Living From Your Excellence: What You Build Reveals Who You Are

My husband and I have been flipping houses for several years now. When we made that choice, I remember us saying that our goal was to take something with a history and turn it into a place where a special family could create their own. Something we would be proud of…creating something beautiful that they would be proud of.

We were So excited!

At the time, we lived between Dallas and Ft. Worth, TX, so we chose properties in Ft. Worth.

I’m going to skip to the point right here.

What we found was …what should be 3-month projects, turned into years in some cases.

Why?

Not because of complexity. Not because of lack of resources.

But because…

people say one thing and do another
contracts aren’t read…or taken seriously
clear verbal and written instructions are ignored
work is done halfway, “almost” done, or done so poorly that someone else has to come in, fix it, and finish it…while the original person still expects to be paid.

Seriously?

Not kidding.

And this hasn't been a one-time situation. It’s been repeated. Over, and over, and over again.

At some point, you stop asking, “What is the deal?”
And you start asking, “What does this say about…people?”

Because this isn’t just about houses. That’s not how I think.

This is about how people live.

What It Means to Live from Your Excellence

For clarity, when I say “excellence,” I’m not talking about perfection.

Perfection is external. It’s based on someone else’s expectations, opinions, or standards.

Excellence is internal. It’s who you are. It’s what you’re capable of. It’s how you show up, based on what you’ve been given…your identity, your skills, your values, your experiences.

Taking all of who you are…it’s that alignment and connection between what you say and what you do.

Living from your excellence means, you take that alignment and:

Your word means something
Your work reflects you
Your effort is consistent
Your follow-through is trusted

It takes the pressure off…because you’re not trying to meet someone else’s definition or expectation. You’re not doing something in a way that's unnatural for you.

But that now puts responsibility on you…because now…it’s yours.

This is your standard of living.
Your work in this world.
Your name to be trusted.
Your excellence to be lived

And if you're going to orchestrate your life...well...

Just Enough vs. “That's My Name on There!”

There’s a clear difference between doing just enough (I call this the “Good-nuff” attitude.), and doing something you’re actually proud of.

Just enough looks like:

Cut corners
Shoddy work
“It’s fine” when it’s clearly not
Thinking only of yourself…and it shows
Doing things that just don’t make sense 🤔
Starting without finishing THE work

Excellence looks like:

Doing what it takes to reflect you
Doing what you say you’ll do
Consistency in your work
Completion of projects
“It’s great,” and it really is
Integrity across the board
Doing your best…with others in mind
"That's my name on there." 😊

At the most basic level, excellence is this:
You said you would do it > You did it…well > Properly > Fully > To completion. BOOM!

That’s not a bonus you’re tacking on. That’s a baseline of BEing in the DOing.

What Building and Flipping Houses Has Taught Me About People

When you walk into a finished home, you see paint, fixtures, finishes, possibilities…right?

What you don’t see…is what’s behind the walls.

The wiring.
The plumbing.
The structure.
The foundation.

And here’s the truth: Both matter.

But what’s hidden is critical, and will always determine how well what’s visible holds up. (Ponder. 😉)

And that’s what compelled us to build our personal homes. Three of them over the years.

We wanted to know and be confident in what was behind the walls.

But what's been revealed to us in building and in flipping has been…crae-crae.

We’ve seen contractors:

Sign the scope of work…and clearly not have read it, or care
Ignore clear instructions…verbal and written
Do partial jobs and call them complete…of every size
Not supervise their subs
Not pay their subs
Work late into the night (or morning) trying to get “caught up” and be tired and careless…producing work that reflects exactly that (It's exhausting just saying that.)
Focus on getting paid for time…vs producing a quality outcome

Listen…time is not the measure of excellence. Let me say that again:

Time is NOT the measure of excellence.
Outcome is.

It's the same with people. What you see on the outside may be put together well, polished...even healthy. But what's behind those walls (they've put up)? What comes out of their mouth, their actions?

Will you get the same thing...or something entirely different?

This could be a positive. Maybe they've hidden the best parts of themselves because of trauma or things others have said.

This could be a negative. Maybe they're not willing to do what it takes, or have the mindset for...excellence.

Over time, how well will what's visible hold up?

I can't stress enough, the importance and value of identity...and the ability to walk that out. Who you are. In all things. The outcome.

Life is hard. And we must "stand the test of time." And the best way I know to do that, is to know that we know...that what's on the inside, and the foundation our lives are built on...is where the value is, and how the outcome is revealed.

There's Always a Cost to Lack of Excellence

There’s this idea that doing less, skipping steps, or rushing through something will save time...sometimes money.

It doesn’t.

