Are you unhappy with who you have become? Do you feel stuck in a rut and want to change? Do you believe it is possible to change, or have you bought into the lie that you and who you are and there is nothing you can do about it? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this blog is for you!
It is possible to change the way you are. While change takes time, effort, and may be difficult it is possible. You can become the person you have always wanted to be. You can be happy. You can be fulfilled. You can be successful.
The Bible is clear that it is possible to experience positive change. God has given us His word and His spirit in order that we can experience lasting change.
The word “repent” means to have a change of mind, a change of heart, a change of attitude, resulting in a change of actions, and a change of direction, and a change of results. Repentance is not a one-time event in the life of a Christian. It is an ongoing daily process.
According to psychologist William James “a man can change his life by changing his attitude.” This is simply another way of saying what the Apostle Paul told the Roman church, “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:1).
The word “transformation” comes from the Greek word “metamorpheo” from which we get the English word “metamorphosis”. A “metamorphosis” is a total change or “reinventing” of ones self. The common example of this is the change that happens when a caterpillar spins a cacoon and then emerges as a beautiful butterfly. Now that’s transformation!
The following principles will aid you in reinventing yourself:
Choose to change.
While this may sound elementary, you will never change until you make the decision to. Make the quality decision that from this day forward you will begin to be the person you have always dreamed of being. A quality decision is one from which you will not turn away. It is a decision of commitment to change.
Change the way you think.
To reinvent yourself you must change your thought processes. As Zig Zigler says, you must get rid of “stinkin thinkin!” They way you think determines how you act, and how you act determines what you get. Let go of the negative thoughts that have been holding you back. Replace them with the positive things God has to say about you in His word. Determine to think high thoughts. Thoughts of victory and success.
Change your talk.
Get rid of all the negative self-talk. Quit saying what you can’t do and start declaring what you can and will do. Quit putting yourself down. Start believing in yourself, you ideas, and your abilities. Say with the Apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
Discover your divine design.
Understanding your purpose in life is essential to reinventing yourself. You can’t be the person you were meant to be if you don’t know why you are here in the first place. You are not an accident. God has a plan for your life. Here are five questions that will help you discover your divine design:
• What are your natural gifts and talents?
• What excites or stirs you, what is your passion?
• What are your dreams and aspirations?
• What type of personality traits do you possess?
• What are your leadership skills? (Are you a manager, a doer or a visionary?)
The answers to these questions will help you discover your life mission. God will never call you to do something that He hasn’t created you to do. Your life purpose is what gives you direction, responsibility and meaning to life.
The me I see.
I heard Robert Schuller speak on the subject “The me I see is the me I’ll be.” I have never forgotten the message in the title alone. You will never rise above the person you see yourself to be. By changing your thinking, your self-talk, and discovering your divine design, you will begin to see yourself the way God sees you. Begin today to see yourself organized, attractive, diligent, reliable, happy and successful. It is a true statement, “if you can conceive it, you can achieve it!” Solomon wrote, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
Be yourself.
So many people live frustrated, directionless and meaningless lives because they are trying to be someone they aren’t. By trying to be the person someone else wants you to be you short-circuit being the person God made you to be. Don’t allow yourself to be molded by the opinions of others. Refuse to let others try to live their lives through you. You are born an original, don’t die a copy. Your value is in your individuality. It is not in your similarities to others.
Where are you going?
What is it that you have always dreamed of accomplishing in life? In order to reinvent yourself you must have a vision of where you are going and what you intend to accomplish. Highly successful people are goal setters. A Goal is a vision or a dream with a deadline on it. It is something to aim at. As Denis Waitly says, “If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?” Set goals that are in line with your life mission, not someone else’s!
Associate with people you desire to be like.
Your associations have much to do with your success in life. Many times it is imperative that some relationships be severed. Paul the Apostle said, “Evil communications (associations) corrupt good manners.” (I Corinthians 15:33) put an end to relationships that are a negative influence, that belittle you, that drain you of your time and energy.
On the other hand, begin to associate with people that are likeminded as you. Choose to associate with positive, honest, faith-filled people that will inspire you to greatness. Solomon also wrote, “Iron sharpeneth iron.” In other words, you become like the people you associate with. Make the decision to develop relationships with people that are successful in your field of endeavor. Run with winners!
Commit to lasting change.
Reinventing yourself won’t happen overnight. However, it will happen if you stick with it. Personal development, or personal growth, is simply the process if becoming the person you were made to be. To accomplish this you must commit to it. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted, discouraged or defeated.
Ask God to help you.
Prayer gets God involved in your life. Seek Him for guidance, strength, and the ability to change. Believe when you pray that he will not only hear you, but also that you will receive what you are asking for. Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)
The road to becoming a “new you” may be long and difficult at times, but if you will stick with it you will make it. As a result, you will become a person of productivity and accomplishment.
Showing posts with label biblical success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biblical success. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Someone Is Looking For You
You are unique. You are important. You are qualified to touch someone’s life and make a positive difference. You have what someone else needs. It could be information. It could be a business opportunity. It could be a word of encouragement. It could be a product or service. Whatever it is, you hold the answer to someone’s questions and the solution to someone’s problems.
Try to wrap your mind around this truth. For some it’s a new if not almost foreign concept. Whether you realize it or not, you are a problem solver. Most people only spot problems. But you are different, you solve them. Someone, somewhere, is looking for what you are uniquely qualified to solve.
Everything is created to solve a problem. Everyone is created to solve a problem. Every product and service is founded on this principle. Think about this. Chefs solve hunger problems. Doctors solve health problems. Dentists solve teeth problems. Lawyers solve legal problems. Personal trainers solve exercise and fitness problems. Mechanics solve automobile problems. Teachers solve education problems. Coaches solve motivation problems. Factory workers solve production problems. Ministers solve spiritual problems. And so on. Do you get the point?
What is it that excites you? What is it that angers you? What do you see around you that you want to help change? How can you help others solve the problems they are encountering? Your answers could be an indication of the problems you are created to solve.
You can’t fix everything wrong in the world. You can’t solve every problem. You can’t answer every question. Everyone won’t need what you have to offer, but somebody does. You weren’t born to be the savior of the world. But you were born to solve some problem. This one is one of the most liberating things I’ve ever discovered. It helped me become real. It set me free from what I’ve termed “The Messiah Complex.” It enabled me to focus on what I could do to solve the problems I am qualified to solve, and from trying to solve problems I’m not qualified to solve.
What would the world be like if we could all grasp this concept? I think the world would be a better place if everyone found their place and solved the problems they are qualified to solve.
Your life purpose may not be the same as mine, but you have one, and it’s important. It’s important to you and it’s important to others. Your talents, your skills, your strengths, your interests, your passions, your experiences, are all part of what makes you qualified to be a problem solver. Why not make the decision today to use what you’ve been blessed with to help others solve the problems they are facing in life. Someone is looking for you. They are looking for what you have to offer. Find them. Help them solve their problem and they will be eternally grateful!
Try to wrap your mind around this truth. For some it’s a new if not almost foreign concept. Whether you realize it or not, you are a problem solver. Most people only spot problems. But you are different, you solve them. Someone, somewhere, is looking for what you are uniquely qualified to solve.
Everything is created to solve a problem. Everyone is created to solve a problem. Every product and service is founded on this principle. Think about this. Chefs solve hunger problems. Doctors solve health problems. Dentists solve teeth problems. Lawyers solve legal problems. Personal trainers solve exercise and fitness problems. Mechanics solve automobile problems. Teachers solve education problems. Coaches solve motivation problems. Factory workers solve production problems. Ministers solve spiritual problems. And so on. Do you get the point?
What is it that excites you? What is it that angers you? What do you see around you that you want to help change? How can you help others solve the problems they are encountering? Your answers could be an indication of the problems you are created to solve.
You can’t fix everything wrong in the world. You can’t solve every problem. You can’t answer every question. Everyone won’t need what you have to offer, but somebody does. You weren’t born to be the savior of the world. But you were born to solve some problem. This one is one of the most liberating things I’ve ever discovered. It helped me become real. It set me free from what I’ve termed “The Messiah Complex.” It enabled me to focus on what I could do to solve the problems I am qualified to solve, and from trying to solve problems I’m not qualified to solve.
What would the world be like if we could all grasp this concept? I think the world would be a better place if everyone found their place and solved the problems they are qualified to solve.
Your life purpose may not be the same as mine, but you have one, and it’s important. It’s important to you and it’s important to others. Your talents, your skills, your strengths, your interests, your passions, your experiences, are all part of what makes you qualified to be a problem solver. Why not make the decision today to use what you’ve been blessed with to help others solve the problems they are facing in life. Someone is looking for you. They are looking for what you have to offer. Find them. Help them solve their problem and they will be eternally grateful!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Do You Need Some Change?
Do you ever find yourself questioning why you are doing what you are doing? Has life lost its luster? Do you ever feel like for some reason you have gotten off track and don’t know how it happened? Does it feel like your life is stuck on a treadmill? That you’re always busy but never getting anywhere?
If you’re like me, and you probably are, you’ve asked yourself these and other questions similar to these hundreds of times, and your answer is a big fat “YES!” Now the question is, “So what are you going to do about it?” You can either give in and settle for less than what is possible, or you can make the decision to do whatever it takes to break out of the mundane existence you find yourself in.
From time to time we all find ourselves in some sort of rut. It’s easy to get in a rut without even realizing it. You know you are in a rut when what used to be fun and was a challenge has become ritualistic and boring. Someone has rightly said, “A rut is nothing more than a grave with both ends kicked out of it.” It is existing instead of excelling at what you were created for.
It is important to examine our lives from time to time, in order to discover the rituals, habits, or ruts that we have developed. Especially the ones that are making us miserable. Plato is quoted as saying, “The life which is unexamined is not worth living.”
Notice what the Bible says about examining your life. “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” (Galatians 6:4) Taking personal inventory of your life, and examining yourself, is not always a fun process. But, it is vitally important so you can make adjustments that lead to greater success and productivity.
Right now, in our world, with the economic crisis that is getting so much press, individuals, businesses, and organizations are having to examine their practices as to what is working or not working. They are having to take a long hard look at what is necessary and what is unnecessary as to their projects, their spending, and their work force. Then they have to make the changes necessary to succeed in the face of failure.
