We all love excellence. Think about the last time you experienced excellence.

Was it an above and beyond customer service experience? Or when someone went out of their way to be an excellent friend? Experiencing excellence is always awesome.

But when it comes to excellence in our lives and our businesses, we tend to have a lot of excuses for why we are not as good as we could be. We don’t have enough time and it costs too much are two of my favorite excuses.

We can do better and we are called to do better by the one who made us.

Let’s start by defining excellence. Webster’s defines excellence as something superior or eminently good. That is a high bar. I’m sure we can all remember moments when we were the best at something but sustaining that kind of performance is what few achieve.

Is excellence worth the effort? Let me give you three reasons why I believe it is.

1. We Are Called To Excellence

Colossians 3:23-24 states “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.”

This verse shows us that we are to pursue excellence, to give everything we have to our work and lives even when we don’t expect a reward in this lifetime.

2. Excellence Attracts the Best

Like attracts like. Ducks of a feather flock together. Mom always told me to be careful who I hang out with and she was right.

We take on the characteristics of the people who we spend the most time with. People who want to pursue excellence in their lives know this and will surround themselves with like-minded people.

A culture of excellence attracts those seeking excellence in their lives and repels those who don’t. In the same way, a culture of mediocrity repels those seeking excellence. This is why culture change is so difficult. It is hard to convince excellence workers to join a mediocre team. But that kind of change has been and can be done.

3. Excellence Pays

I know I said that we should pursue excellence even if there is no reward in this life and that is true. The great news is that excellence is often rewarded in this world.

Excellence pays financially when more customers want to work with you and are less price sensitive because your product or service is no longer a commodity. Excellence pays by helping you attract the right people who help you deliver excellent service.

Excellence pays by allowing you to provide meaningful work to those who serve with you. The pursuit of excellence allows your team to pursue meaningful lives because it is very difficult to build a meaningful life without meaningful work.

Finally, excellence pays by giving you a platform from which to share the good news. Only that has significance that lasts.