It was a blazing hot afternoon when the school hall of Sekolah Menengah Seri Murni buzzed with restless energy. Form 4 and Form 5 students, half-excited and half-bored, filled the overcrowded hall. They were there for a motivational talk by a man who had traveled across the globe—an engineer with decades of international experience in the oil and gas industry.
Standing tall on stage, the motivator began his speech with confidence.
He spoke of his struggles, his sacrifices, and his triumphs. He shared how his excellent performance in SPM paved the way to scholarships, world-class universities, and finally to high-paying jobs overseas.
“Excellence in your SPM,” he said, “is the key to opening doors to a bright future. Look at me—I am making an amount that many could only dream of in just one year!”
The students, though impressed, were still restless—some whispering, some fidgeting, others scrolling their phones under the table.
Then, out of nowhere, a quiet voice cut through the hall. A student at the back raised his hand and said plainly:
“Tuan, di kampung saya, ada seorang abang tu… dia boleh dapat lebih banyak daripada tuan. Semua orang tahu dia tak pernah lulus SPM.”
The hall fell silent.
Every head turned.
The motivator froze for a moment, caught off guard.
Then, he smiled.
“Maybe he was just lucky,” he replied calmly, regaining his composure.
“But life is not only about luck. Luck may open a door, but it is excellence that keeps it open.”
The talk went on, but that moment lingered in everyone’s mind.
The Question at Home
Later that night, as you were sipping tea after dinner, your son sat beside you. He looked thoughtful.
“Ayah,” he asked, “why should I work so hard to be excellent in SPM if some people can be successful without it?”
You almost choked on your tea. The question felt like being thrown into a boiling pot—no easy escape, only heat rising.
After a pause, you smiled and answered slowly,
“Son, as Muslims, we are taught to strive for excellence at every stage of life. Not for money, not for fame, not even for glory—but because ihsan (excellence) is part of our faith.”
You continued,
“We should be excellent as babies learning to walk, as students learning to study, as friends helping each other, as workers doing our best, as leaders guiding with justice, and even as parents raising our children. Excellence is not measured by wealth—it’s measured by effort, intention, and integrity.”
Your son nodded, his eyes gleaming with understanding.
That night, you knew the talk at school and the conversation at home had planted something important in his heart—something far beyond just passing SPM.
It was the seed of excellence in life. 🌱
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