One of the keys to success is the ability to adapt. To make the necessary on course adjustments that will get you to where you want to go. When NASA launches a spacecraft or satellite into orbit, there are countless numbers of adjustments that have to be made along the way in order to get them in the proper orbital pattern. So it is with all of life. If you don’t make the necessary adjustments along the way you’ll miss your destination (goals) by miles.
My challenge to you today is to set aside some time and ask yourself the hard questions. Make the time to examine all areas of your life; Your attitude, your life purpose, your gifts and talents, your passion, your dreams, your spending habits, your work habits etc. Then make the decision to make the necessary adjustments and changes that will lead to personal success and productivity. “If what you are doing isn’t working, then you need to change what you are doing!”
To your success!
If you’re like me, and you probably are, you’ve asked yourself these and other questions similar to these hundreds of times, and your answer is a big fat “YES!” Now the question is, “So what are you going to do about it?” You can either give in and settle for less than what is possible, or you can make the decision to do whatever it takes to break out of the mundane existence you find yourself in.
From time to time we all find ourselves in some sort of rut. It’s easy to get in a rut without even realizing it. You know you are in a rut when what used to be fun and was a challenge has become ritualistic and boring. Someone has rightly said, “A rut is nothing more than a grave with both ends kicked out of it.” It is existing instead of excelling at what you were created for.
It is important to examine our lives from time to time, in order to discover the rituals, habits, or ruts that we have developed. Especially the ones that are making us miserable. Plato is quoted as saying, “The life which is unexamined is not worth living.”
Notice what the Bible says about examining your life. “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” (Galatians 6:4) Taking personal inventory of your life, and examining yourself, is not always a fun process. But, it is vitally important so you can make adjustments that lead to greater success and productivity.
Right now, in our world, with the economic crisis that is getting so much press, individuals, businesses, and organizations are having to examine their practices as to what is working or not working. They are having to take a long hard look at what is necessary and what is unnecessary as to their projects, their spending, and their work force. Then they have to make the changes necessary to succeed in the face of failure.
One of the keys to success is the ability to adapt. To make the necessary on course adjustments that will get you to where you want to go. When NASA launches a spacecraft or satellite into orbit, there are countless numbers of adjustments that have to be made along the way in order to get them in the proper orbital pattern. So it is with all of life. If you don’t make the necessary adjustments along the way you’ll miss your destination (goals) by miles.
My challenge to you today is to set aside some time and ask yourself the hard questions. Make the time to examine all areas of your life; Your attitude, your life purpose, your gifts and talents, your passion, your dreams, your spending habits, your work habits etc. Then make the decision to make the necessary adjustments and changes that will lead to personal success and productivity. “If what you are doing isn’t working, then you need to change what you are doing!”
To your success!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
How to Have a Great Day
Far too many people are caught up in reliving their yesterdays or fantasizing about their futures, but few are living in and enjoying the now. Several years ago I spoke on the subject, “The curse of yesterday and tomorrow.” I spoke about the fact that if all you think about are your yesterdays or your tomorrows, and then it becomes a curse to your today.
Today is the most important day of your life. Your destiny is determined by what you do today. The attitudes and ideas you have today will help to determine your successes tomorrow.
Author J.J. Turner writes:
Today is the day of Action.
Today is when the battle shall be won.
Today is yesterdays tomorrow.
Today is all you have.
Today is the time for winning.
Today you will take a step toward your goal.
Today must not be wasted.
Today is under your management.
What will you do with today?
If you are going to experience great success then you must learn to live in the present. You must quit just dreaming about tomorrow and reminiscing about yesterday. Determine to live today with all the gusto you can muster.
Determine that nothing is going to keep you from having a great day today. Nothing is going to keep you from recognizing the opportunities that each day presents you with.
Believe That Something Good is Going to Happen Today
Having a positive mindset determines the course of your life. Jesus said, “As your faith is so be it unto you.” In other words what you believe is what you will receive. This is true in both a negative and a positive sense. If you start your day with a negative mindset, expecting the worse, then that is what you are going to experience. Conversely, if you start the day with a positive attitude, expecting the best, then that is what you will enjoy.
Make the decision to begin looking for and believing for the best in your life every day. Begin to say to yourself “something good is going to happen for me today.” Repeat it often until it becomes a part of how you really feel.
Begin Each Day With Prayer
Prayer is simply spending time communing with God. It is what gets God involved in your circumstances. As my mom used to tell me, “Things go better with prayer.”
The Bible is full of teachings as to the power of prayer. Jesus said these things about prayer, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) He further said, “Hitherto have you ask nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive that you joy may be full.” (John 16:24) “What things you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)
Organize Your Day
Much time is wasted by people who don’t take the time to plan their days. As someone has so rightly said, “Time is money.” Start each day with a list of prioritized things that must be accomplished. Learn to manage your time so as to get the most out of each day.
Look for Opportunities to Use Your Skills and Abilities
God has created you with certain talents and abilities that make you unique and important. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing what you were made to do and using the talents that God has blessed you with. On any given day you will encounter many opportunities to use what God has given you. Be who God made you to be not what others want you to be.
Have a Positive Attitude
It is very important that you maintain the proper perspective if you are going to enjoy the winning life. Many have said that attitude is more important that aptitude when it comes to being successful. While aptitude is important without a positive attitude it is powerless. Having a positive attitude is a prerequisite for using what you know in a productive manner.
Your attitude determines how far and how high you will go in life. We have all met extremely talented and brilliant people that are not accomplishing their dreams because of a poor attitude. On the other hand, we’ve all met less talented and less brilliant people that are accomplish great things because they have an upbeat positive attitude. The attitude you possess is your choice. Make the decision to start each day with a positive outlook and high expectations.
Practice Acts of Kindness
When I was in the Boy Scouts as a young man we were expected to do a good deed for someone everyday. That was part of our motto as Boy Scouts. I still remember the positive feeling I had every time I did something nice for someone else. While most of my deeds of kindness were not a big deal, it was a nice feeling to see how good you made the other person feel.
I have paid peoples meal tabs without them knowing who did it. I have paid toll for the people in the vehicle behind me for no reason at all. I’ve paid for the groceries of people in line ahead of me just because I wanted too. Now, none of these things are to brag on myself, but to simply illustrate what I am talking about. Try it and see if you don’t get the same feelings of joy that I’ve experienced. If you want to have a great day, help someone else have a great day!
Live Each Day As if It's Your Last
Enjoy each moment. Enjoy the company of others. Learn to appreciate the sunshine, the flowers blooms, the bird’s songs, and everything else that you come in contact with. Make each moment count. Do the things that will bring lasting results, things that will benefit and promote others. If you are going to experience success in life then you are going to have to begin to live in the now. Oh by the way, Have A Great Day!
Today is the most important day of your life. Your destiny is determined by what you do today. The attitudes and ideas you have today will help to determine your successes tomorrow.
Author J.J. Turner writes:
Today is the day of Action.
Today is when the battle shall be won.
Today is yesterdays tomorrow.
Today is all you have.
Today is the time for winning.
Today you will take a step toward your goal.
Today must not be wasted.
Today is under your management.
What will you do with today?
If you are going to experience great success then you must learn to live in the present. You must quit just dreaming about tomorrow and reminiscing about yesterday. Determine to live today with all the gusto you can muster.
Determine that nothing is going to keep you from having a great day today. Nothing is going to keep you from recognizing the opportunities that each day presents you with.
Believe That Something Good is Going to Happen Today
Having a positive mindset determines the course of your life. Jesus said, “As your faith is so be it unto you.” In other words what you believe is what you will receive. This is true in both a negative and a positive sense. If you start your day with a negative mindset, expecting the worse, then that is what you are going to experience. Conversely, if you start the day with a positive attitude, expecting the best, then that is what you will enjoy.
Make the decision to begin looking for and believing for the best in your life every day. Begin to say to yourself “something good is going to happen for me today.” Repeat it often until it becomes a part of how you really feel.
Begin Each Day With Prayer
Prayer is simply spending time communing with God. It is what gets God involved in your circumstances. As my mom used to tell me, “Things go better with prayer.”
The Bible is full of teachings as to the power of prayer. Jesus said these things about prayer, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) He further said, “Hitherto have you ask nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive that you joy may be full.” (John 16:24) “What things you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)
Organize Your Day
Much time is wasted by people who don’t take the time to plan their days. As someone has so rightly said, “Time is money.” Start each day with a list of prioritized things that must be accomplished. Learn to manage your time so as to get the most out of each day.
Look for Opportunities to Use Your Skills and Abilities
God has created you with certain talents and abilities that make you unique and important. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing what you were made to do and using the talents that God has blessed you with. On any given day you will encounter many opportunities to use what God has given you. Be who God made you to be not what others want you to be.
Have a Positive Attitude
It is very important that you maintain the proper perspective if you are going to enjoy the winning life. Many have said that attitude is more important that aptitude when it comes to being successful. While aptitude is important without a positive attitude it is powerless. Having a positive attitude is a prerequisite for using what you know in a productive manner.
Your attitude determines how far and how high you will go in life. We have all met extremely talented and brilliant people that are not accomplishing their dreams because of a poor attitude. On the other hand, we’ve all met less talented and less brilliant people that are accomplish great things because they have an upbeat positive attitude. The attitude you possess is your choice. Make the decision to start each day with a positive outlook and high expectations.
Practice Acts of Kindness
When I was in the Boy Scouts as a young man we were expected to do a good deed for someone everyday. That was part of our motto as Boy Scouts. I still remember the positive feeling I had every time I did something nice for someone else. While most of my deeds of kindness were not a big deal, it was a nice feeling to see how good you made the other person feel.
I have paid peoples meal tabs without them knowing who did it. I have paid toll for the people in the vehicle behind me for no reason at all. I’ve paid for the groceries of people in line ahead of me just because I wanted too. Now, none of these things are to brag on myself, but to simply illustrate what I am talking about. Try it and see if you don’t get the same feelings of joy that I’ve experienced. If you want to have a great day, help someone else have a great day!
Live Each Day As if It's Your Last
Enjoy each moment. Enjoy the company of others. Learn to appreciate the sunshine, the flowers blooms, the bird’s songs, and everything else that you come in contact with. Make each moment count. Do the things that will bring lasting results, things that will benefit and promote others. If you are going to experience success in life then you are going to have to begin to live in the now. Oh by the way, Have A Great Day!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Manage Yourself, Lead Others
In order to be successful in any arena of life, you must put into practice the principles that promote success. You will never be an “accidental” success. Success comes as a result of putting the right principles into operation on purpose.
