….Moderate ability,
moderate value, moderate quality, those words best describe mediocre according
to the dictionary. With life becoming easier as the day goes by, thanks to
technological advancements, we are bound to become lazier, taking every day as
it goes while leaving all the hardwork for a selected few. If you have lost
every cause to wake up, do your best and be your best, here are some incentives
to spur you up.
1.
You can do better:
“I can do all through Christ that strengthens
me” (Phil 4:13)
The reason
most people settle for just anything is because they have mentally placed
themselves in a box, set limits for themselves in their head. “ I can’t do this”,
“I’m not smart enough”…… When it comes
to what we can achieve, there’s always room for improvement. In dealing with my
physical challenge, I have always had to recite this scripture to myself “I can
do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Why settle
for less when you can do so much more. Maximize your potentials, stretch your
limits, do your very best, aim for the very best.
2.
It ruins all your hardwork
“Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that
ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom” (Songs of Solomon 2:15)
A friend of
mine received a beautiful wedding gown she ordered . I forgot to mention that
the gown was also very expensive. On putting it on, she discovered thread
hanging loosely from the hem of the dress and concluded that the dress was
below the standard she ordered for. That was it. All the effort I put into
convincing her that it was equally beautiful, we just needed to cut off the
thread was in vain. Who would blame her? Some people set standards for
themselves and anything below that is unacceptable. Everyone should endeavour
to do same. That little thread , the haphazard finishing ruined the beauty of
that wedding gown, it ruined all the effort the dress maker must have put into
creating that nice piece.
Whenever you
have a task to accomplish, a goal to achieve, not putting in your best from the
start to the very finish, not aiming for the finest quality ruins all the
effort you must have put in and leaves your work mediocre at best.
3.
You might never get another chance
to get it right
“Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all
your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither
working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Like it or
not, there is an end to life, there is an end to everything ever started, there
is also an end to every opportunity. Imagine you are awarded a contract and you
present an inferior job, imagine you need a scholarship and you grades come up
as average, imagine you are to meet with an important personality and you come
five minutes late……
No doubts,
you have done something, how well you did it is what matters most. Time and opportunities
meet in sacred places and when you don’t embrace what they both have to offer, and
make the most of it, you may not be privileged to attend their next meeting. Do
it right while you can, you may never get a chance for renovations.
4. Your reward for excellence is greater
“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)
No one gets
a reward for average or poor performance.
Exceptional achievers have always been recognized all through history. While
many aim just to pass through, always aim to excel in all you do. There’s plenty of room at the top because few
people care to travel beyond the average route, and so most of us seem
satisfied to remain within the confines of mediocrity (Nnamdi Azikiwe).
Doing so
much more than the crowd does sets you apart, it separates you from the rest of
the world. Success is gained by pursuing excellence. The difference between mediocrity
and excellence is the effort you put into your work.
5.
Your purpose is far greater
"Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect" (Matt
5:48)
We are made in the image and likeness of God, God
who is perfect. We are called to a life of perfection. Don’t get it wrong, it doesn’t
mean we are allowed no mistakes, grace meets you halfway through you pursuit of
excellence and makes all the difference. It is God’s will for us to excel in
all that we do (see 3 John 1:2). We don’t just accidentally meet up with
excellence, hardwork is accompanied by excellence.
The pursuit for excellence is far more rewarding than settling for mediocrity. One good thing about striving for excellence is that it becomes less stressful when you make a habit of it. Yes, that is because while people are scrambling for positions within the mediocre level, you have already distinguished yourself from the rest of them. Why the scurry to be noticed, your opinion has become indispensible in your field of excellence. Always remember “ There are no traffic Jams along the extra mile”
Orji Uchechi
