Becoming a Person of EXCELLENCE

Excellence is not a gift. No man on earth is born with excellence. Excellence is an attitude generated by a spirit. 

The future belongs no longer to those who just produce product or supply services. The future belongs to those who have excellence in service or excellence in the quality of their work. Everybody sells products, and everybody is providing a service, but only a few at the top provide excellence. 

Excellence, according to Myles Munroe, is defined as "the highest quality." Excellence is not just quality; it goes to the extreme. Excellence will cost you what mediocrity will save you. 

Excellent people will conquer what the average person will complain about. Excellent people pursue solutions, while average people stare at problem. You don't have to ask people if they are excellent. You can tell by the way they dress. You can tell by the way they talk to you and the way they organize things around them. Excellent people make improvements, not excuses. 

Briefly, these are some principles of personal excellence that serve as indicators to determine if one is an excellent person or on the course of becoming a person of excellence:

• Don't settle for the average 

Average is the grave in which excellence is burried. You can never change what you accept, so don't settle for the average. If you were not born to be an average person.

When one doesn't want to settle for average, it is observed in his attitude towards both success and failure. He considers where he failed and decide to do better on second trail and not repeat failure. Such is the mark of excellence. 

To be excellent, you must not embrass failute and the bottom line. Neither should you be comfortable with mediocrity but strive to be at the top of your field. Excellence has a slogan that says "until my good is better and my better becomes the best, I will not settle down". Don't settle for the average, move up for excellence.

• Develop a deep commitment to excellence

You will never be excellent until you decide this is the lifestyle you want to have. You should be the best, and then you will be first. Excellent people are those who are always preferred as the best.

 
The story of Michael Angelo's 16 chapels. The most awesome painting in Rome is a great piece of non-fiction that brings home the point.

One day, the story is told of Michael Angelo painting, and one of his aides came in to check on him. When he walked into the Chapel, there were candles everywhere and Michael could not be heard. His aide started shouting "Michael, Michael," and an answer came, "Yes, I'm busy." 

His assistant heard a voice in the dark corner, up above the post of the chapel. He walked up and look up above the post in the dark corner and there's Michael Angelo on his back with painting brush in his teeth, painting in the dark where no one will ever see.

His aide said, Michael What are you doing up there? 

Michael  responded: I'm painting the ceiling. 

His aide replied: you're putting details where no one will ever see it. why waste your time? 

Michael Angelo responded: But God sees it and he keeps on painting. 

What a spirit of excellence! 

An excellent person does not work because people are not watching. He works because the work must be done and done well. 

Even if no one ever sees what you're doing, have integrity with yourself and know that whatever you do will be the best, even if no one recognizes it.

• Posses Ethics and Integrity 

Always possess these two things: Your gift will not carry you to places where your character won't keep you. Morality is stronger than talent. Don't take advantage of people in your team or among your associates. Don't violate your family. Respect people's opinions. 

You should commit yourself to the strength of ethics and integrity above personal satisfaction and gratification. What you say and do are supposed to be consistent if you're a person of integrity.

Excellence produce trust. If you are going to be a person of Excellence, you must integrate your words with your action. If you promise someone that you're going to give them a call, give them the call. If you promise someone that you're going to meet with them, do all within your power to show up. If you promise someone that you will send them a product at a certain time, do all within your power to deliver on that promise. 

Excellence is integrity. You should be a person of integrity. 

Anytime a man sells diamonds and he aren't wearing none, you better doubt the diamond. You don't have to only look like a person of excellence; you must also act like a person of excellence. Excellent people are a manifestation of their lifestyle. 

• Excellent people show genuine respect for others

To respect means to honour, to esteem and to place value. Excellent people show genuine respect for others, irrespective of who they are. 

What are people to you? 

How do you see others? 

People know when you respect them and when you don't. So don't fake it. Your art of excellence is determined by how you treat and value people. People don't care how much you know, unless they know how much you care.

• Go the second mile 

Lastly, excellent people go the second mile and the extra mile. 

Excellenceis manifested in people who are not afraid at doing their best. Give more than you take frome life. Go the extra mile. 

An excellent person always goes beyond the call of duty and beyond the assignment. Go the extra mile for excellence. Medals are not given at the beginning of a race, but at the end. 

Excellence must be pursued if it is truly desired. Its worthy to know that becoming a person of excellence does not come in one day nor does it take few days to develop. It takes a long period of time with strong will, consistency, discipline and continuous practice to be excellent. 

In his 2008 book “Outliers,” Malcolm Gladwell wrote that “ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness.” This theory simply means that, to be considered elite and truly experienced within a certain craft, you must practice it for ten thousand hours. 

Excellence and greatness is possible for everyone. You can become if you decide to apply the principles of engagement.