MUTCU BLOGS

We Inspire Love, Hope and Godliness

Tag: excellence

  • Excellence: Capacity building and Self development

    By Ms Kanyiri

     ” Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”

    ARISTOTLE

    Excellence means being exceptionally good and outstanding in all you commit to do. Well, It just means striving to be the best you can be and to do the best you can do in all your endeavor’s. Excellence reflects moral virtue and therefore strives towards what is positive, valuable and praiseworthy.

    Pursuing excellence begins from a point of  realizing that there is NO ultimate!! -You have to keep moving forward because there is more to God’s plan for you and me. Excellence comes as a result of building more capacity and developing yourself for increased efficiency. Bytheaway,  you might be asking yourself, “what is the whole point of developing and leading a life of excellence whose capacity is well built?” I will answer you shortly.

     I will start by narrating a small fable of a man who sets on one morning to chop trees.The man sets to work using a dull axe, and despite his best efforts, he makes very little progress. An  old man comes by and asks the man why he is struggling. The man explains that he is trying to chop down the tree, but his axe is too dull. The old man suggests to that man that he should take a break and sharpen his axe. The man is hesitant to take a break, feeling that he doesn’t have any  time to waste, but the old man insists, explaining that sharpening the axe will actually make the task easier and more efficient.The man finally takes a break and sharpens his axe. When he returns to the task of chopping down the tree, he finds that it is much easier and faster with a sharp axe, and he is able to complete the task in no time.

    This metaphorical story shows the importance of taking breaks and investing time and effort into self-care, skill-building, and preparation before fulfilling our assignments.

    “Pursuing excellence begins from a point of  realizing that there is NO ultimate!! -You have to keep moving forward because there is more to God’s plan for you and me.”

    Building up and developing oneself takes significant time which may actually be mistaken for wasting time,  but in essence it is quite the opposite. It became easier for the man to cut the tree once he invested in sharpening his axe. The story emphasizes that taking time to sharpen our tools and skills can actually save us time and effort in the long run, and make us more effective and efficient in our tasks. And this actually clearly shows that developing oneself is for increased efficiency. Try to take a break from trying too hard and focus on sharpening  your skills. It may take listening to many scholars and reading hundreds of  books to perfect your writing skills, watching a number of tutorials to improve your cooking skills, attending a number of training sessions to better your coding skills and alot more. Achieving excellence is never easy to do. Excellence is a quality that people really appreciate, because it’s so hard to find.

    From a Biblical perspective, being outstanding or extremely good seem most applicable when it is seen as the pursuit of, or abounding in, Christ-like virtue. The fact that we have been perfected in Christ , does not exempt us from pursuing excellence.

    This is a mistake oftenly made by arrogant believers . Self development also known as personal development covers the entire being. We develop spiritually, economically, academically and socially.

    It is God’s will for us to develop. Outside Him, there is no development. It is only through Him and In Him that we can develop. Yes you heard me right. It is only through His way not the World’s way. Probably, you are wondering how, How so?  So, you want something more grounded, more of this world… Sorry, the Bible does not have much in common with these: leadership, speaker, success, team-building, manager qualities, training, speech, influence, vision, potential, focus, efficiency, business, coach, mentor and CEO. Not that it despises them − even its’  heroes have been recognized for these things – but puts in front of all these a coefficient of something else, an infusion of divine. Today, personal development is promoted without God. Instead, the biblical equation is clear: personal development = the knowing of God. so, if you want to know what does the Bible say, then look for people who have developed themselves with God.

    “Excellence is a quality that people really appreciate, because it’s so hard to find.“

     "And Jesus increased in wisdom (in broad and full understanding) and in stature and years, and in favor with God and man."- Luke 2:52

    Have a closer look- see the personal development of Jesus: ‘Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men’.  An ideal example of how self development ought to be. It is a series of overlapping categories within four domains: mental (wisdom), physical (stature), social (favour with men) and spiritual (favour with God). Jesus has already set the bar for us. He has shown us how a life of excellence should be. He changed the entire portfolio of personal development. If we are to speak collectively, try Ephesians 4: 13-15, where the goal for all Christians is clearly set: to be as Christ, that is, to be at the height of His stature.

    "But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in ALL things into Him who is the head -Christ." - Ephesians 4:15

    The emphasy here is that we must grow in ALL things. He is the standard man. Jesus is the flawless standard man who knew the secret behind self development. We therefore must emulate Him , bringing us to the conclusion that self development comes from a point of knowing God first and then following the example of Christ.

    “The biblical equation is clear: personal development = the knowing of God. so, if you want to know what does the Bible say, then look for people who have developed themselves with God.”

      In conclusion, it is indisputable that the  building blocks of excellence form the bedrock upon which personal development is constructed. Self-awareness, goal setting, continuous learning, resilience, self-care, and positive habits intertwine to create a robust foundation that propels you toward growth and achievement. Personal Excellence is the journey of positive development beyond one’s self and is a step by step process of improving oneself in every aspect of life. Although the process is difficult and requires patience but it benefits those who want to live a successful life of excellence.It requires building up on a life of discipline. Many things get in the way of pursuing excellence, including apathy, carelessness, and laziness. Our sinful nature is that part of us that is unlike God and is in fact in opposition to God and His excellence.  We cut corners, we shirk and we find ourselves  settling  for second best (or third or fourth best).

    “God’s cure for our careless ways is to remind us that He is our ultimate judge. We must answer to Him for how we spend our time, our resources, and our energy . Striving for excellence should be a part of all we do.“

    “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving”  - Colossians 3:23–24.