You cannot lead others if you cannot manage yourself. It is imperative that anyone in a leadership role learn to manage their thinking, their actions, their words, their time, their relationships, and their emotions. In other words, leaders are people who take charge of their own lives, before they try to lead others.
Your Thinking
How you think has an affect on every area of your life. Positive thinking leads to self-motivation, which in turn leads to productivity. Negative thinking leads to self de-motivation, which leads to a lack of productivity. The way you think not only affects you it also affects those around you.
We are a result of the way we think. The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Everything we are and everything we accomplish is affected by how we think. We determine our destiny by what we allow our minds to dwell on.
Your Actions
In order to be successful as a leader you must be a person of action. What we think or believe is in the end of little consequence if we are not people of action. The only thing of real consequence is what we do. The Bible teaches us over and over again that we are to be doers not hearers only.
Ask yourself these questions. Is what I am doing taking me in the direction I want to go? Are my actions causing me to be productive? Is what I am doing the right thing to do? If you answered no to these questions, you need to reevaluate what you are doing.
Your Words
Your words carry the power to create or destroy. Never underestimate the value or importance of the words you speak. People tend to go in the direction of their dominate thoughts and what they talk about all the time.
You can find out if a person is negative or positive by just listening to what they talk about all of the time. Jesus said, “a good man out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth that which is good, an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
In order to enjoy success in leading others you must watch what you say. Learn to speak more complimentary and less critical. Speak more positively and less negatively. Speak motivating words instead of de-motivating words.
Your Time
You will either control time or it will control you. By properly managing your time you insure that tasks will be accomplished. You will get more done. You will enjoy success.
Avoid time wasters. Guard your time. Once it is gone it cannot be reclaimed. Determine to spend your time on things, and with people that are relevant to your productivity. Beware of distractions.
Your Relationships
Relationships are important. It is impossible to be productive without proper relationships. In order to be a successful leader one must learn to manage their relationships. They must learn how to develop, sustain, and strengthen their relationships.
Some relationships are draining and unproductive. There are some people that sap you of your energy and creativity. Successful leaders understand the necessity of cutting off or ending such relationships.
Choose to associate with positive upbeat people. People that will encourage, enhance and edify you. Get around people that celebrate you, and away from people that just tolerate you.
Your Emotions
Your emotions have much to do with how you respond or react to a given situation. Negative emotions such as anger, frustration and impatience are detrimental to success in leading others. Positive emotions such as sensitivity, understanding and patience are helpful in leading others.
As leaders it is important to develop an even emotional keel. One must learn to not allow themselves to get too high or too low emotionally. Championship athletes and teams understand the emotional balance. Determine to live on an even keel. Take control of your emotions.
You cannot lead others if you cannot manage yourself. It is imperative that anyone in a leadership role learn to manage their thinking, their actions, their words, their time, their relationships, and their emotions. In other words, leaders are people who take charge of their own lives, before they try to lead others.
Your Thinking
How you think has an affect on every area of your life. Positive thinking leads to self-motivation, which in turn leads to productivity. Negative thinking leads to self de-motivation, which leads to a lack of productivity. The way you think not only affects you it also affects those around you.
We are a result of the way we think. The Bible says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Everything we are and everything we accomplish is affected by how we think. We determine our destiny by what we allow our minds to dwell on.
Your Actions
In order to be successful as a leader you must be a person of action. What we think or believe is in the end of little consequence if we are not people of action. The only thing of real consequence is what we do. The Bible teaches us over and over again that we are to be doers not hearers only.
Ask yourself these questions. Is what I am doing taking me in the direction I want to go? Are my actions causing me to be productive? Is what I am doing the right thing to do? If you answered no to these questions, you need to reevaluate what you are doing.
Your Words
Your words carry the power to create or destroy. Never underestimate the value or importance of the words you speak. People tend to go in the direction of their dominate thoughts and what they talk about all the time.
You can find out if a person is negative or positive by just listening to what they talk about all of the time. Jesus said, “a good man out of the good treasures of his heart brings forth that which is good, an evil man out of the evil treasures of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
In order to enjoy success in leading others you must watch what you say. Learn to speak more complimentary and less critical. Speak more positively and less negatively. Speak motivating words instead of de-motivating words.
Your Time
You will either control time or it will control you. By properly managing your time you insure that tasks will be accomplished. You will get more done. You will enjoy success.
Avoid time wasters. Guard your time. Once it is gone it cannot be reclaimed. Determine to spend your time on things, and with people that are relevant to your productivity. Beware of distractions.
Your Relationships
Relationships are important. It is impossible to be productive without proper relationships. In order to be a successful leader one must learn to manage their relationships. They must learn how to develop, sustain, and strengthen their relationships.
Some relationships are draining and unproductive. There are some people that sap you of your energy and creativity. Successful leaders understand the necessity of cutting off or ending such relationships.
Choose to associate with positive upbeat people. People that will encourage, enhance and edify you. Get around people that celebrate you, and away from people that just tolerate you.
Your Emotions
Your emotions have much to do with how you respond or react to a given situation. Negative emotions such as anger, frustration and impatience are detrimental to success in leading others. Positive emotions such as sensitivity, understanding and patience are helpful in leading others.
As leaders it is important to develop an even emotional keel. One must learn to not allow themselves to get too high or too low emotionally. Championship athletes and teams understand the emotional balance. Determine to live on an even keel. Take control of your emotions.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Seven Qualities of Goal Setters
Did you know if you are a goal setter you are more likely to be successful then if you aren’t? While we all know the need for and value of setting goals, few people actually practice setting goals. According to some studies, only ten percent of Americans take the time to write out their goals. Of you are a goal setter, you are in the top ten percent of the American population.
Goals are important because they give direction to your life. They give you something to aim at. Something to live for. They are what give legs to dreams. Jim Tenney said, “The primary purpose of goal setting is to pull change in the direction you have chosen—one which fits your expertise and overall plan.”
John R. Noe said, “Losers always concentrate on activities, but high achievers concentrate on planning and making every moment count in their efforts to reach progressively higher goals.” As John Condray writes, happiness, wealth and success are by-products of goal setting, they cannot be the goal themselves.”
As Christian’s it is important that we set goals in life in line with God’s purpose for out lives. Goal setting is a very scriptural principle. The Apostle Paul was a goal setter. In Philippians 3:13 he wrote, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
The characteristics of goal setters:
They know what they want to achieve. Goal setters are clear about their purpose, their vision and their objectives. They know exactly what they want to accomplish. They take the time to write out in detail every goal they intend to accomplish.
They are focused on what they want to achieve. High achievers understand the importance of staying focused on their objectives. They realize the necessity of not being distracted form what they are attempting to accomplish. In order to succeed in life you must do what God told the great leader of Israel, Joshua, in Joshua 1:7, “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left that you may prosper wherever you go.” In other words God was saying don’t allow yourself to be distracted by what’s going on around you. Stay focused on what I’ve called you to do.
They believe they can accomplish what they set out to do. Faith is essential to success in any area of life. The word “faith” has been defined as “The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) I like to say it like this, “It is the inner image of the finished product. It is seeing things as they can be instead of as they presently are.” You must believe that what you want to accomplish, can and will be accomplished. You must also believe in your God-given ability to do it.
They are passionate about what they want to achieve. High achievers either, “Do what they love or love what they do.” You can tell when a person is passionate about what they want. You can hear it in their voice and see it in their eyes. Passion is that thing which consumes you. That thing you think, talk and do all the time. Goal setters get excited when they begin to tell others about what they intend to accomplish.
They act in the face of fear. Goal setters learn to overcome the fears that hold the average person back. In order to succeed one must overcome all fears that limit or hinder them from acting on their goals. The primary way to overcome fear is to face what you are afraid of head on. Take action in spite of the fear and you will see it vanish.
They learn from their life experiences. Goal setters recognize the fact that they don’t always do everything right. They re aware they don’t know everything they need to know about what they are striving to accomplish. Although goal setters make many mistakes and experience many failures along the way, they know that failure isn’t final. High achievers learn from their mistakes as well as their successes and go on.
They possess a never quit mindset. According to B.C. Forbes, “To succeed, we must have the will to succeed, we must have the stamina, determination, backbone, persistence, self-reliance and faith.” The great business tycoon John D. Rockefeller once said, “I do not think there is any quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of persistence. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.” Goal setters have the uncanny ability to not quit, regardless of the pressure to do so. They understand, “The rewards for those who persists, far exceeds the pain that precedes the victory.”
Goals are important because they give direction to your life. They give you something to aim at. Something to live for. They are what give legs to dreams. Jim Tenney said, “The primary purpose of goal setting is to pull change in the direction you have chosen—one which fits your expertise and overall plan.”
John R. Noe said, “Losers always concentrate on activities, but high achievers concentrate on planning and making every moment count in their efforts to reach progressively higher goals.” As John Condray writes, happiness, wealth and success are by-products of goal setting, they cannot be the goal themselves.”
As Christian’s it is important that we set goals in life in line with God’s purpose for out lives. Goal setting is a very scriptural principle. The Apostle Paul was a goal setter. In Philippians 3:13 he wrote, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
The characteristics of goal setters:
They know what they want to achieve. Goal setters are clear about their purpose, their vision and their objectives. They know exactly what they want to accomplish. They take the time to write out in detail every goal they intend to accomplish.
They are focused on what they want to achieve. High achievers understand the importance of staying focused on their objectives. They realize the necessity of not being distracted form what they are attempting to accomplish. In order to succeed in life you must do what God told the great leader of Israel, Joshua, in Joshua 1:7, “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left that you may prosper wherever you go.” In other words God was saying don’t allow yourself to be distracted by what’s going on around you. Stay focused on what I’ve called you to do.
They believe they can accomplish what they set out to do. Faith is essential to success in any area of life. The word “faith” has been defined as “The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) I like to say it like this, “It is the inner image of the finished product. It is seeing things as they can be instead of as they presently are.” You must believe that what you want to accomplish, can and will be accomplished. You must also believe in your God-given ability to do it.
They are passionate about what they want to achieve. High achievers either, “Do what they love or love what they do.” You can tell when a person is passionate about what they want. You can hear it in their voice and see it in their eyes. Passion is that thing which consumes you. That thing you think, talk and do all the time. Goal setters get excited when they begin to tell others about what they intend to accomplish.
