Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post entitled “The Spirit of Excellence Challenge” in which I challenged every reader not to be just good enough, but to strive for excellence.  More than anything, with my writing, I was challenging myself.  I set out to be a better version of myself.  One who wasn’t content with who I was because I know I was made for a greater purpose.  This meant I had to be a better worker, brother, son, husband, and friend.  It’s hard for me to judge how successful I was in my quest, but I would like to share what I learned during the process.  So as the year comes to an end, it’s a good time for me to reflect on what helped or hurt me along the journey to Excellence.

McDonald’s or Ruth’s Chris – Where do you get fed?

I was talking to my father-in-law recently, as he often does, he offered me a dose of knowledge.  He asked me an unusual question for which he did not expect a response from me.  He said, “Where do you get fed?”  A bit confused, I stared at him blankly waiting for him to answer his own question.  He gave an analogy that helped to put his question in perspective.  McDonald’s and Ruth’s Chris are restaurants that serve the same overarching purpose: to feed.  However, the means by which they accomplish this task varies greatly between the two restaurants.  McDonald’s caters to individuals who are on-the-go while Ruth’s Chris targets diners willing to wait for an authentic and highly-flavored steak.  The point is that we have a choice as to where we draw our strength, or knowledge and wisdom from.  However, most times, we go for the convenient because the alternative come with either some investment or some sacrifice.  Make a sacrifice.  If it means driving a bit further to get the word, do it; paying more for durability, pay it, giving more, give it.  You will reap the benefits in full.  It’s not always conducive to choose the more exhaustive option but when possible, make the commitment to feeding yourself well.

Less Google Searches, More Meditation   

It’s a natural reflex for me…if I have a question, any question, I google it.  I know for a fact that I’m not alone.  I’ve been sick before and thought it better to look up my symptoms online and self-diagnose myself to save the trip to the doctor.  We’ve become a nation of quick fixes! At times, it may be worth it but with the increasing untrustworthy information provided online, we’re better off getting our facts and stories from reliable sources that don’t just pop-up in our new feeds.  One of my goals this year was to spend more time meditating.  Finding the time was an issue but when I thought about the amount of time I wasted online, I realized there was a simple trade-off.  Meditation can mean a lot of different things to different people.  For me, meditating is waking up every morning and spending some time reading the Bible, thinking through passages, praying and drinking some hot tea. I used to spend so much of my time crowding my brain with useless facts and it started to impact my creativity.  Spending time meditating stimulates your mind and provides focus, something no google search will cure.  I urge you to spend time unplugged every day, free from distractions.  This will help clear your mind and get the juices that drive the imaginative side of your brain flowing.

Reading is fundamental but Listening is pretty good too

My goal this year was to read 12 books.  Simple enough, right?  Not at all.  I started off pretty well this year, got a library card, got some books, and even read through a few.  Then life happens.  Work demands increased, family obligations persisted, etc. Finding the time to even pick up a book was a mounting struggle.  I had to change my strategy.  With my daily commute being at times over 2 hours (got to love DC traffic), I saw an opportunity. I decided to start listening to some audio books to help me reach my goal. Initially it felt like cheating but nothing can be further from the truth.  I was learning in a whole new way and isn’t that the point anyway.  This year I learned about secrets to improving your personal finances, Martin Luther King Jr.’s story told from his vantage point, a dog whisperer’s tails of dealing with dogs and their owners and even a book on managing different types of people.  My point is:  find a way to accomplish your goals, even if it’s an unconventional one.  I still plan to read as many books as I can, I just know that the renewing of my mind can come equally from listening.  When you’re on a quest for excellence, there should be no excuse, find a way to reach your goals.

Keep your friends close, your foes closer, but your family closest.

Everyone experiences trials.  As the old saying goes, “If you haven’t experiences trials yet, you just need to live a longer.”  No one is exempt.  We just never know where the trial may come from.  We typically expect trials to originate from those who we consider to be our greatest source of pain in the-you-know-what, but more times than not, it’s those closest to us.  How can I strive for excellence when that same excellence is challenged by those who you love the most?  I believe your friends and especially family can teach you the most about yourself.  Even more, they will always have your back, even when you make mistakes.  Therefore this group might prove to be the perfect training ground for excellence. By the time you interact with your foes, you’ve already been equipped with the tools to navigate through any trials or tribulations.  In my family, my siblings and I love each other so much but we definitely have had our moments.  Whenever I look back at the things we’ve dealt with, I am assured that I came out wiser, knowing how to better approach situations.  The trials will continue, but make sure that even in how you react to others, you’re driven by excellence.

As we go into the New Year, I hope you take time to reflect on this past year and prepare your goals for the year to come.  Every morning when I wake up, I look up to a frame on my wall that reads “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, a verse out of the Bible (Philippians 4:13).   Even though I’ve looked at this verse every day for years, I received a new revelation from it recently.  The spirit of Excellence is already in you.  God has given us all the tools we need, the people we need and the gifts we need to be our best. Your role is to bring it out, let it manifest in your life. Excellence is what you make of it.  Make the most.

See you next year, Happy New Year!