| |
| |
|
Coaching Information |
|
|
|
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
MORE RESOURCES:
Coaching - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Mid Life Crisis, Life Transitions, & Ontological Coaching Recently I have been watching a TV show called Blowout. It is a reality show about a hair designer, Jonathan Antin who struggles to get his Beverly Hills salon up and running. Coaching Can Help Teachers At A Crossroads In Their Careers Teachers enter the profession with the desire to help others, but after years in the field it can lose its luster. If it's no longer offering satisfaction the way it once did find out how you can get the joy back. New Definition of Retirement A new definition of retirement is evolving. It's one that's focused on continual exploration, learning and growth. What I Would Include In A Coaching Book A coach is an essential figure in providing direction and leadership to his/her team. In sports, coaches are sometimes evaluated on the number of wins they can produce. Handling Disappointment Disappointment is an inevitable part of home-based business. Clients won't pay, bids fall through, or business associates don't come through on their promises or act unethically. Media Underload! The Stress Reducing Psych-Diet The war, taxes, the economy, increased health problems, crime on the rise, overwhelming divorce rate, corruption in corporate America, and, oh yes, Janet at the Super Bowl! Where does it end? With so much going wrong, whats going right in the world?It is times like these that I find myself mired down in the muck spewing forth from every media outlet. Like water dripping on a sponge, this negativity begins to seep in and pervade my thoughts and influence my reactions to the world around me. What Do You Have To Give? "Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It's a mental attitude. How to Get More Business Without Even Trying Why are you in business? Hopefully you enjoy what you do, however is it because you want to make money so that you can have, be and do more in your life?Who pays you? Your clients do and never forget that. Unfortunately many people do. Coaching Employees - The Chronic Excuser Most of us find coaching employees to be an effective, even enjoyable, approach to leadership and management. Coaching provides a way to help team members grow and develop, while achieving business objectives. Walt Disney, the Inspiration to Form a Better Life? You, like many others, may have come to this article because you want more from life. In this sense, you and I may be alike because we're searching for greater happiness and a stronger sense of fulfillment. Home For The Holidays In my husband's family, family members send Christmas cards to other family members (parents to children, brothers and sisters to one another, etc.) even though the family always spends time together at Christmas for a meal and gift exchange. How to Give Yourself a Check Up From the Neck Up When was the last time you did some dedicated physical exercise?Many people have realised that our busy and stressful lives need some balance. They are flocking in droves to gymnasiums all over the country. Success Coaching - What Bill Gates and You Should Have In Common He was just a teenager, but he was already displaying the powerful habits that would one day make him a billionaire.I had to dart down to Atlanta on Monday for a business meeting with a partner of mine and grabbed a new book to read on the plane. How to Jump-start Your Emotional Health You've probably heard the expression: "It's not what you're eating. It's what's eating you!" This well-known saying reminds us that the thoughts we entertain can have an impact on our health. Theres Gold in that Silence Can you recall a time where you utilized silence to make a point? If you can consciously recall, you probably know your silence made more than just a point; it made an exclamation point .. Tempering Temper I'm almost always a calm and collected person. Or at least I think I am. Still Wondering About Coaching? A friend called me the other day from Lower Alabama. He has followed my career as a coach with enthusiasm, and continually refers clients to me, and I'm sure has done his part for making coaching known in his neck of the woods. People Pleasing and How to Stop! "People pleasing can leave you feeling empty and taken advantage of." Deb MeltonOne of the ways fear shows up in our lives and keeps us from living fully is when we become a people pleaser. Attitude What makes attitude so important? Why not just learn some "seduction techniques" to get the girl? The answer is simple: learning techniques (or having expensive clothing and cars) without improving your attitude is like wrapping a cheap gift in expensive wrapping paper. It still looks expensive on the outside, but when the girl "unwraps" you, she'll find out that you were faking it all along. Not Blind, Just No Vision Helen Keller once remarked that there was one thing she knew of that was worse than being blind; it was to be able to see but have no vision.In case you do not know the story of Helen Keller, she was less than two years old when she suddenly came down with a fever that left her unconscious.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
