Achieving Excellence Part l

Achieving excellence always begins with one thing. Making a decision.


Seems simple enough, right? It is, if you know who you are. Most failure can be contributed to a lack of determination. Do you know yourself well enough to be able to determine exactly what it is that you want?
If not, in your quest to figure out just who you are and what you would like to happen in your life, consider these 3 things:

Recognize your gifting I believe we have all been endowed with unlimited gifting in unlimited areas in unlimited amounts. Take some time and think about some of the things you're good at. Some things may seem more important than others. Some are more or less evident. Even if you complete what you may consider to be the most mundane of tasks well, that is a gift. There is no one anywhere that is able to do whatever it is that you do, and give it your special touch.
Determine your gifting and use it to help you get what you want and, more importantly, help improve our world.

Give in to your desires Our desires are planted in us for a reason. Have you ever looked at someone that enjoys a particular activity and wondered "What in the World???" People make the world go 'round and it is desire that fuels the trip. Desire may be the most important part of achieving success because, whatever it is we have a desire for, we will be enthusiastic about. Enthusiasm is crucial to accomplishment. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek éntheos, meaning "God within". Enthusiasm reflects the love that you have for whatever it is that you desire.
It is that Love, my friend, that can be the biggest determining factor of whether or not you will succeed at obtaining your heart's desire.

You are not a victim Everything is beautiful in it's own time. Circumstances are never perfect. Sometimes they appear to be out of our control. Sometimes they are not favorable. Sometimes, to avoid being held accountable, we blame our circumstances.
One thing is for certain, no matter what the circumstance, everything happens for a reason. Work in your circumstance. Use it as a tool. Examine what's happening around you. What's hot? What's not? Why? What can you use to improve your circumstances and move you closer to your goals? What can you do differently next time to avoid a counter-productive situation?
You can either be a victim of or victorious in your circumstance. You will never be both.


Although determining your desires and gifting and capitalizing on your circumstances play major roles in deciding the plan for your life, the most important thing you can do to achieve real success is to get to know your Maker. We all have an important and unique part to play in His plan. Using all that He has given us, and knowing Him and His plan for our lives is the Most Excellent Way to achieve success.