They act in the face of fear. Goal setters learn to overcome the fears that hold the average person back. In order to succeed one must overcome all fears that limit or hinder them from acting on their goals. The primary way to overcome fear is to face what you are afraid of head on. Take action in spite of the fear and you will see it vanish.
They learn from their life experiences. Goal setters recognize the fact that they don’t always do everything right. They re aware they don’t know everything they need to know about what they are striving to accomplish. Although goal setters make many mistakes and experience many failures along the way, they know that failure isn’t final. High achievers learn from their mistakes as well as their successes and go on.
They possess a never quit mindset. According to B.C. Forbes, “To succeed, we must have the will to succeed, we must have the stamina, determination, backbone, persistence, self-reliance and faith.” The great business tycoon John D. Rockefeller once said, “I do not think there is any quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of persistence. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.” Goal setters have the uncanny ability to not quit, regardless of the pressure to do so. They understand, “The rewards for those who persists, far exceeds the pain that precedes the victory.”
Friday, February 06, 2009
Take Responsibility
Personal responsibility is a characteristic lacking in many. Ever since the Garden of Eden, when Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent for their disobedience, humans have been playing the blame game. Rather than accept personal responsibility for their lives they would rather pass the buck to others for the place they find themselves.
The fact is the sooner you accept personal responsibility, the sooner you begin to excel in life. All high achievers have learned the value of accepting personal responsibility. They understand “If its to be, its up to me.”
You are the only person that can determine your future. It is your responsibility to be happy, to be proactive rather than reactive, to step out and do something about your situation in life.
I am responsible for the person I am today as well as the person I am becoming.
While there are many things that have an impact on who I am and who I become, ultimately if I am going to be a better person than I am right now, it’s up to me. As Robert Schuller says, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Change will only happen in my life when I make the decision for it to. Regardless of how others try to influence me to be all I can be, it is my responsibility to do so.
I am responsible for my choices and my actions.
Flip Wilson made a fortune with, and popularized the saying, “The devil made me do it!” While that may be a funny line, it is far from the truth. In reality no one can make me do anything I don’t want to do. To blame others for where I am in life is simply to make excuses for my lack of making the right choices and doing the right things. I am where I am in life today as a result of my decisions and actions of yesterday.
I am responsible for my attitude.
Did you know attitudes like measles are evident to everyone around you? How you view life and the perspective you have of life is solely dependant on you and you alone. If you want to you can be an up person in a down world. I’ve heard people say when they have a bad attitude, “I guess I got up on the wrong side of the bed.” With the disposition they display most of us wish they had never gotten up! The good news however is you don’t have to have a bad attitude and be a pain in everyone’s neck. Recognize you are in control of your attitude, no one else. Choose to be more optimistic and pleasing in your relationships with others.
I am responsible for the attitude I bring to my work.
A lot of people bring their home problems with them to work. As a result of their personal frustrations, anger and disillusions of their home life, they are not as effective as they could be. I have found that people that get ahead in life have developed the knack for compartmentalizing their life. They have learned to focus on the task at hand and to give it their all. Determine to leave your home problems where they belong, at home. After all stewing and worrying all day about the problems you are facing will not change them at all. So make the decision to come to work with a good, positive, upbeat attitude.
I am responsible for my relationships.
As stated at the beginning of this chapter, ever since the Garden of Eden mankind has played the blame game. After all, it’s easier to blame others or circumstances for trouble in relationships, then it is to take a good hard look at ourselves and then admit that we aren’t perfect. My mother told me along time ago, “It takes two too tango.” In other words relationships are a two way street. If I am going to develop and maintain good relationships, whether it the family or at work, I am going to have to do my part to make them work. That means I may have to make some changes in how I treat others and how I expect to be treated. Usually if there is a breakdown in a relationship it is because someone failed act responsibly and do there part to make it work.
I am responsible for the quality of my communication.
Communication is the bedrock of success in all areas of life. Perhaps no other culprit is as destructive as a lack of communication. Communication involves more than just talking on your part. It involves listening, empathizing, and understanding what the other party is saying. While we must seek to be understood and to understand during the communication process, we must also be cognizant of how we say things. So what we say, and how we say it, are equally important. Our volume, tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions are all part of the communication process. I must seek to be kind, considerate and understanding of the person or persons I am communicating with.
I am responsible for my happiness.
Since I am in control of my life, I can be happy regardless of what’s going on in my life, if I choose too. As with many things, happiness is an attitude. As a Christian I can be happy because I have the joy of the Lord inside me. Happiness does not come from what I have or don’t have, it comes from knowing who I am, what my purpose in life is, and in doing what I was created to do.
I am responsible for my financial situation.
My financial condition is a direct result of my financial literacy, work habits and personal discipline. While there are times when bad things happen to good people and as a result they face a financial setback, for the most part people struggle financially because they don’t have a good grasp of how money works. They don’t understand the need for financial planning, setting financial goals, learning to invest, paying their bills on time, and saving for the future. If I want to become financially free, where I don’t work for money but instead money works for me, then I must seek to become financially literate.
I am responsible for my mistakes.
Any mistake I have ever made was of my own volition. I either did what I knew better than to do or didn’t know what to do in the first place. Even if I followed the advice of others or allowed them to pressure me to do something I wasn’t comfortable with, ultimately I am responsible for my actions. The sooner you recognize that you are responsible for the mistakes you’ve made in life the sooner you can do something to change the. Now let me say right here, don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in great sorrow for the mistakes you’ve made, and for goodness sakes, don’t hold a perpetual pity party because of them. Learn from them, let them go, forgive yourself and get on with your life.
I am responsible for my personal success.
No matter how much someone else may want to see you succeed in life, no matter how much they encourage and motivate you, no matter how much they try to help you, only you can make the decision to be successful. If I am going to be successful I am going to have to do the right things the right way in a consistent manner. I am going to have to set goals, make plans, work hard and not quit if I want to have success in life. Success belongs to everyone but not everyone will enjoy it because they aren’t willing to do what it takes to have it.
Personal responsibility is a characteristic lacking in many. Ever since the Garden of Eden, when Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent for their disobedience, humans have been playing the blame game. Rather than accept personal responsibility for their lives they would rather pass the buck to others for the place they find themselves.
The fact is the sooner you accept personal responsibility, the sooner you begin to excel in life. All high achievers have learned the value of accepting personal responsibility. They understand “If its to be, its up to me.”
You are the only person that can determine your future. It is your responsibility to be happy, to be proactive rather than reactive, to step out and do something about your situation in life.
I am responsible for the person I am today as well as the person I am becoming.
While there are many things that have an impact on who I am and who I become, ultimately if I am going to be a better person than I am right now, it’s up to me. As Robert Schuller says, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Change will only happen in my life when I make the decision for it to. Regardless of how others try to influence me to be all I can be, it is my responsibility to do so.
I am responsible for my choices and my actions.
Flip Wilson made a fortune with, and popularized the saying, “The devil made me do it!” While that may be a funny line, it is far from the truth. In reality no one can make me do anything I don’t want to do. To blame others for where I am in life is simply to make excuses for my lack of making the right choices and doing the right things. I am where I am in life today as a result of my decisions and actions of yesterday.
I am responsible for my attitude.
Did you know attitudes like measles are evident to everyone around you? How you view life and the perspective you have of life is solely dependant on you and you alone. If you want to you can be an up person in a down world. I’ve heard people say when they have a bad attitude, “I guess I got up on the wrong side of the bed.” With the disposition they display most of us wish they had never gotten up! The good news however is you don’t have to have a bad attitude and be a pain in everyone’s neck. Recognize you are in control of your attitude, no one else. Choose to be more optimistic and pleasing in your relationships with others.
I am responsible for the attitude I bring to my work.
A lot of people bring their home problems with them to work. As a result of their personal frustrations, anger and disillusions of their home life, they are not as effective as they could be. I have found that people that get ahead in life have developed the knack for compartmentalizing their life. They have learned to focus on the task at hand and to give it their all. Determine to leave your home problems where they belong, at home. After all stewing and worrying all day about the problems you are facing will not change them at all. So make the decision to come to work with a good, positive, upbeat attitude.
I am responsible for my relationships.
As stated at the beginning of this chapter, ever since the Garden of Eden mankind has played the blame game. After all, it’s easier to blame others or circumstances for trouble in relationships, then it is to take a good hard look at ourselves and then admit that we aren’t perfect. My mother told me along time ago, “It takes two too tango.” In other words relationships are a two way street. If I am going to develop and maintain good relationships, whether it the family or at work, I am going to have to do my part to make them work. That means I may have to make some changes in how I treat others and how I expect to be treated. Usually if there is a breakdown in a relationship it is because someone failed act responsibly and do there part to make it work.
I am responsible for the quality of my communication.
Communication is the bedrock of success in all areas of life. Perhaps no other culprit is as destructive as a lack of communication. Communication involves more than just talking on your part. It involves listening, empathizing, and understanding what the other party is saying. While we must seek to be understood and to understand during the communication process, we must also be cognizant of how we say things. So what we say, and how we say it, are equally important. Our volume, tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions are all part of the communication process. I must seek to be kind, considerate and understanding of the person or persons I am communicating with.
I am responsible for my happiness.
Since I am in control of my life, I can be happy regardless of what’s going on in my life, if I choose too. As with many things, happiness is an attitude. As a Christian I can be happy because I have the joy of the Lord inside me. Happiness does not come from what I have or don’t have, it comes from knowing who I am, what my purpose in life is, and in doing what I was created to do.
I am responsible for my financial situation.
My financial condition is a direct result of my financial literacy, work habits and personal discipline. While there are times when bad things happen to good people and as a result they face a financial setback, for the most part people struggle financially because they don’t have a good grasp of how money works. They don’t understand the need for financial planning, setting financial goals, learning to invest, paying their bills on time, and saving for the future. If I want to become financially free, where I don’t work for money but instead money works for me, then I must seek to become financially literate.
I am responsible for my mistakes.
Any mistake I have ever made was of my own volition. I either did what I knew better than to do or didn’t know what to do in the first place. Even if I followed the advice of others or allowed them to pressure me to do something I wasn’t comfortable with, ultimately I am responsible for my actions. The sooner you recognize that you are responsible for the mistakes you’ve made in life the sooner you can do something to change the. Now let me say right here, don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in great sorrow for the mistakes you’ve made, and for goodness sakes, don’t hold a perpetual pity party because of them. Learn from them, let them go, forgive yourself and get on with your life.
