I believe I am called to excellence. Most other people probably do, too. I may differ, however, in the “why” of it. I pursue excellence because God is excellent. He excels at everything He does, has done, will do. Because He tells me to model my life after Him, I choose the way of excellence.
How do I do that as a writer, artist, maker, et cetera? I turn to four ideas proffered by Aaron Ivey at the March Austin Stone Worship Collective.
Excellence takes time.
Excellence isn’t happenstance. It’s incremental. As I devote more time to my craft, it becomes more excellent. It’s Malcolm Gladwell’s idea of 10,000 hours in action. It takes time—a lifetime, really—to become a master. Even then, mastery is never complete. There is always something new to learn about a talent.
Also, mastery does not equal excellence. Excellence is what keeps me working even when I’m tempted to think I’ve got a thing down. Aaron Ivey puts it this way, “How much more time should we be spending on the talents God has given us? The body of Christ deserves more than something thrown together.”
Excellence demands conflict.
Pursuing excellence in community produces conflict. It’s like when I work with an editor or a writer works with me. We engender conflict as we come into contact with each other. As long as its goal is excellence and good work, I am to interact with it. I accept the valid criticism and leave the rest. The work grows. It becomes something praiseworthy.
Conflict won’t happen unless I consciously choose it; it’s too easy to let things slide. I have to war for conflict if excellence is the goal. Avoiding conflict makes for mediocrity. Excellence pursued in community makes everyone’s work better.
Excellence requires attention to detail.
The details are what allow the larger image or story to take shape. Therefore, every detail matters. The characters. The colors. The punctuation. The best leaves on the stalk of parsley.
Caring about the little things makes the larger one all the more glorious and beautiful. It shines. It cannot be hidden.
To be excellent is to care about the small and the large. God knows the numbers of hair on my head. He cares about the smallest detail while not losing focus on His larger story.
Excellence is contagious.
Excellence is an exhausting business. It’s also a highly inspiring one. When I see something excellent, my entire being responds: “Create, create!”
I do. It exudes excellence, inspiring someone else to create who, in turn, inspires me again.
Image: Luigi Anzivino (Creative Commons)
[…] work. The point of working hard is not to trumpet how hard I work. The point is to do a good job, to pursue excellence. Working hard is done because it’s the right thing to do. It honors God and […]