“No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of him; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction” (Charles Kendall Adams).
WE SHOW GRATITUDE FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE WHEN WE STRIVE FOR THE HIGHEST AND BEST WITHIN OURSELVES. Against the powerful pull of mediocrity, we must exert our best effort. “Good enough” is not good enough. When we give ourselves to those around us, we must give, by God’s grace, nothing less than our personal best.
The concept of “excelling” is a noble one. It’s unfortunate that we think of it so often in competitive terms, as if the thing we must surpass is someone else’s performance. In the highest sense, excellence isn’t measured by comparisons to others but by adherence to objective standards that are higher than any of us. Just as there is such a thing as beauty, there is such a thing as excellence, and when we make it one of our values, we help ourselves greatly.
Even when we consider excellence in comparative terms, we should compare ourselves to our own track record, not to that of some other person. What matters most is not how many of our peers we outperform, but how often we excel what we have previously done. The best lives are lived by those who are always looking to upgrade their personal character, not for competitive advantage but for the inherent value of greater excellence.
Since life is a growth process, we should see the pursuit of excellence as a continuous effort — a work that keeps going throughout our lives, even in old age. There will be days when our efforts are disappointing, perhaps grievously (or even tragically) so. But those who truly wish to excel will not be defeated by disappointments along the way. As long as life lasts, there is some part of our story that remains to be written, and we should firmly decide to make the next chapter the best part we’ve written so far.
A commitment to excellence is possible for everyone, no matter how insignificant we may sometimes feel. Pursuit of the best is not just for the high and mighty; it is for every living soul. Indeed, we are never more noble than when we give our best effort to the simple duties that are the stuff of ordinary life.
“Great works do not always lie in our way, but every moment we may do little ones excellently, that is, with great love” (Francis de Sales).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com
