I admire many people who achieve success according to cultural standards (money, fame, etc). They can and often do great things with their money and power. However, I appreciate even more the ordinary citizens who just do what they can, when in a crisis.

CNN recently wrote about five traits that make everyday people into success stories and heroes:

• Showing courage in crisis
• Exhibiting grace under pressure
• Meeting evil head on
• Sharing credit for your success
• Seeking miracles that are within your grasp.

Maybe it is the season, but I got a little teary-eyed when reading the stories of five people who exhibited those traits. What courage and determination. Split-second decisions that put their life in danger. Serving others. Wow! Bigger than life itself.

Then, I stated thinking how I could show those same behaviors in daily life. In my work I have  opportunities to show courage in crisis, show grace under pressure, meet evil head on and believing in miracles. But do I? Can I remember my work is more than a job? Can I be exceptional? Can I improve in all five areas?

I am going to try. Those five behaviors are my goals for 2015. It is not like I am going to put on my superwoman cape and zoom around looking for evil or burning buildings. Rather, when a crisis lands at my feet or evil shows it’s face can I remember the greater purposes to which we are called?