I am responsible for my personal success.
No matter how much someone else may want to see you succeed in life, no matter how much they encourage and motivate you, no matter how much they try to help you, only you can make the decision to be successful. If I am going to be successful I am going to have to do the right things the right way in a consistent manner. I am going to have to set goals, make plans, work hard and not quit if I want to have success in life. Success belongs to everyone but not everyone will enjoy it because they aren’t willing to do what it takes to have it.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Right Thinking
Someone has rightly said, “If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” The way you think will either make or break you. It is a proven fact that you go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts.
The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” People that think negative thoughts all the time have negative results. Conversely, people that think positive thoughts enjoy positive results.We are only as good as our mental diets.
There’s an old computer term known as GIGO, which means “Garbage in Garbage Out! What we take in through our reading, television watching, conversations with others and so on determines what we think. Choose today to rid your mind of the clutter that causes you to be negative and begin to take in only that which builds you up, informs you, and inspires you.
As Zig Zigler says, “If you have stinkin thinkin, it’s time for a check up from the neck up.” The person who does not control their thoughts will soon lose control of their actions. All actions are a result of thoughts. In order to have right actions which produce right results you must have right thoughts.
Choose today to be more positive. Work on getting rid of negative thought processes that have been stifling your progress. Be open to new ways of doing things. “Minds are like parachutes. They aren’t much good unless they are open.” Instead of giving up in your mind when facing a difficult situation, sit down and begin to think of ways to overcome it.
Someone has rightly said, “If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” The way you think will either make or break you. It is a proven fact that you go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts.
The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” People that think negative thoughts all the time have negative results. Conversely, people that think positive thoughts enjoy positive results.We are only as good as our mental diets.
There’s an old computer term known as GIGO, which means “Garbage in Garbage Out! What we take in through our reading, television watching, conversations with others and so on determines what we think. Choose today to rid your mind of the clutter that causes you to be negative and begin to take in only that which builds you up, informs you, and inspires you.
As Zig Zigler says, “If you have stinkin thinkin, it’s time for a check up from the neck up.” The person who does not control their thoughts will soon lose control of their actions. All actions are a result of thoughts. In order to have right actions which produce right results you must have right thoughts.
Choose today to be more positive. Work on getting rid of negative thought processes that have been stifling your progress. Be open to new ways of doing things. “Minds are like parachutes. They aren’t much good unless they are open.” Instead of giving up in your mind when facing a difficult situation, sit down and begin to think of ways to overcome it.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Obstacles to Success In Life
There are many obstacles on the road to success. You will enjoy progress if you become sidetracked or stopped by them. In order to be a great achiever you must learn to overcome the hindrances in your path. All great achievers have had to face and overcome many things on their way to success.
Perhaps one of the greatest illustrations of this in American history is that of Abraham Lincoln our sixteenth president. While he is known most of all for his war on slavery, had he not been a man of great resolve and persistence, history may have taken a different turn. From failing in business on numerous occasions to many failed campaigns for public office, he rose to become one of the greatest political leaders of all time. His rise to greatness was the result of his determination to overcome the obstacles in his path.
Obstacles:
Indecision. Not being able to make the necessary decisions can be a hindrance to your personal success. There may be many reasons for this. It could be fear, or a lack of the facts, or procrastination, that keeps you from making the right decisions. Realize that all of life is about the choices you make. There can be no success without you making the decision to do what it takes to win.
Past experiences. Perhaps nothing is more detrimental to forward progress then the memory of past failures. Before you can enjoy accomplishment you must get rid of the negative memories of past events that are holding you back. The Apostle Paul said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before.” Never forget, the past is just that, past. You can’t do anything to change it. Learn from it and go forward.
The opinions of negative people. It is amazing how many so-called experts show up when you make the decision to follow the God-given vision for your life. They seem to come out of the woodwork. The majority of them have never accomplished a whole lot in their lives, however, they are laden with all kinds of information and advice as to what to do or not to do. For the most part they feel it is their responsibility to talk you out of what you feel you should do. To succeed you must not allow yourself to be swayed by the opinions of such people.
Delayed results. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Anything of value and lasting importance takes time to accomplish. Just because you start the journey to success today does not mean you will arrive at your destination tomorrow. Just because there may be a delay in seeing the fulfillment of your vision does not mean it won’t happen if you don’t quit.
Lack of focus. It is impossible to succeed if you have too many irons in the fire. You can’t go two directions at the same time. Many people are hindered in their efforts because they are double-minded. In other words, they lack focus. They are trying to do too much at one time. Refocus on your primary goals and obstacles. You will soon be back on the path to making positive progress.
Fear. Another great hindrance to success is fear. Denis Waitly says, “Fear is an acronym for False Education Appearing Real.” Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. From fear of failure to fear of success, many well-intentioned people never accomplish all they could because fear holds them back. Fear is simply negative faith. It is believing for the worst instead of the best. Fear is the actual belief that something bad is going to happen to you. Most fears come as the result of bad information or misunderstanding of what’s true. The more accurate information you have on a given subject the less fear you will have concerning it.
Distractions. Many get sidetracked because they allow things to distract them from their goals and objectives. A distraction is anything that takes your focus off of what you are trying to accomplish. They usually come in the form of being something extremely urgent. Many are caught up in what is known as the tyranny of the urgent. This happens when you become distracted by what is seemingly urgent and thereby fail to understand what is really important. To successfully achieve your goals you must “Keep the main thing (your goals) the main thing!”
Trying to fit in. Conformity can be a definite hindrance to progress. High achievers know the value of standing out rather then blending in. What sets you apart from others in your field? Many have failed because they are afraid to take a stand for what they believe in and what they want to accomplish. They allow peer pressure to force them into the conformity mode. “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity,” says Psychiatrist Rollo May.
No definite direction. You can’t get where you want to be without proper direction. It is impossible to hit a target you aren’t aiming at. Direction is found in setting and maintaining goals. Goals help you crystallize your thinking. They provide motivation. Staying on track is the result of definite direction.
Lack of people skills. No man is an island. If you are going to be successful you must be able to get along with, and work well with, other people. A lot of people fail not because they don’t have a good idea or good work ethics, but because they lack people skills.
Spend time developing your public relations. Learn to communicate, negotiate, compromise, and inspire others.
There are many obstacles on the road to success. You will enjoy progress if you become sidetracked or stopped by them. In order to be a great achiever you must learn to overcome the hindrances in your path. All great achievers have had to face and overcome many things on their way to success.
Perhaps one of the greatest illustrations of this in American history is that of Abraham Lincoln our sixteenth president. While he is known most of all for his war on slavery, had he not been a man of great resolve and persistence, history may have taken a different turn. From failing in business on numerous occasions to many failed campaigns for public office, he rose to become one of the greatest political leaders of all time. His rise to greatness was the result of his determination to overcome the obstacles in his path.
Obstacles:
Indecision. Not being able to make the necessary decisions can be a hindrance to your personal success. There may be many reasons for this. It could be fear, or a lack of the facts, or procrastination, that keeps you from making the right decisions. Realize that all of life is about the choices you make. There can be no success without you making the decision to do what it takes to win.
Past experiences. Perhaps nothing is more detrimental to forward progress then the memory of past failures. Before you can enjoy accomplishment you must get rid of the negative memories of past events that are holding you back. The Apostle Paul said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before.” Never forget, the past is just that, past. You can’t do anything to change it. Learn from it and go forward.
The opinions of negative people. It is amazing how many so-called experts show up when you make the decision to follow the God-given vision for your life. They seem to come out of the woodwork. The majority of them have never accomplished a whole lot in their lives, however, they are laden with all kinds of information and advice as to what to do or not to do. For the most part they feel it is their responsibility to talk you out of what you feel you should do. To succeed you must not allow yourself to be swayed by the opinions of such people.
Delayed results. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Anything of value and lasting importance takes time to accomplish. Just because you start the journey to success today does not mean you will arrive at your destination tomorrow. Just because there may be a delay in seeing the fulfillment of your vision does not mean it won’t happen if you don’t quit.
Lack of focus. It is impossible to succeed if you have too many irons in the fire. You can’t go two directions at the same time. Many people are hindered in their efforts because they are double-minded. In other words, they lack focus. They are trying to do too much at one time. Refocus on your primary goals and obstacles. You will soon be back on the path to making positive progress.
Fear. Another great hindrance to success is fear. Denis Waitly says, “Fear is an acronym for False Education Appearing Real.” Fear comes in all shapes and sizes. From fear of failure to fear of success, many well-intentioned people never accomplish all they could because fear holds them back. Fear is simply negative faith. It is believing for the worst instead of the best. Fear is the actual belief that something bad is going to happen to you. Most fears come as the result of bad information or misunderstanding of what’s true. The more accurate information you have on a given subject the less fear you will have concerning it.
Distractions. Many get sidetracked because they allow things to distract them from their goals and objectives. A distraction is anything that takes your focus off of what you are trying to accomplish. They usually come in the form of being something extremely urgent. Many are caught up in what is known as the tyranny of the urgent. This happens when you become distracted by what is seemingly urgent and thereby fail to understand what is really important. To successfully achieve your goals you must “Keep the main thing (your goals) the main thing!”
Trying to fit in. Conformity can be a definite hindrance to progress. High achievers know the value of standing out rather then blending in. What sets you apart from others in your field? Many have failed because they are afraid to take a stand for what they believe in and what they want to accomplish. They allow peer pressure to force them into the conformity mode. “The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity,” says Psychiatrist Rollo May.
No definite direction. You can’t get where you want to be without proper direction. It is impossible to hit a target you aren’t aiming at. Direction is found in setting and maintaining goals. Goals help you crystallize your thinking. They provide motivation. Staying on track is the result of definite direction.
Lack of people skills. No man is an island. If you are going to be successful you must be able to get along with, and work well with, other people. A lot of people fail not because they don’t have a good idea or good work ethics, but because they lack people skills.
Spend time developing your public relations. Learn to communicate, negotiate, compromise, and inspire others.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Building Strong Relationships
All of life is about people and how you relate to them. Relationships take time, sometimes a lot of time, to cultivate and develop. No man is an island. We all need one another to get ahead in life.
Your personal success in life depends on how well you relate to others. It is impossible to excel in life without building strong relationships. Although in many cases, hard work and much effort are required to build stronger and lasting relationships, it is worth it in the end.