It creates frustration.
It creates unnecessary work.
It creates delays.

And every delay multiplies every cost.

That’s what people don’t think about when they cut corners. Do shoddy work. Don’t produce excellence.

Poor work doesn’t just cost "something."
Shortcuts don’t save time.

They both compound many things.

Look. There’s “common sense,” and some of these things being done…better…is just common sense. Really.

I also believe there’s “common care.” A baseline level of care in how we choose, how we act, and how we complete what’s in front of us. How we live!

We gotta care, people! 📣

And when that care is missing, it shows. Not just once. But again, and again, and again.

It shows up everywhere.

At home.
In relationships.
In your personal habits.
In your environment.
Even in your faith.

Someone once told me they do things better, or well at work…because they get paid.

What? 😯

That’s hard to hear. Saddening actually.

You give your best to your clients or employer…but not to:
Your spouse?
Your children?
Your own home?
Your church and community?
Yourself??

Living from your excellence is not situational. It is not. It’s a way of life.

And I’m happy to say that with a smile, because it just feels…good! 😎

Think about it.

When you're not living in excellence...what is it costing...you?

What Excellence Looks Like in Business and Leadership

Whatever your role, excellence isn’t about doing more for the sake of doing more. That's where people get tripped up.

It’s about doing what you do…well. It doesn’t matter what you do, or how much you do.

It’s about showing up with all that you are…AND doing the work in a way that reflects you....and yes...with others in mind.

What I’m talking about here is doing work that is aligned. Thoughtful. Complete.

People can tell.

They recognize your hands on things.

There’s a consistency to your presence, your work, your follow-through.

People know what they’re going to get from you…every time.

And that builds trust. 😊

And if not...

It's pretty obvious.

You produce:

Incomplete work
Missed steps
Inconsistencies
A lack of care(ing)

Here's what I want to know:

Is that truly your best? Or…
Is that what you’ve decided to settle for…and accept?

Because those are not the same thing.

When it is your best, there’s less stress, more connection, better output, and more peace and calm. Everyone benefits.

There’s a confidence in knowing you did your best. Your real best.

Not only do others trust you...you trust yourself.

You feel a sense of fulfillment and gratitude…not just for what you did, but for who you are.

You can stand back and smile. Feel grateful and proud. Look in the mirror and see goodness.

Oh my gosh. Good work comes from your identity.
And it produces more of the same. 🙌🏽

Be the Chooser

Excellence Is a Choice You Make Daily

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

I love this quote. People often overlook the value of small things. They don’t think they matter…enough for their excellence.

NOT TRUE!!

We miss opportunities to do great things…
because we keep missing opportunities to do things…great.

So, even if you never get to do a “great” thing…make sure that every “small” thing you do…is done in a great way. Because that's what makes it great.

That’s your excellence.

And you have opportunity for this every day.

It’s:

a mindset
a habit
a standard
a daily choice…for and in everything.

Even in the small things.

And over time, those small things become your life. Your lifestyle. How you live life every day.

How awesome is that?!

Yeah. You get to choose.

What a blessing.

A Simple Way to Evaluate Your Excellence

Okay. Let’s make this practical, shall we?

Grab a pen and paper.

Be honest with yourself, and walk through these questions. Write down your answers.

Where in my life am I accepting “it’s fine” when I know it’s not?
What am I currently doing that I wouldn’t proudly put my name on?
Where am I choosing convenience over care?
Am I completing what I start…or leaving things unfinished?
Am I consistent in my excellence…or selective depending on the situation?
What are the compound and ripple affects of my output?
What would change if I brought my full excellence into this area of my life?

If you want to go deeper, keep walking through this:

Foundation – Who am I BEing?
Intention – How am I showing up?
Standards – What am I allowing?
Craft – How am I doing the work?
Integrity – What do I do when no one is looking…or that no one sees?
Outcome – What are my choices producing?
Signature – Would I put my name on this?

Ponder. Pray. Choose…excellence.

Here’s What I Know to Be True

It’s important that you know that you're BEing in your DOing.

Because excellence doesn’t start with what you do.

It starts with who you are.

And from there, it flows into every area of your life! How you work, how you live, how you love, and what you produce.

(This always gives me chills!)

My Encouragement to You

Colossians 3:23 says: “Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, (AMP)

That's powerful!

Fill free to read the rest of that chapter (2 more verses), but verse 23…is YOUR responsibility.

That shifts everything.

Because it’s not about who’s watching. It’s about being accountable…even when nobody is.

It’s about who you’re BEing…and what you’re DOing as a result…in all things!

It’s about how you choose to show up and live! So exciting!!

And even if you set Scripture aside for a moment, I’d like to know: