Striving for Excellence vs. Settling for Average

"The antidote to an average church is to look at the hearts of the leaders." - Cally Parkinson

I've heard it said that the higher the level of the leader the greater responsibility that leader has for their own mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  Leaders become more responsible because they generally only reproduce the person they are.  

If a leader is only half heartedly investing in their own soul care they can only expect to produce average results in the areas they lead.  This is true of my leadership as a wife, a parent, and a pastor.

In ministry, I'm stepping into a new role with greater responsibility and I need to take these responsibilities seriously for myself and to those I am leading.  I feel like I have been able to fuel my soul and passion for Christ fairly well up to this point.  

I have genuinely seen God transform my character to become more like Christ over the past two years specifically.  I'm not the same person I was two years ago.  I used to think "you deserve better".  Today I'm generally grateful.  I used to be jealous.  Today I'm generally happy for others accomplishments and blessings.   I used to not see others needs because I was too busy to stop and really care.  Today I notice quite a bit more, although I'm still working this one out, especially at home.  God is continuing to do a transforming work in my heart, mind, and character as I spend time with Him.  

Yet there's always room for improvement, right?  Especially if I desire excellence in the areas I get to lead.  I need to bring it up to a whole new level. I don't want just an average marriage, an average family, an average ministry.  There's too much at stake for me to settle for average.  

I agree that I absolutely cannot expect excellent results if I'm exhibiting an average spiritual life as a leader.  I've got to take some next steps towards excellence in spirit. 

Just yesterday I cut off all games on my phone and am shutting down my facebook in the next few weeks here.  These things are robbing family, friends, and God of my ability to be truly present.  If I continue like this, average is all I can expect.  That's not what I want.  So, I'm done.