The following seven keys will help you in developing your relationship building skills:
You need others
Relationships give you a sense of belonging. They cause you to feel needed and appreciated. Relationships also give you teammates to help you accomplish your objectives. When each person in a relationship does their part, they lighten one another’s load and insure the job gets done.
Develop your communication skills
Studies have proven that the primary reason for failure in relationships is a lack of communication. From marriages to business associations, breakdowns occur when one or all parties involved fail to communicate. Communication is much more than just speaking your mind. It involves many elements. In order to fully communicate you must work to listen, to understand, to get your point across, and to reinforce what is being communicated.
Know what is expected
Many relationships fail because the parties involved don't know what is expected of them. It is important that each person in a relationship understand his or her roles in the relationship. If you're uncertain, you should ask the others involved in a relationship what they expect of you. Don't be afraid to let others know what you expect of them.
Learn from your past experiences
Draw on your past relational experiences whether negative or positive. Determine not to make the same mistakes that proved to be detrimental in other relationships. Seek to treat others the way you want to be treated.
The role of personality
It is good to understand the role personality plays in relationships. Your personality goes a long way in determining how you relate to others. Great leaders are not only aware of their personality traits, but also of those that they are leading. Understanding what makes a person tick helps you to communicate, assist, and motivate others.
Conflict
Conflict in relationships is inevitable. No relationship is immune to conflict. Seek to find the causes of the conflict as well as the solutions to the conflict. Accept personal responsibility. Don't play the blame game. Do what is necessary to resolve conflict as soon as possible.
Compatibility
Many relationships fail because of a lack of compatibility. You must look for common ground in your relationships. Seek to discover your common interests. Here's a brief compatibility checklist. Do you have similar likes and dislikes? Do you have similar ideas, dreams, and objectives? Do you have similar values? Do you have similar beliefs? Do you come from a similar culture? If you answered no to any of these questions you may find that you are incompatible.
All of life is about people and how you relate to them. Relationships take time, sometimes a lot of time, to cultivate and develop. No man is an island. We all need one another to get ahead in life.
Your personal success in life depends on how well you relate to others. It is impossible to excel in life without building strong relationships. Although in many cases, hard work and much effort are required to build stronger and lasting relationships, it is worth it in the end.
The following seven keys will help you in developing your relationship building skills:
You need others
Relationships give you a sense of belonging. They cause you to feel needed and appreciated. Relationships also give you teammates to help you accomplish your objectives. When each person in a relationship does their part, they lighten one another’s load and insure the job gets done.
Develop your communication skills
Studies have proven that the primary reason for failure in relationships is a lack of communication. From marriages to business associations, breakdowns occur when one or all parties involved fail to communicate. Communication is much more than just speaking your mind. It involves many elements. In order to fully communicate you must work to listen, to understand, to get your point across, and to reinforce what is being communicated.
Know what is expected
Many relationships fail because the parties involved don't know what is expected of them. It is important that each person in a relationship understand his or her roles in the relationship. If you're uncertain, you should ask the others involved in a relationship what they expect of you. Don't be afraid to let others know what you expect of them.
Learn from your past experiences
Draw on your past relational experiences whether negative or positive. Determine not to make the same mistakes that proved to be detrimental in other relationships. Seek to treat others the way you want to be treated.
The role of personality
It is good to understand the role personality plays in relationships. Your personality goes a long way in determining how you relate to others. Great leaders are not only aware of their personality traits, but also of those that they are leading. Understanding what makes a person tick helps you to communicate, assist, and motivate others.
Conflict
Conflict in relationships is inevitable. No relationship is immune to conflict. Seek to find the causes of the conflict as well as the solutions to the conflict. Accept personal responsibility. Don't play the blame game. Do what is necessary to resolve conflict as soon as possible.
Compatibility
Many relationships fail because of a lack of compatibility. You must look for common ground in your relationships. Seek to discover your common interests. Here's a brief compatibility checklist. Do you have similar likes and dislikes? Do you have similar ideas, dreams, and objectives? Do you have similar values? Do you have similar beliefs? Do you come from a similar culture? If you answered no to any of these questions you may find that you are incompatible.
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Value of Preparation
For about 8 years I had the opportunity to play golf at a very high level of competition. One of my dreams as a young man was to play tournament golf as a professional golfer. While I never made the PGA tour, I did play on what are known as the “mini tours.” These are basically the minor leagues of golf. This t is where players work on their games in order to prepare themselves to play on the PGA tour.
I worked hard at honing my skills, sometimes hitting more than a thousand golf balls a day as well as playing at least one practice round of golf. I would be on the golf course or the driving range for up to 8 hours per day practicing all areas of the game. I would practice my pre-shot routine, driving the ball, hitting all of the clubs in my bag, drawing and fading shots, hitting out of sand traps around the greens, hitting out of fairway bunkers, and hours putting on the green. Even when I didn’t feel like practicing, I practiced anyhow. Why would I put myself through all of that? If I was going to realize my dream, I had to work on improving all areas of my game. I had to value preparation.
I’ve never met anyone that enjoys the rigors of preparation. As we get ready to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, there are two teams that are practicing and preparing as if there is no tomorrow. And in their cases there isn’t. This is the pinnacle of the NFL. This is what every player in the NFL works towards on a daily basis. It’s not just about the money; it’s about winning the Super Bowl and being crowned world champions of the NFL. I can tell you exactly who is going to win the game. It is the team that prepares the best and then executes its game plan most efficiently in the big game. Personally, since I live in Phoenix I hope it’s the Arizona Cardinals!
The people, businesses, organizations, and ministries that accomplish the most in life are the ones that are prepared for success. Through preparation great tasks are accomplished. You can have great potential deep inside of you, but it can only be drawn out through preparation. Jerry Savelle says, “I would rather be prepared and never have an opportunity then to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”
Can you imagine an army going into battle without preparation? Usually months, if not years, of training and planning go on before the first shot is fired. No one would play a sporting event, and expect to win, without preparation. Preparation is fundamental to success in life.
Preparation always precedes accomplishment. Mike Murdock says, “The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance.” Great coaches push their teams to victory through preparation. Practice isn’t always fun but it’s essential. The great heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of the training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Preparation produces confidence. If you do the right things on a consistent basis during practice, you will be able to do them for real when the time comes. Olympic champions don’t just happen by accident, they are made. By taking their talents and abilities they are molded into experts through preparation and practice. True champions are never surprised by victory. They were expecting it, that’s what they had prepared for.
In scripture Noah prepared for 120 years to be ready for the flood God said He was going to bring on the earth. Moses prepared for 80 years to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Joshua prepared for 40 years as Moses’ assistant to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Jesus prepared from before man was created to come to the earth as their Messiah and savior. The Apostle Paul prepare for at least 14 years for a ministry that would turn the world upside down.
How to be prepared:
Dream About What You Want to Accomplish. Know what you want to accomplish. Let it burn within you. Make it a part of your very being. In your mind, see exactly what needs to be done and what you want to accomplish. All great things come out of a dream that someone has had. What are your dreams? What excites you? What motivates you to action? What can you do to make a positive difference in the world around you? These are all indicators of what you were created to do. Allow God to birth a dream that you can pursue.
Be Informed. Get all of the knowledge and information available for your particular project. Go to seminars. Read books. Talk to experts. Immerse yourself in knowledge concerning what you want to do. Right knowledge is power. Seek to know more about your field then your competitors.
Develop an Action Plan. Plans are important to the success of any venture. You wouldn’t build a house without first of all having blueprints (plans) drawn up down to the last detail. Plans allow you to determine each step of the way. They give you the ability to know exactly what to do in any given situation. To fail to plan is to plan to fail. Success doesn’t happen accidently. It is always on purpose. Take the time to Make plans and then follow-through.
Get Focused and Stay Focused. Train yourself to concentrate on the task at hand. Successful athletes learn how to block out everything but what they are doing at the moment. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by other things or people. Michael Jordan says he never even saw the crowd when he took a shot. All he saw was the basket. In life there are all kinds of things that can distract you on the road to success. Focus gives you the ability to ignore the distractions and concentrate on the end result.
Retain a Coach. Find someone who has the knowledge and ability to help you get where you are going. Make it someone you can trust. Coaches are like miners; they see hidden talent and potential and bring it to the surface. Get a coach that will teach you, train you and encourage you. Find someone who believes in you. Someone that you can respect and listen to. And then follow the directions they give you. Teaching and training are of no value if they are not implemented. (I am available as a life coach to help you prepare for success in life.)
Perfect Practice. An old adage says, “Practice makes perfect.” In reality “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Take time to make sure that what you are doing in practice is essential to what you are seeking to accomplish. More than anything, practice should be a time when you develop your skills, increase your stamina, and build your confidence. It is a time when consistency is developed. Practice that doesn’t make what you are doing routine is useless. Perfect practice prepares you for perfect performance. When I was playing professional golf I would practice hitting balls from similar spots and situations that I might face in a tournament. I would practice until I developed a perfect routine that worked under pressure.
Develop Courage. Fear will stop you from going forward if you allow it to. In essence fear is the feeling that something bad is going to happen to you and keep you from doing your best. It is that daunting voice that keeps telling you why you can’t succeed. Preparation produces confidence which produces courage. Courage says, “I can do it because I’m ready.” Through courage fears die.
Find a Mentor. A mentor is different than a coach. A coach teaches, trains and guides you. A mentor inspires you because they’ve been there done that. They inspire you not by what they say but by what they have done. They are a role model. They are someone you look up to. Someone for you to emulate. Pick someone who comes from the same type of background as you. Someone who has a similar style as you. Someone who has succeeded in spite of the setbacks they’ve had, and the obstacles they have encountered. Find someone with strength of vision, strength of action and strength of character that inspires you to greatness.
Build Your Faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” Faith is looking past the present and seeing what can be. So how do you build your faith? Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” As a believer, when you spend time reading and studying scripture, something super natural takes place. You faith begins to grow. I would challenge you to spend time reading the accounts in the Bible of people that through faith accomplished great things. I would also suggest that you spend time reading, listening to, and associating with people today that are accomplishing great things in life. You will begin to see that ordinary people accomplished extra ordinary things because they believed they could. By developing your faith you will begin to believe that you too can accomplish great things for God, your family, and the world around you!
For about 8 years I had the opportunity to play golf at a very high level of competition. One of my dreams as a young man was to play tournament golf as a professional golfer. While I never made the PGA tour, I did play on what are known as the “mini tours.” These are basically the minor leagues of golf. This t is where players work on their games in order to prepare themselves to play on the PGA tour.