     Aware that it is Christ Himself we are serving, we don’t want to present Him with anything but excellence. Whether it is leading in praise team or serving the community or whether it is cleaning the church or pursuing our careers. we should strive for excellence in work ethic, in character, and in craftsmanship. No one is good at everything, but we’re all good at something. God expects us to develop the skills and gifts He has given us in order to serve Him and others better. Paul addressed the subject of excellence in Romans 12:6–8: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” In other words, find your gifts and use them with excellence.

    Blessings

  • EXCELLENCE : Behind the Curtains of Achievement

    By Steven Nzioka

    “The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.”

    In the pursuit of excellence, we often find ourselves  trying to answer the question of ‘how do we achieve excellence?’ While talent may be innate, it is the relentless dedication and hard work that truly paves the path to excellence.

    “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution.” Excellence  is the relentless pursuit of perfection in every task  we undertake. “

    Usually The first and greatest victory is conquering oneself as true success lies in the ability to overcome setbacks through unwavering determination and effort.

    Malcolm Gladwell, In his book “Outliers,”introduces the concept of the “10,000-Hour Rule,” suggesting that mastery in any field requires approximately 10,000 hours of dedicated practice. By embracing deliberate practice and consistent effort, we can inch closer to excellence with each passing day.

    So the journey towards excellence, is a multi-dimensional endeavor that demands, dedication, perseverance, and a deep commitment to growth. And as we navigate through the intricacies of this pursuit, we encounter the following dimensions that shape our quest for greatness.

    “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

    1. Hard Work:

    At the heart of every extraordinary achievement lies the toil of hard work. Excellence is  earned through relentless efforts which include mastering a skill, excelling in academics, or hard work is the foundation upon which excellence is built.

    "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." - Colossians 3:23

    2. Discipline:

    Discipline is the unwavering commitment to stick to our goals, follow through with our plans, and resist the allure of distractions. It ensures that we stay on course, even when the journey is tough, and the path ahead seems uncertain.

    "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." 
    - Hebrews 12:11

    3. Resilience:

    In the pursuit of excellence, setbacks  are inevitable. However, it’s our ability to bounce back from these adversities that sets us apart. Resilience fuels our perseverance and propels us forward, no matter the challenges we face.

    4. Passion:

    Passion is the fire that burns within us, igniting our enthusiasm, and fueling our determination. When we are passionate about what we do, we are willing to go the extra mile, push beyond our limits, and strive for greatness with unwavering zeal.

    5. Self-Worth:

    Self-worth provides the foundation upon which we build our confidence, resilience, and determination. When we recognize our own value and potential, we unleash our innate abilities and pursue our goals with unwavering conviction.

    6. Focus

    Focus is  the ability to channel our energy and attention towards our goals, blocking out distractions and staying laser-focused on the task at hand. With this we maintain clarity of purpose and make steady progress towards our aspirations.

    In conclusion, it’s by embracing these core elements and integrating them into our lives, we unlock our full potential and embark on a journey towards greatness. So let us embrace the challenge, rise above the ordinary, and strive for excellence in all that we do.

  • Excellence: Should be more within than without

    By Jimmy Wanjuhi

    “Excellence is not being the best. It is about doing your best. “

    So What does it mean to be a man of excellence?

    Many of us picture it in terms of praise worth achievements like winning championships, being always at the top of your class or even having wealth more than everyone else. Yes all this do in a way define excellence but looking at the bigger picture,  is there a long term sense of fulfilment after these accomplishments.

    You see When you become the best in something, there is always the sense of accomplishment, it causes a dopamine rise, but it soon fades away as fast as it came. Sometimes the reason most of us strive to excel in something is so as to show the world how good we are.

    Sometimes the reason most of us strive to excel in something is so as to show the world how good we are. If this becomes the motivation, then definitely it becomes a habit and can easily lead you to a loophole.You’ll have to indulge in more and more risky stuff for you to get that dopamine rise. So, in this context, excellence only becomes an addiction, a bad one I may add. We’ve heard stories of people who died while trying to break certain records.

    Let’s flip the coin. What if we change the narrative? What about we stop striving to excel so that people can see us. We stop caring about the accolades we’ll get and our focus becomes, ‘how to do the best.’

    “Don’t climb a mountain with an intention that the world See’s you, Climb with an intention to see the world. “

    Excellence should be a drive from the inside not from the outside. The desire to excel should be exclusive of the fact whether somebody appreciates it or not. As the famous quote goes, “If an egg is broken by an outside force, life ends. If broken by an inside force, life begins.”

    A Bibilical Perspective

    Imagine the life of Jesus. What if Jesus forgot about His purpose and was concerned about what people said about Him? He would have spent most of His time proving them wrong instead of establishing His ministry. Despite facing criticism, rejection, persecution, etc. He remained focused on His mission of spreading love, compassion and teachings of redemption.

    “A leader who speaks the truth seeks to empower you while the one who tells you what you want to hear seeks to control you”

    The reason why the life of Jesus is a story of excellence is because He didn’t seek approval from His audience. He didn’t aspire to be liked, but to fulfil His purpose. He knew in order to excel He had to tell people the bitter truth, whether they like it or not.

    In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus talks about the light. He compares light to a town built on a hill; it cannot be hidden. He teaches that we should let our light shine upon others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify God in heaven. Note this; ‘that they may see your good deeds and glorify God in heaven.’ So, whenever we live a life of excellence, the goal should be to bring glory to God not to self. 

    Matthew 6:1-4; “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. ~ NKJV Version.

    Jesus warns against seeking approval from men. When we do deeds of excellence it should be the same, it should not be for men to see and to praise us, but our deeds should bring glory to God and there can be no greater reward than this.