Embracing Excellence
Joey rises before dawn to pack his lunch, eager for morning to arrive so he can board the city bus that transports him to his job at a souvenir production facility. From 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Joey applies decals to souvenir collector spoons. Much like an artist applying brush to canvas, Joey peels a self-sticking decal from its wrapper, painstakingly centers it over the base of the spoon and slowly presses it on the metal. If the decal is not perfectly centered, he peels it off and starts over. Joey glows with pride over the racks of completed spoons, ready to be packaged for shipping to retail stores.
Joey has Down Syndrome. Though he will never become the chairman of a Fortune 500 company and it's unlikely he will ever win an Academy Award or a Pulitzer prize, Joey is an outstanding sucess and a source of continual pride and joy to his heavenly Father.
When I think of Joey, I feel shame for all the times when I have given less than my best. I'm also inspired to re-commit myself to the pursuit of excellence in everything that I do.
In the parable of the five talents, Jesus taught the importance of investing our gifts and resources to the best of our ability. Three people received three different amounts of money, "each according to his ability." Later, each was asked to account for what they did with their money.
Two of the three that doubled their money through wise investments were commended by the master, "You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things." The one who buried his money was called a, "wicked and lazy servant." Worse, the master took away what little he had and gave it to one of the faithful servants (Mat. 25:14-28).
Shun Mediocrity
To embrace excellence, we must shun mediocrity, despising it as a sinister enemy and guarding against its intrusion into our attitudes and endeavors. As the late Jamie Buckingham wrote, "The risk-free life is a victory-free life. It means lifelong surrender to the mediocre. And that is the worst of all defeats."
Anyone determined to shun mediocrity will, at times, need the courage to stand alone. Many people feel threatened by visionaries; they may intentionally or unintentionally discourage you. They may undermine your dreams. Seek out friends who are also visionaries so you can share mutual encouragement and support.
Another key to shunning mediocrity is to never compare ourselves with others. At the end of my life, I will not be asked, "Why were you not Sara, or Jennifer, or Candace?" I will be asked, "Were you Judy? Were you faithful to be the woman I created you to be."
Know Your Purpose
To achieve excellence, we must clarify our purpose. It's difficult to give our best when we lack vision.
My grades were ho-hum during high school and the first two years of my post-secondary education. I could have achieved honors with minimal effort, but I rarely studied. It wasn't until I discovered my passion - writing - and transferred to journalism studies that I exerted effort and strived for excellence. My grades soared and I achieved honors. Once I discovered my passion, it was easy to give my best.
I'm not trying to excuse my poor study habits -- I admit they reflected laziness and immature character. Nevertheless, discovering your purpose will have a catalytic impact on motivating you to a greater commitment to excellence.
Purpose is often revealed through our passions, for God places desires in our hearts. What excites you? What stirs joy in your heart? What motivates you? What inspires creativity and ideas and vision? The answers to these questions will provide key clues to understanding your purpose. Most important, pray and ask God to help you understand your purpose.
Know Your Source
Embracing excellence means we must know our source. Even before we were born, we were impregnated with the seeds of divine potential. Yet those seeds can remain dormant.
Consider the majestic oak tree. It's hard to believe it all started with a tiny seed. It's even more amazing to realize that seed contained all the genetic material necessary to develop into a mature tree. Still, for that seed to germinate and grow it required the right environmental conditions, including moisture and nutrients from the soil, and sunshine.
Our life purpose operates on a similar principle. Though God places seeds of potential in each one of us, those seeds require the right spiritual environment in order to germinate and grow.
The Bible says, "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits" (Dan. 11:32)
By far the most important key to excellence and fulfilled potential is to develop a more intimate relationship with God. As we draw closer to Him, we receive clearer vision and understanding of our unique purpose. Vision ignites a passion to fulfill our purpose; from that passion flows the commitment to invest our gifts and resources in serving others.
As God's image-bearers, let's despise mediocrity. Let's seek to be more passionate, creative and excellent in everything we do. Let's refuse the well-travelled path of mediocrity, predictability and conformity; instead choosing the less-travelled path of faith, courage and risk.
Shun mediocrity, discover your purpose and remain connected to your Source - and everything you do will reflect the excellence of our Creator.