I worked hard at honing my skills, sometimes hitting more than a thousand golf balls a day as well as playing at least one practice round of golf. I would be on the golf course or the driving range for up to 8 hours per day practicing all areas of the game. I would practice my pre-shot routine, driving the ball, hitting all of the clubs in my bag, drawing and fading shots, hitting out of sand traps around the greens, hitting out of fairway bunkers, and hours putting on the green. Even when I didn’t feel like practicing, I practiced anyhow. Why would I put myself through all of that? If I was going to realize my dream, I had to work on improving all areas of my game. I had to value preparation.
I’ve never met anyone that enjoys the rigors of preparation. As we get ready to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, there are two teams that are practicing and preparing as if there is no tomorrow. And in their cases there isn’t. This is the pinnacle of the NFL. This is what every player in the NFL works towards on a daily basis. It’s not just about the money; it’s about winning the Super Bowl and being crowned world champions of the NFL. I can tell you exactly who is going to win the game. It is the team that prepares the best and then executes its game plan most efficiently in the big game. Personally, since I live in Phoenix I hope it’s the Arizona Cardinals!
The people, businesses, organizations, and ministries that accomplish the most in life are the ones that are prepared for success. Through preparation great tasks are accomplished. You can have great potential deep inside of you, but it can only be drawn out through preparation. Jerry Savelle says, “I would rather be prepared and never have an opportunity then to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”
Can you imagine an army going into battle without preparation? Usually months, if not years, of training and planning go on before the first shot is fired. No one would play a sporting event, and expect to win, without preparation. Preparation is fundamental to success in life.
Preparation always precedes accomplishment. Mike Murdock says, “The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance.” Great coaches push their teams to victory through preparation. Practice isn’t always fun but it’s essential. The great heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of the training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Preparation produces confidence. If you do the right things on a consistent basis during practice, you will be able to do them for real when the time comes. Olympic champions don’t just happen by accident, they are made. By taking their talents and abilities they are molded into experts through preparation and practice. True champions are never surprised by victory. They were expecting it, that’s what they had prepared for.
In scripture Noah prepared for 120 years to be ready for the flood God said He was going to bring on the earth. Moses prepared for 80 years to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Joshua prepared for 40 years as Moses’ assistant to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Jesus prepared from before man was created to come to the earth as their Messiah and savior. The Apostle Paul prepare for at least 14 years for a ministry that would turn the world upside down.
How to be prepared:
Dream About What You Want to Accomplish. Know what you want to accomplish. Let it burn within you. Make it a part of your very being. In your mind, see exactly what needs to be done and what you want to accomplish. All great things come out of a dream that someone has had. What are your dreams? What excites you? What motivates you to action? What can you do to make a positive difference in the world around you? These are all indicators of what you were created to do. Allow God to birth a dream that you can pursue.
Be Informed. Get all of the knowledge and information available for your particular project. Go to seminars. Read books. Talk to experts. Immerse yourself in knowledge concerning what you want to do. Right knowledge is power. Seek to know more about your field then your competitors.
Develop an Action Plan. Plans are important to the success of any venture. You wouldn’t build a house without first of all having blueprints (plans) drawn up down to the last detail. Plans allow you to determine each step of the way. They give you the ability to know exactly what to do in any given situation. To fail to plan is to plan to fail. Success doesn’t happen accidently. It is always on purpose. Take the time to Make plans and then follow-through.
Get Focused and Stay Focused. Train yourself to concentrate on the task at hand. Successful athletes learn how to block out everything but what they are doing at the moment. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by other things or people. Michael Jordan says he never even saw the crowd when he took a shot. All he saw was the basket. In life there are all kinds of things that can distract you on the road to success. Focus gives you the ability to ignore the distractions and concentrate on the end result.
Retain a Coach. Find someone who has the knowledge and ability to help you get where you are going. Make it someone you can trust. Coaches are like miners; they see hidden talent and potential and bring it to the surface. Get a coach that will teach you, train you and encourage you. Find someone who believes in you. Someone that you can respect and listen to. And then follow the directions they give you. Teaching and training are of no value if they are not implemented. (I am available as a life coach to help you prepare for success in life.)
Perfect Practice. An old adage says, “Practice makes perfect.” In reality “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Take time to make sure that what you are doing in practice is essential to what you are seeking to accomplish. More than anything, practice should be a time when you develop your skills, increase your stamina, and build your confidence. It is a time when consistency is developed. Practice that doesn’t make what you are doing routine is useless. Perfect practice prepares you for perfect performance. When I was playing professional golf I would practice hitting balls from similar spots and situations that I might face in a tournament. I would practice until I developed a perfect routine that worked under pressure.
Develop Courage. Fear will stop you from going forward if you allow it to. In essence fear is the feeling that something bad is going to happen to you and keep you from doing your best. It is that daunting voice that keeps telling you why you can’t succeed. Preparation produces confidence which produces courage. Courage says, “I can do it because I’m ready.” Through courage fears die.
Find a Mentor. A mentor is different than a coach. A coach teaches, trains and guides you. A mentor inspires you because they’ve been there done that. They inspire you not by what they say but by what they have done. They are a role model. They are someone you look up to. Someone for you to emulate. Pick someone who comes from the same type of background as you. Someone who has a similar style as you. Someone who has succeeded in spite of the setbacks they’ve had, and the obstacles they have encountered. Find someone with strength of vision, strength of action and strength of character that inspires you to greatness.
Build Your Faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” Faith is looking past the present and seeing what can be. So how do you build your faith? Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” As a believer, when you spend time reading and studying scripture, something super natural takes place. You faith begins to grow. I would challenge you to spend time reading the accounts in the Bible of people that through faith accomplished great things. I would also suggest that you spend time reading, listening to, and associating with people today that are accomplishing great things in life. You will begin to see that ordinary people accomplished extra ordinary things because they believed they could. By developing your faith you will begin to believe that you too can accomplish great things for God, your family, and the world around you!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
JUST DO IT!
You have what it takes to win in life. Success is not something reserved for the elite few, it is available for anyone and everyone that will put forth the right effort. Benjamin Franklin said, “Well done is better than well said.” It is one thing to talk the talk; it’s something else to walk the walk. You will not be remembered for what you say as much as for what you do.
As a kid growing up, my mother often told me, “Actions speak louder than words.” I have never forgotten that truth. It’s good to have right intentions, it’s better to have right actions.
Too many people in life want everything handed to them on the silver platter. Our culture and our government have created a whole people group that has developed a sense of entitlement. They want victory without battles. They want success without work. They want health without taking care of their bodies. However, you must remember if there’s no pain there’s no gain.
As I’ve said on many occasions “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” If you want to be successful in life you are going to have to take personal responsibility for your life. You and you alone are responsible for your life. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help people that have had setbacks or experienced some kind of tragedy in life, but what it does mean is we should give them a handup not just a handout!
Perhaps one of the greatest marketing slogans ever developed was by the sports shoe manufacture NIKE. It simply said, “Just do it!” In other words don’t just dream it, don’t just talk it, get busy and do it! Become a person of action. Begin to “Plan your work and work your plan.”
As you study scripture (the greatest success book ever written) you will find many verses that deal with our being a people of action. In one of my favorite parables (stories with a meaning) Jesus taught that it is only the person that hears, and acts on what he hears, that builds a life that is secure and stable that will be able to withstand the storms or problems that come their way. (Luke 6:46-49)
How many times have you read a book, listened to a motivational speech, heard a sermon, watched an informational video, or attended a training seminar, and agreed with what you learned? Maybe you’ve spent the time and put forth the effort to learn new information or be reminded of something you had learned in the past, yet you have never put into practice what you’ve learned. Why not? The only way to experience success in any area of life is to put into action what you have learned and what you know you should be doing.
The dreams and aspirations that you have will never be realized without action. It is one thing to be a positive thinker; it is something altogether different to be a positive doer! There are a lot of brilliant people with tons of information and great educations that never accomplish all they could because they are only reservoirs of knowledge, they aren’t doers.
While dreams are important, and information is essential, to anything becoming a reality, the only thing that will produce the success you desire in life is action. One of my problems with so many that teach the “Law of Attraction” is that they seem to be missing the most important key to experiencing or as they say, “attracting” success in life. While it is true there is power in positive expectation, positive expectation alone will not get the job done. The writer James in the New Testament made this statement, “Faith without works is dead, being alone.” It is important to believe in what you are doing, to believe that success is yours, to believe that good things are coming your way, but it is more important to put action to what you’re believing for and what you are expecting.
Former President Jimmy Carter made a powerful statement that I believe is appropriate for this blog posting. “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something . . . I'm free to choose what that something is, and the something I've chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands -- this is not optional -- my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”
Success is much more than you acquiring a nice house, driving a top of the line sports car, wearing designer clothing, or dining in the finest of restaurants. It is about making a positive difference in the lives of those around you. It is about leaving the world a better place than when you found it. The key to this is found in our becoming people of action. If we will do the right things, the right ways, at the right times, we will with certainty enjoy success.
Got a dream, got a goal, got a plan, got a desired outcome? Just Do It!
You have what it takes to win in life. Success is not something reserved for the elite few, it is available for anyone and everyone that will put forth the right effort. Benjamin Franklin said, “Well done is better than well said.” It is one thing to talk the talk; it’s something else to walk the walk. You will not be remembered for what you say as much as for what you do.
As a kid growing up, my mother often told me, “Actions speak louder than words.” I have never forgotten that truth. It’s good to have right intentions, it’s better to have right actions.
Too many people in life want everything handed to them on the silver platter. Our culture and our government have created a whole people group that has developed a sense of entitlement. They want victory without battles. They want success without work. They want health without taking care of their bodies. However, you must remember if there’s no pain there’s no gain.
As I’ve said on many occasions “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” If you want to be successful in life you are going to have to take personal responsibility for your life. You and you alone are responsible for your life. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t help people that have had setbacks or experienced some kind of tragedy in life, but what it does mean is we should give them a handup not just a handout!
Perhaps one of the greatest marketing slogans ever developed was by the sports shoe manufacture NIKE. It simply said, “Just do it!” In other words don’t just dream it, don’t just talk it, get busy and do it! Become a person of action. Begin to “Plan your work and work your plan.”
