THE DANGER OF EXCELLENCE

Excellence almost killed him. More specifically, the people around Daniel who resented his excellence wanted him dead. The governors and satraps contrived a plan that forced Daniel to choose between his king and his God. No one was allowed to pray, except for the king. Disobey and you die. They knew Daniel would never compromise, it was part of his character, his excellence. Daniel would rather face a den of lions than sacrifice his integrity—and that is exactly what they were counting on.

“And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: ‘Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?’ So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” (Daniel 6:12-13)

It wasn’t Daniel that the governors and satraps hated. They hated his excellence. They hated that his excellence distinguished him. They hated that his excellence promoted him and gave him exceptional favor with the king. His excellence was a threat to them, it made them look bad and feel bad about how they looked. The way Daniel lived, spoke and carried himself was a reproach on their mediocrity.

There’s a little known fact that the more successful you become—happier, healthier, more content—the more some average people will resent you. They may not conspire to have you thrown into a den of lions, but that may only be because there are no lions available. The reality is many people simply cannot handle excellence in others. They love to be around the average, the low achiever, even the failure because it makes them comfortable. By comparison, they feel pretty good about their mediocrity. But when they get around someone who pursues greatness, it makes them uncomfortable. They become critical, toxic, judgmental and gossipy. Learn a lesson from Daniel: be prepared for rejection on your journey to the next level. Here are six quick truths to bear in mind.

​Some people will leave you. Don’t worry, it’s not the end of your life, it’s just the end of their role in your life. Don’t hold onto people who have let go of you. It cheapens you and makes you look like a victim, as though their approval has power over you. Realize that some relationships are for a season. They were there to help you get to a certain level; but, what got you there can’t get you to where you are going. Let go and move on.

Be kind to everyone you meet, for some are fighting a great battle. Realize that many with critical spirits are not reacting to you, they are reacting to the pain they have been carrying for years. For some, anger and confrontation are their comfort zones and they are not happy unless they are creating chaos. Don’t be infected by their toxic attitude, stay above the fray and demonstrate your excellence. Remain calm and be professional and allow your excellent spirit to speak for itself.

Smile, not because your happy but because you’re strong. Winston Churchill said, “I like a man who grins when he fights.” Criticism can hurt. It’s painful to be thrown to the lions, especially when you’ve done nothing wrong. But this is when excellence shines brightest. When everyone is against you and there seems to be no reason to hope—smile. Exude confidence and enthusiasm, not because you’re enjoying the pain, but because you know greatness is in you, and God is with you, and He causes all things to work together for the good.

Insecure people try to increase their value by diminishing the worth of others. When people gossip and criticize you, when they mock and oppose you, it’s often because your excellence is a threat to what they know about themselves. It’s what a man believes about himself that fuels his treatment of others. This is why so many people love to gossip and tear others down. Pointing out the flaws in those who excel, makes those who are average feel a little better about their own perceived inadequacies.

Never comfort someone else’s mediocrity by compromising your own excellence. Steve Jobs said, “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” The temptation is to lower our standards so people around us won’t feel pressured or intimidated. Big mistake. We must choose between being accepted and fitting in, or being excellent and risking the lion’s den. Most people want excellence, they respect it and respond to it. Unfortunately, they lack the capacity to provoke it in others. Be a leader who challenges status quo and incites excellence—and discover how your value increases.

Never allow the “virtue of authenticity” to become a celebration of mediocrity. It seems that today, “authenticity” is the new excellence. In other words, being flawed and failing is “in.” You can under-perform, and be sloppy, lazy, and weak—as long as you are “being true to yourself” and “not judging others.” Excellence and confidence have become liabilities; we want people who are frail and vulnerable. While it is true that transparency and humility are essential qualities, we should never feel good about accepting mediocrity as normal. Neither should we project weakness in order to make a good impression. Everyone should do their best, be their best and expect the best from others. This is not being judgmental, or critical, or a perfectionist—it is called “having standards.” It’s called excellence and it should be celebrated without apology.

​(This is an excerpt from Gregg Johnson’s newest book, Upward! Taking Your Life to the Next Level. Look for it soon on Amazon and www.greggtjohnson.com)
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