Judy Rushfeldt is an author, speaker, and online magazine publisher (http://www.LifeToolsforWomen.com) whose passion is to help women reach their dreams. Her latest book, Making Your Dreams Your Destiny - a woman's guide to awakening your passions and fulfilling your purpose, is available in quality bookstores in Canada and the United States. To read more about this book or to order online, visit http://www.MakingYourDreams.com
 Google News Updated : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:55:22 GMT Obama "puzzled" by Iraq comment frenzy - Reuters
Reuters - By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he ... Obama struggles to thread needle on Iraq Obama Refines the Blame on Iraq Miscue Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:08:23 GMT McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter - New York Times
New York Times - Mary Altaffer/AP By MARK LEIBOVICH LAS VEGAS —Senator John McCain was performing relatively smoothly as he unveiled his energy plan. McCain Campaign, in Relaunch, Seeks Tighter Message Focus McCain Campaign on Obama and Iraq Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:31:52 GMT Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Eliana Raszewski July 5 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina's lower house of congress approved the government's plan to increase taxes on exports of grains and oilseeds, risking a resumption of three months of strikes by farmers. Export Tax That Angers Farmers Advances in Argentina Argentina lawmakers approve farm export tax hike Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:41:30 GMT Hippie Arrests Draw ACLU’s Attention - New York Times
New York Times - By AP CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union said on Saturday that it would investigate the actions of federal officers who had arrested five members of the Rainbow Family in western Wyoming during the group’s annual gathering. ACLU plans to investigate Rainbow Family treatment ACLU to investigate Rainbow Family treatment Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:40:38 GMT Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year ... Rural voters lean to the GOP Neither Obama nor McCain meets Energy Party standard Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:40:55 GMT Ore. man completes flight of fancy _ in lawn chair - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - CAMBRIDGE, Idaho (AP) - Using his trusty BB gun to help him return to Earth, a 48-year-old gas station owner flew a lawn chair rigged with helium-filled balloons more than 200 miles across the Oregon desert Saturday, landing in a field in Idaho. Video: Ore. Man Uses Balloons and a Lawn Chair to Fly Believe it or not, he's lounging on air Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:50:31 GMT Smallest planet shrinks in size - BBC News
BBC News - The smallest planet in the Solar System has become even smaller, studies by the Messenger spacecraft have shown. Data from a flyby of Mercury in January 2008 show the planet has contracted by more than one mile (1.5km) in diameter over its history. First Results From Messenger's Mercury Flyby Mercury is shrinking, NASA craft finds; a cool clue: 'lobate scarps' Publ.Date : Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:45:26 GMT Increased Web Site Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... What it takes to GROW!In almost every workshop we deliver,... Read More Excerpt From The Relationship Handbook: How to Understand and Improve... Read More "Tell me what company thou keepst, and I'll tell thee... Read More Do you know an individual at work who is a... Read More In our daily lives as well as in our businesses,... Read More How Do You Learn Something New?If you could learn fast... Read More Nobody will stop you in the hallway at work to... Read More Organizations are finally creating cultures that support a work and... Read More I thought I'd begin this article by stimulating your mind... Read More Coaching is an effective process used to support individuals in... Read More Whether it's making a prospecting call to a promising business... Read More As a manager you are constantly being asked to do... Read More I met my friend when we were in graduate school,... Read More In this discussion, we talk about Coaching Skills with Phil... Read More In Corrogue the air is chill and the frost is... Read More Are holiday bills surprising you? Are you hoping that if... Read More The battle at Gettysburg is one of the most notable... Read More Three steps to your Personal Transformation:Awareness and PerceptionLaw of Cause... Read More An awful lot of fantastic coaching has been coming out... Read More There is one important point that is often missed in... Read More How many more servings of the daytime self-help salad will... Read More (Channelled)Roy?I am sending you this quote from Sōtō Zen, Dōgen's... Read More Recently at a Pharmaceutical meeting in Europe, one of the... Read More As the title states, "Become an Information Filter and a... Read More We've all experienced the same thing at important crossroads in... Read More
Adsense
websites
Training is Not the Same Thing as Exercising
Change the Words and Change the World
Guilt By Association & Wealth By It Too!
Success at Work : People Skills : Complaining
The Value of Coaching to Support Your Business and Your Life
Be The One With Something Interesting To Say
The Mid-Life Challenge: Make a Plan to Re-ignite Vocational Passion
Integrating Life and Work
Theres Always Enough Time!
Personal Life Coaching And How It Can Help You
Greasing the Path to Success: Finding the Confidence to Step Up to Key Moments
Can You Say No?
Friends?
Coaching Skills Does Matter At Chick?fil-A
Going Beyond Life Coaching
Tame The Financial Beast
Leadership Coaching at Gettysburg
Cause and Effect! Choose a Path
Coaching Prime Time
Coaching Skills and Positive Motivation
COACHING: When it?s Beyond Oprah and Dr. Phil
The Right Time and Place
Leadership Coaching ? Easier Said Than done
Becoming An Information Filter And A Knowledge Sponge
What To Do? Lifes Big Question
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Are You Controlling or Loving Yourself?
How often do you hear a parental voice in your... Read More
Do You Want to Impress Others? Then Don?t Talk ?Listen
Recently my friend Michelle was concerned about a professional conference... Read More
Grow Through It
It's past bedtime for most working men. It's not unbearably... Read More
Are YOU a Dreamer?
This morning I watched a news article about a young... Read More
Leading Grief Groups: The Preliminaries
Preparation: If you desire advertising the group, announcements need to... Read More
Why Bosses Dont Get All the News
Not long ago, a friend who works in television complained... Read More
Have a World-Changing Conversation
I know what you're thinking? "Here I am, completely stressed... Read More
The Incredible Human Psyche
The intriguing Human psyche - more complex than the metamorphosing... Read More
Help! I Need to Make a Decision!
Many people who come to my office say they have... Read More
After July 8, Pay This Amount
You undoubtedly go through this, too. A few times a... Read More
Going Beyond Life Coaching
In Corrogue the air is chill and the frost is... Read More
Forget Resolutions - Craft A Life Theme That Works
How many people do you know who, in January, enthusiastically... Read More
3 Secrets to Developing Superior People Skills
1. If What You Are Doing Is Not Working Change... Read More
Friends?
I met my friend when we were in graduate school,... Read More
The Harvest: Shared Power
The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The... Read More
Discover The Coach Within You
One of the three basic roles of leadership is the... Read More
Who Do You Talk To?
Many of you reading this will be running businesses, or... Read More
Two Pillows and One Dead Husband
That's what I needed when I delved deeply into my... Read More
So Why Are They Really Here?
It does make you wonder sometimes, doesn't it? You know... Read More
Do You Want to Make More Money as A Life Coach
There's a lot of coaches out there not making any... Read More
Discovering Your Passion and Purpose
"I can't seem to discover why I'm on the planet.""What... Read More
You Are Never Trapped!
"The meaning of life is that it stops." -Franz Kafka... Read More
Do You Make Less Money Than Your Taller Peers?
A recent study at the University of Florida found that... Read More
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: How Do You Change the World?
Recently, I saw an exhibition of paintings by a very... Read More
Choosing an Apprentice
Along the path from where you are now to millions... Read More
Coaching |