- Help your colleagues to reach deadlines if they fall behind. Be generous with your time.
- Praise your colleagues if they’ve done good work. Yes, especially if they’ve done better work than you.
- Complete your own tasks to the best of your ability and within your deadline. Make sure you reach your targets, even if it means putting in extra work hours.
- Always be punctual for meetings.
- Always be friendly, polite, respectful and helpful. To all colleagues, including junior staff members.
Power of Excellence at home:
- Keep your car clean, inside and out.
- Put everything back where you found them before moving on to the next task.
- Make sure your house, garage and garden are tidy and clean.
- Put the connections you have with your partner and kids first.
- Be the first to apologize, forgive and don’t hold grudges.
- Take good, proper care of your pets.
- Always be friendly, polite, respectful, helpful and grateful.
- Eat only when hungry, especially if you indulge in emotional eating and struggle with weight loss.
- Use polite table manners, even when you’re eating alone.
Power of Excellence in public:
- If a piece of clothing slips from a hanger in a store as you walk past, pick it up and return it to the hanger.
- If you change your mind last minute on buying something at the store, return it to its original place, don’t just dump it at the tills.
- Obey all traffic laws, including driving within the speed limit.
- If the cashier makes a mistake with your change, politely point it out to her. Return the change.
- Take your shopping cart back to the allocated bay. Don’t leave it in the parking lot between the cars.
- Don’t park in a disability-, or mommies-with-babies parking spot or a loading zone if it doesn’t apply to you.
- Always be friendly, polite, respectful and helpful.
Power of Excellence In general:
- Practice mindfulness – the art of being present in the moment without dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
I’m going to stop right here before I completely feel and sound like a strict teacher or policeman (TONS of respect for both professions), although there are a gazillion more practical examples that can be added. I’m sure you get the idea. Start with the little things, like taking your dirty cup to the zinc. Every time. Small, but it’s a start. Add more each day, until the successful habit of excellence is part of your everyday life, in all areas and aspects.
(Remember to also set your boundaries with excellence…)
The Power of Excellence for the believer
If you want an extraordinary example of excellence in the Bible, I urge you to read the story of Daniel again. Listen to this: “Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm” (Dan 6:3 AMPC). I believe because he chose to operate from his excellent spirit, God showed him favour in giving him all the “knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams” (Dan 1:17).
In the province of Babylon, there were 120 viceroys to the king (satraps) and 3 presidents over them, with Daniel being one of the three. And the king considered putting Daniel (an exile) in charge of the other two presidents. What an achievement and honor! I’m sure Daniel did much more than what was expected of him to reach that stature. Then, of course, jealousy set in, and people conspired against him. They looked for anything they could use against him before the king. But there was no dirt they could dig up. The only case they could build against him was his worship. Wow!!
His excellent spirit distinguished him from everybody else and made him stand strong against equating with the world. Let’s look at the ways he stood his ground in obedience to God:
- When everybody feasted on the king’s rich food and wine, Daniel stuck to a diet of vegetables and water.
- He openly gave all glory to God. (Read the beautiful song he wrote in Dan 2: 20 – 23)
- He was not interested in enriching himself with material things. (Dan 5:17)
- When everybody bowed to the king’s idol, Daniel refused even though it might cost him his life.
- He was in exile for seventy years, yet he remained excellent while waiting for his breakthrough. Excellent patience!
It’s our Godly assignment to be different from the world. To set an example of excellence to those around us. And not so by our words alone, but by our actions. Why?
- Because we serve an excellent God. “For His divine power has bestowed on us absolutely everything necessary for a dynamic spiritual life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (2 Pet 1:3) We were called to be in an excellent relationship with God.
- And because we are His ambassadors or representatives (2 Cor 5:20). He asks us to do everything we do as for Him, putting in our best effort (Col 3:23) – excellence! Because even while nobody else is watching, the Rewarder neither slumbers nor sleeps (Ps 121:4).
Sometimes we feel too far from God to boldly go to Him and ask Him for things He promises in His Word to give us, like wisdom and peace. Make a decision to choose excellence, move closer to God and start praying for a spirit of excellence right away!
I realize this key can be like a piece of tough meat to some. You are going to have to chew and chew thoroughly before swallowing. I encourage you to get serious about excellence and see how it empowers you personally.
Let’s make a difference in the world, one excellent person at a time. The 20-hour virtual online Transformation Coaching System™ that I use is the perfect stepping stone to becoming excellent. As soon as you drop your mental and emotional baggage, you will Travel Lightly through life and be able to implement successful habits like excellence much easier and quicker.
Contact me TODAY for a free 30 min online Session!
Learn more about the power of excellence with me. I am a certified Transformation Life Coach operating in Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape of South Africa. I also do virtual online life coaching sessions, so no matter where you are situated, all you need is an internet connection, a mobile phone or computer, and a space where you can meet with me uninterruptedly once a week for two hours.
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The next key #19 to personal empowerment (becoming the best version of yourself) is the POWER OF AN AUTHENTIC IDENTITY.
REFERENCES:
Joyce Meyer, Youtube
Jentezen Franklin, Youtube
