Every individual is born on this earth for three major purposes, namely: to acquire a wide range of personal experiences and awareness to facilitate ascent; atone for existing errors and deficiencies to free oneself from burdens, and to contribute one’s bit towards a better humanity. Opportunities for these purposes always come through interactions and encounters with a diversity of people, events and environments. Even unpleasant or sad encounters provide enormous learning opportunities.
That children are born into different circumstances and environments should provide opportunity for anyone to learn why things differ among individuals, thus clarifying some perplexities in life. Similarly challenges and personal perplexities provide vital opportunities for anyone to learn, make adjustments and also strive for a life of excellence. Such life of excellence comes about through accomplishment of the three purposes stated above and by turning personal challenges into rewarding assets. Everyone is born with some assets and liabilities which unfold with age and which provide the pegs for the striving towards excellence, through personal initiatives.
Life on earth is a schooling process in itself; therefore, further opportunities provided by formal schooling are additional advantages. Absence of such formal schooling should not be a handicap for anyone who did not have such opportunity.
Yes, formal education, up to the highest level, can be a great opportunity and advantage in the modern world of industrialization. But skill acquisition in line with the inherent ability and aptitude of an individual can be more relevant than generalized formal learning. Apprenticeship is a vital learning process.
Truly, we learn in life, more through practical and direct encounters, than we do in schools. One vital lesson in this regard is that organized or formal learning in schools can be a burden or handicap to some individuals. Another vital lesson which we should keep in mind is that there are people who are born with certain abilities, talents or aptitudes whose development may not require formal schooling process. However, because of human pride and assumptions, much value and emphasis are placed on formal schooling.
For those who seek to build a life of excellence, irrespective of their circumstances of birth and academic exposures, there are some questions to serve as guidelines: First, in what activity of endeavour do you have the strongest capacity and natural flair, aptitude and interest? The principle of scales of preference or comparative advantage can be helpful in answering this question.
An individual can be strong or capable in more than one specific area, but there is always a definite ability where the highest strength lies. It is important to capitalize on and develop the most favourable personal strength to an optimal capacity. Rather than be a jack-of-all-trades, it is more profitable to develop maximum capacity in a specialized ability, where an individual has the strongest flair. To build a life of excellence means to capitalize on and maximise one’s strongest aptitude or ability. Such ability needs to be accurately identified first, objectively.
Every individual has a unique way of doing things with maximum impetus and a sense of satisfaction. Therefore, a second question to ask and clarify would be: In what ways do I work best? Some people work best when they work alone and in silence, while others can be described as team-workers. If a “loner” has to work with a team, he may not be functioning at his best, in the same way that a “team-worker” may not be at his best working alone. This unique work-attitude of individuals should be taken into account in the effort to build up a life of excellence. It is the duty of every individual to identify his or her unique work habit. Joyfully!
The question of personal value is quite vital in building a life of excellence. Values derive and arise from the ethical orientation, world view, mind-set and attitude of an individual towards people, life and activities. Obviously, differences exist among people arising from individual orientations, but everyone has a responsibility to identify and clarify his or her own peculiar values. Therefore, the third question towards structuring personal excellence is: What values do I cherish and stand for in life? This translates into personal conviction and orientation.
Self-knowledge is a vital starting point in the building up of personal excellence, and this would include the knowledge that people differ widely in their perceptions of issues, among other differences. From personal strengths and weaknesses, work habits and values, it is obvious that individuals fit in differently in a world of diversity. Therefore, a fourth question necessary in putting together materials for personal excellence would be: Where do I belong or fit in? Answers to this question would cover knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses, what ways one works best and what values one subscribes to in life.
Another vital question to address should be: What do I consider as my principal good or mission in life, to form the basis of my contribution to humanity? Without going into the issue of professional guidance and counseling in the choices of careers by individuals, it is the responsibility of everyone to embark on the task of self-knowledge. It is through such effort that an individual can identify the principal goal, mission and what contribution that one can make in life. No responsible adult would consider his or her life as having no purpose, which must be determined by one’s values, attitude and personal orientation. Imitation invites failure.
Three principal directions where excellence can manifest are usually in physical prowess, courage and stamina, artistic dexterities and craftsmanship, and intellectual brilliance, especially in penmanship and intuitive perception. Excellence lies where one finds joyful activity.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.

Bright Amirize