Success vs Excellence
Success vs. Excellence
Success or excellence, which is more valuable? So many people desire to be successful, yet struggle to attain excellence. Excellence is far more precious and valuable than success. It is more fulfilling and rewarding. In fact, when success and excellence are contrasted, one can see that, in our world, excellence is essential.
Success is driven by pride and arrogance while excellence is steered by self-effacement. A successful person catches the eye of the crowd and receives special treatment. Those who wish to achieve excellence must first make a sacrifice. To pursue excellence is like embarking on a long journey that leads to many obstacles and detours. Those who wish to conqueror the journey must dedicate their time, effort, and resources. Dictionary.com defines excellence as the “state or quality of excelling or being exceptionally good; extreme merit; superiority.” According to Johnston (1996), “success is like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We dream of it as children, we strive for it through our adult lives, and we suffer melancholy in an old age if we have not achieved it.” On the contrary, “excellence brings us to reality, and a deep gratitude for the affirming promise of the rainbow” (pg 33).
Excellence is going the extra mile and doing it with passion. The Word of God declares, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24, NLT). God wants us to excel and He has already equipped us with the tools and resources to attain it. Although a person can become successful through mediocrity, excellence can only be attained by those who devote 100% of their time and ability.
References excellence. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved March 06, 2012, from Dictionary.com
Success or excellence, which is more valuable? So many people desire to be successful, yet struggle to attain excellence. Excellence is far more precious and valuable than success. It is more fulfilling and rewarding. In fact, when success and excellence are contrasted, one can see that, in our world, excellence is essential.
Success is driven by pride and arrogance while excellence is steered by self-effacement. A successful person catches the eye of the crowd and receives special treatment. Those who wish to achieve excellence must first make a sacrifice. To pursue excellence is like embarking on a long journey that leads to many obstacles and detours. Those who wish to conqueror the journey must dedicate their time, effort, and resources. Dictionary.com defines excellence as the “state or quality of excelling or being exceptionally good; extreme merit; superiority.” According to Johnston (1996), “success is like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We dream of it as children, we strive for it through our adult lives, and we suffer melancholy in an old age if we have not achieved it.” On the contrary, “excellence brings us to reality, and a deep gratitude for the affirming promise of the rainbow” (pg 33).
Excellence is going the extra mile and doing it with passion. The Word of God declares, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24, NLT). God wants us to excel and He has already equipped us with the tools and resources to attain it. Although a person can become successful through mediocrity, excellence can only be attained by those who devote 100% of their time and ability.
References excellence. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved March 06, 2012, from Dictionary.com
References: excellence. (n.d.). Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. Retrieved March 06, 2012, from Dictionary.com website:http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ex cellence Johnston, J. (1996). Christian excellence. (2nd ed.). Franklin, TN: JKO Publishing