Excellence = Follow: Objectives & Thru & Up

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Pr 8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. Revelation/Reason/Reality TED

Mr 7:37 beyond measure astonished, saying, He has done all things well: he makes both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Dan 5:11 HS, light, wisdom 12 excellent 2:31 spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting...solving riddles, explaining enigmas... 

Num 14:24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land...

I. Follow Objectives  Arete=Passions governed by Objectives; competence first (abilities, commitments, knowledge, and skills BD) 

“person of the highest effectiveness; they use all their faculties—strength, bravery and wit—to achieve real results” Herc: A vs Kakia*

                  *Xenophon Memorabilia, Bk 2, ch 1, sec 21

TED Doing what you feel like vs channeling/focusing abilities on a goal, eliminating distractions, pushing beyond comfort, w/ coaching/fellowship (competition/spur others on)

“To wander half-heartedly after mediocrity.  “to meander in the general direction of whatever’s most urgent and noisy”. 

 “to stroll nonchalantly after the easiest and most comfortable option. As long as there’s nothing to watch on TV that night”. 

Excellence endures and sustains. It goes beyond motivation into the realms of inspiration. Azim Premji

Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek. Mario Andretti

APP: purpose to please God; seek help from HS; find out obj & stds, keep steps in blueprint focus; be competent; selectively excellent

Phil 1:9 love abound by knowledge and discernment 10 that you may manifest the excellent, be pure/blameless Day of Christ 10 fruits  4:8 Think on

The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thots of excellence. Really, it's a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free. Chuck Swindoll

80/20 vs perfectionism; other-centeredness and the will of God. Pride for the glory of us vs the glory of God

Pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. Pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time. Ed Bliss GTD

II. Follow Thru purposeful, organized, good and faithful persistence (ant) vs lazy unprofitable sluggard (paperwork is done)

Pr 26:12 own eyes...13 lion...14...door/bed...15 buries hand in bowl wearies to bring to mouth (completion) 15 wiser in own eyes vs sensible

Mt 25:21'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few...ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle  cf Daniel spirit

Persist. Excellence is a function of  persistence- Outliers  BC:+focused time mgt and self-evaluated performance and priorities TOYL

Ecc 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave 

Col 3:22 Workers obey...singleness of heart, fearing God 23 whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 reward

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Pr 12:27 The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession.

The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it. Pearl S. Buck

APP: visualize goals from the beginning and all the way thru and see yourself completing steps and final achievement/praise (carving)

III. Follow Up  diligence that takes heedOLB/responsibility to evaluate progress, ensure performance (double check) and improve

Rm 12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 27:26 flocks; Heb 6:11 hope 11:6 ; 2Pt 1:6 add to faith 2Cor 8:7

1Cor 11:31 if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. Mal 2:15 spirit; Lk 21:8 take heed cx deception; Ac20:28 self /ministry

2Pt 1:3 His divine power given to us all...life and godliness, thru the knowledge of Him who called us to glory and excellence/virtue, 4 partakers of the divine nature, escaped the corruption in the world thru lust. 5 giving all diligence, add to your faith excellence/virtue

Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. Pat Riley       (search “heed” in OnlineBible; click “heed”; study note)  

The will to win, desire to succeed, urge to reach your full potential...keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. Confucius

APP: diligently take responsibility for your growth and performance by consistently evaluating your targeted service to God and others

If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work. Thomas J. Watson

Questions for Reflections/Discussion/Response:

1. For what do we trade excellence, persistence, faithfulness, diligence, and responsibility? Does the temporal every outweigh the eternal?

2. Are you motivated by God's glory or your own temporal glory (pride)? How do 80/20 and God's will guard against perfectionism?

3. Are you purposefully pursing excellence? What are your life purpose and objectives, and plan for achieving them to God's glory? TOYL

4. Where are you headed? 1) the path to Arete empowered by the HS and His Word? 2) The hwy to Kakia/Evil powered by the world?