http://vickyolsen.com/blog Vessells Of Influence, Excellence, and Wholeness Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:39:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Excellence and perfection are not the same things.  Perfectionism is feeling that nothing you do is or over will be good enough to please.  It is often the result of living with parents who were controlling, critical, or set extremely high standards.  Perhaps you grew up in a home with ... http://vickyolsen.com/blog/2007/09/21/becoming-a-vessel-of-excellence-part-2/ “Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal…a commitment to excellence…that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”  Mario Andretti     There was something about this waitress that stood out.  She greeted us with a smile, pulled my chair ... http://vickyolsen.com/blog/2006/08/21/becoming-a-vessel-of-excellence-part-1/ “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels…”  2 Corinthians 4:7    I didn’t realize just how influential my father was until the evening before his funeral.  The numbers of people who came out to the funeral home to pay their respects overwhelmed me.  While my father had always been a hero ... http://vickyolsen.com/blog/2006/05/23/becoming-a-vessel-of-influence/ As we drove together down a busy street in my hometown, my mom pointed to a house and excitedly announced, “That’s where my good friend from church lives!  Ohhh…I wish I could remember her name!”  We both looked at each other and laughed out loud at the evident contradiction of ... http://vickyolsen.com/blog/2005/11/20/dare-to-get-close-building-intimate-friendships/