Applauding Excellence

Welcome to “Athlos” a weekly Wednesday blog which examines pillars of personal excellence and regularly brings together the worlds of spirituality and sport.

Well Said

“When Jesus had finished saying these things the crowds were amazed at his teaching-Matthew 7:28

Well Executed

Amazing things happen every day. We just need to pay attention. Entertainers put on outstanding shows. Artists produce phenomenal paintings. Authors churn out bestseller after bestseller. Public speakers, like Jesus quoted above, stun audiences with the power and eloquence of their words. We are never starved of world-class creativity and innovation.

On the field of play, it is no different. Let me confess that as a fan of Manchester United, it has not been easy watching their rivals battle for top honours while my own team barely scrapes into sixth place in its domestic league. Still, I must applaud excellence when I see it.

Big congratulations must go out both to Manchester City and “mentality monsters” Liverpool for producing consistently high standards of football week after week both in England and Europe. They have pushed each other in the same way that we saw Jamaican Olympic sprinters Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce challenge each other last year. A world record may not be far off in the women’s 100m sprint.

Let us not take for granted the many opportunities we have in this day and age to see elite performers plying their trade with passion and conviction. They do not seem to settle but thrive on every chance to go to higher levels. We are inspired by their diligence and often they have had to overcome numerous obstacles.

Whatever season in life you may be at currently, I encourage you to aim for the stars or as Caribbean gospel artiste Rizon has sung, “reach for what is yours.”  We have one life to live. Through divine grace and personal sacrifice, we can lead incredible lives. I hope you believe it.

Well Done

Excellence engenders excellence. Appreciate and imitate.

If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.