Pursuit of Excellence

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

http://www.businessinsider.com/mansa-musa-the-richest-person-in-history-2016-2
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s net worth just crossed $100 billion, the first time in modern history that a person has been known to hold such a massive amount of wealth. But he’s still far from African King Musa Keita I, who is thought to be the richest person of all time — “richer than anyone could describe,” reports Time. Literally. His fortune was incomprehensible, Time’s Jacob Davidson writes: “There’s really no way to put an accurate number on his wealth.” He ruled the Mali Empire in the 14th century and his land was laden with lucrative natural resources, most notably gold. “His vast wealth was only one piece of his rich legacy,” reports Jessica Smith in a TED-Ed original lesson. Read on to learn more about the legendary king and see what it was really like to be the richest person in history. Musa Keita came to power in 1332. His entire empire stretched 2,000 miles. “Not one to travel on a budget, he brought a caravan stretching as far as the eye could see,” reports Smith. “Chroniclers describe an entourage of tens of thousands of soldiers, civilians and slaves, 500 heralds bearing gold staffs and dressed in fine silks, and many camels and horses bearing an abundance of gold bars.” While in Cairo, he spent so much and donated so much money to the poor that he caused a massive inflation that it took years for the city to recover from. During his lifetime, he built many libraries and mausoleums. In the end, he was mindful of his impact on history and the legacy he would leave behind.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/03/25/ten-easy-ways-to-be-better-at-your-job

Many of us were raised to think about a job as nothing more than a way to make money. We don’t often think of a job as a way to grow personally and professionally, but every job gives us that opportunity. Even the worst job you’ve ever had taught you something valuable! Going to work is like going to the gym. There is always a new exercise to try and new muscles to grow. You can have more fun at work, be more successful at your job and grow your confidence by using every working day and every task as a means to get stronger.  The ten easy was to be better at your job are: plan ahead, create a priority map, get a journal, learn to say “I wish I could help but I can’t”, think about the future, ask for advice, respect your to-do-list but don’t make it your sole focus, sync up with your boss, take breaks, and acknowledge yourself. The order in which you do each of these 10 items isn’t important, but I’ve found that taking the time to write down your to do list at the end of the day is essential to planning. It’s important to be able to set boundaries on your workload to prevent burnout, and take the time to write out your goals. Be sure to take the time to rest, and acknowledge those moments where you can recognize the challenges you overcome. To become greater, you must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone. You are an asset to your company; how can you leverage your gifts and skills to make a difference?

This week, I’ve included Watch When You Feel Like Giving Up – NEVER GIVE IN | Motivational Video! from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG