Be exceptional: Am I settling for a "good" life?

Good.

That’s what every single cleaning lady at the airport had marked on her report of the cleanliness of the bathrooms.

There were 5 options: Unacceptable. Okay. Good. Very Good. Exceptional.

Every single one on the Sunday I used the bathroom had chosen to mark “good” as the assessment of their work. Now “good” obviously isn’t bad but it’s not exceptional either. It struck me how not even one of the cleaning ladies had tried to excel or push themselves to not just be average. I figure that “good” is what they need to do to keep their jobs. Exceptional is what they need to be to change their lives. Maybe nothing would change but I think if you aim to be exceptional and manage people will start to take notice and your life will change.

I looked around the bathroom that day and wondered what it would have taken to move that bathroom from good to exceptional. To be honest, not a lot, just a little bit of pride in their work, elbow grease and desire. It struck me that so often in life we settle for “good” instead of striving to be exceptional. It made me stop and think: ‘where am I okay with being “good” and does it mean I’m missing out on something better because I’ve settled?’

Former South African president, Nelson Mandela, once said: "There is no passion to be found in playing small, in settling for a life that is less than what you are capable of living." How I wish the bathroom attendants would hear this and aspire to be more than “good”.

I told my husband my thoughts and he told me the attendant in the mens bathroom was exceptional. He greeted, the bathrooms were immaculate and he got a tip from my husband because of it (and my husband said we should hire him if we ever start a company). Perhaps in some small way that goes to prove that being good, settling for a life that is less than what you are capable of living, doesn’t get you as far as being exceptional.

O heart bereaved and lonely

Just love this hymn by Fanny Crosby. It speaks to me on so many levels. I'd love to hear what your favourite lines are from it. 

O heart bereaved and lonely, 


Whose brightest dreams have fled


Whose hopes like summer roses,


Are withered crushed and dead


Though link by link be broken,


And tears unseen may fall


Look up amid thy sorrow, 


To Him who knows it all



O cling to thy Redeemer,


Thy Savior, Brother, Friend


Believe and trust His promise, 


To keep you till the end


O watch and wait with patience, 


And question all you will


His arms of love and mercy, 


Are round about thee still


Look up, the clouds are breaking, 


The storm will soon be o’er


And thou shall reach the haven, 


Where sorrows are no more


Look up, be not discouraged;


Trust on, whate’er befall


Remember, O remember, 


Thy Savior knows it all