As you study scripture (the greatest success book ever written) you will find many verses that deal with our being a people of action. In one of my favorite parables (stories with a meaning) Jesus taught that it is only the person that hears, and acts on what he hears, that builds a life that is secure and stable that will be able to withstand the storms or problems that come their way. (Luke 6:46-49)
How many times have you read a book, listened to a motivational speech, heard a sermon, watched an informational video, or attended a training seminar, and agreed with what you learned? Maybe you’ve spent the time and put forth the effort to learn new information or be reminded of something you had learned in the past, yet you have never put into practice what you’ve learned. Why not? The only way to experience success in any area of life is to put into action what you have learned and what you know you should be doing.
The dreams and aspirations that you have will never be realized without action. It is one thing to be a positive thinker; it is something altogether different to be a positive doer! There are a lot of brilliant people with tons of information and great educations that never accomplish all they could because they are only reservoirs of knowledge, they aren’t doers.
While dreams are important, and information is essential, to anything becoming a reality, the only thing that will produce the success you desire in life is action. One of my problems with so many that teach the “Law of Attraction” is that they seem to be missing the most important key to experiencing or as they say, “attracting” success in life. While it is true there is power in positive expectation, positive expectation alone will not get the job done. The writer James in the New Testament made this statement, “Faith without works is dead, being alone.” It is important to believe in what you are doing, to believe that success is yours, to believe that good things are coming your way, but it is more important to put action to what you’re believing for and what you are expecting.
Former President Jimmy Carter made a powerful statement that I believe is appropriate for this blog posting. “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something . . . I'm free to choose what that something is, and the something I've chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands -- this is not optional -- my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”
Success is much more than you acquiring a nice house, driving a top of the line sports car, wearing designer clothing, or dining in the finest of restaurants. It is about making a positive difference in the lives of those around you. It is about leaving the world a better place than when you found it. The key to this is found in our becoming people of action. If we will do the right things, the right ways, at the right times, we will with certainty enjoy success.
Got a dream, got a goal, got a plan, got a desired outcome? Just Do It!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
You’re Not A Failure!
Motivational speaker and author Van Crouch says, “You’re not finished when you’re defeated, you’re finished when you quit.” Winners in life understand that failing is part of success. You can’t know victory if you don’t have a battle. There is nothing like the joy of something good happening for you like you do after you’ve experienced something negative.
The truth is “Bad things happen to good people.” Jesus once said, “In this world you shall have tribulation.” (John 16:33) In other words, you are going to have some bumps on the road to success. Things aren’t always going to be rosy. People that see themselves as winners simply pick themselves up after a setback and move on. If you have a dream, and you are actively pursuing it, you are going to fall short from time to time. It’s not what happens to you that is most important; it’s what happens in you!
Failure is not an event, it is an opinion. You are not a failure until you say you are. Every time you fail you simply learn how not to do something! We learn a lot from trial and error. Jay Leno, host of the Tonight Show, spends his Sunday evenings going to comedy clubs and practicing his jokes for upcoming monologues. Some go over well and some bomb. But he is not deterred. Just because a joke fails doesn’t mean he is a failure. He learns from his mistakes and continues to hone his craft. The result is success when he performs his monologue on a nightly basis.
Winners are not people that never get knocked down; they are people who refuse to stay down. There is something in the heart of a champion that won’t let them give up regardless of what they are going through. We’ve all witnessed it watching sporting events. Just when you think there is no way a team or an individual has a chance to win, they find a way to win anyways. They understand that they aren’t finished as long as they don’t quit. Failure is not in the falling down but in the giving up!
Two of my favorite people from history are Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln. It is reported that Thomas Edison did 10,000 experiments before he found a filament for the light bulb. Someone once said to him, “so you’ve failed 10,000 times.” His response, “No I found 10,000 things that didn’t work!” Abraham Lincoln failed at business and numerous forays into the political arena before he was elected the sixteenth President of the United States of America. He goes down as perhaps the greatest or at least one of the greatest Presidents of all time. The common denominator between both of these great men of history is they never viewed themselves as failures.
Here are some questions to ponder in your pursuit of accomplishment.
How do you see yourself?
Do you see yourself as a success or a failure? What do you do when what you are attempting doesn’t seem to be working?
Do you give up and quit?
Or do you get up and find a way to do it anyways?
My challenge to you today is that you begin to see yourself as the winner God says you are. Refuse to let setbacks hold you back from fulfilling your life purpose and accomplishing what you are capable of. Choose to use failures and setbacks as stepping stones to reaching your goals and enjoying a successful life! Say like the Apostle Paul of old, “I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) You are not a failure!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
How's Your Aim?
Denis Waitley says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to know when you get there.” It is important to have a destination in mind when you leave on a trip or you may end up somewhere you don’t want to be.
Anytime I think about having the right aim in life. I am reminded of the hunter that told his friends he had killed a great buck at 1500 yards. His friends told him it was luck that he hit it. His reply has always stuck with me. He said, “It may have been luck that I hit it. But, it wasn’t luck that I was aiming at it!”
The fact is you can’t hit your target (goals) if you don’t have any or if you aren’t aimed at them. When Nasa sends a spacecraft into outer space they constantly have to make adjustments to the flight plan in order to get it to the destination they want it to go. In other words they have to keep adjusting their aim.
So it is with all of life. If you are going to hit your goals, fulfill your dreams, and live on purpose you must be careful to have the right aim. When you notice you are off line, take the time to refocus. Get your aim straightened out, and you will hit your target.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13, 14) Several things come to mind when I read this passage.
One, you can’t go forward looking in the rear view mirror! You can’t undo anything in your past. If you are constantly focusing on past failures or mistakes you are sabotaging your present and your future. In order to go forward you must forget the past. Let it go. Someone once said, “Don’t look back unless that’s the direction you want to go!
Two, you’ve got to reach forward to what’s before you. You must become focused on going forward. Of making progress. Of accomplishing what you were created to accomplish. Focus on what is possible not what is impossible. There will always be naysayers and dream stealers that will try to tell you that you can’t do it. Ignore them. Keep reaching!
Three, if you are going to hit your target you have to put forth diligent effort. The word press means to bear down on, to push, to give it your all. Just like a runner in a race you have to strain yourself using all the energy you have to cross the finish line. Success always requires effort on your part. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Four, without a goal to aim at you will wander through life never maximizing the potential inside you. Goals give us direction, focus, and a reason for getting up in the morning. They keep us on track. They help us to identify the distractions from our objectives and to ignore them.
Five, the prize or reward keeps us motivated to action. People work long hours because of the prize of a paycheck at the end of the week. Athletes put in long hours of training for the prize of winning the game or the championship trophy. When I was attempting to play professional golf I practice 6-8 hours per day to hone my skills and prepare myself for competition. The prize of not only the competition but also the tournament trophies (and potential payday) motivated me to spend the time necessary to do what it took to prepare.
Six, Paul said his prize was the upward call of God. God’s call to us is always an upward call. In other words it is a call to a higher level. It is rising to new levels of success, accomplishment, and productivity. Contrary to what a lot of people think, God desires for you to succeed in life. You were born to win in life. You were born with a purpose to fulfill. You were born to make a positive difference in the world around you. New levels of productivity and success afford you the ability to accomplish great things in the lives of others.
My challenge to you today is to check your aim. Do you have clear goals and objectives that you are presently working towards? Are you stretching your faith, your abilities, and your efforts? Are you being held back by past failures and mistakes? Are you putting forth diligent effort to reach your goals? Do you have a prize you are trying to attain? Do your goals lead you to a higher level and a better life?
Remember what I said earlier, “If you don’t know where you are going you may end up somewhere you don’t want to be!
Denis Waitley says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to know when you get there.” It is important to have a destination in mind when you leave on a trip or you may end up somewhere you don’t want to be.
Anytime I think about having the right aim in life. I am reminded of the hunter that told his friends he had killed a great buck at 1500 yards. His friends told him it was luck that he hit it. His reply has always stuck with me. He said, “It may have been luck that I hit it. But, it wasn’t luck that I was aiming at it!”
The fact is you can’t hit your target (goals) if you don’t have any or if you aren’t aimed at them. When Nasa sends a spacecraft into outer space they constantly have to make adjustments to the flight plan in order to get it to the destination they want it to go. In other words they have to keep adjusting their aim.
So it is with all of life. If you are going to hit your goals, fulfill your dreams, and live on purpose you must be careful to have the right aim. When you notice you are off line, take the time to refocus. Get your aim straightened out, and you will hit your target.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13, 14) Several things come to mind when I read this passage.
One, you can’t go forward looking in the rear view mirror! You can’t undo anything in your past. If you are constantly focusing on past failures or mistakes you are sabotaging your present and your future. In order to go forward you must forget the past. Let it go. Someone once said, “Don’t look back unless that’s the direction you want to go!
Two, you’ve got to reach forward to what’s before you. You must become focused on going forward. Of making progress. Of accomplishing what you were created to accomplish. Focus on what is possible not what is impossible. There will always be naysayers and dream stealers that will try to tell you that you can’t do it. Ignore them. Keep reaching!
Three, if you are going to hit your target you have to put forth diligent effort. The word press means to bear down on, to push, to give it your all. Just like a runner in a race you have to strain yourself using all the energy you have to cross the finish line. Success always requires effort on your part. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Four, without a goal to aim at you will wander through life never maximizing the potential inside you. Goals give us direction, focus, and a reason for getting up in the morning. They keep us on track. They help us to identify the distractions from our objectives and to ignore them.
Five, the prize or reward keeps us motivated to action. People work long hours because of the prize of a paycheck at the end of the week. Athletes put in long hours of training for the prize of winning the game or the championship trophy. When I was attempting to play professional golf I practice 6-8 hours per day to hone my skills and prepare myself for competition. The prize of not only the competition but also the tournament trophies (and potential payday) motivated me to spend the time necessary to do what it took to prepare.
Six, Paul said his prize was the upward call of God. God’s call to us is always an upward call. In other words it is a call to a higher level. It is rising to new levels of success, accomplishment, and productivity. Contrary to what a lot of people think, God desires for you to succeed in life. You were born to win in life. You were born with a purpose to fulfill. You were born to make a positive difference in the world around you. New levels of productivity and success afford you the ability to accomplish great things in the lives of others.
My challenge to you today is to check your aim. Do you have clear goals and objectives that you are presently working towards? Are you stretching your faith, your abilities, and your efforts? Are you being held back by past failures and mistakes? Are you putting forth diligent effort to reach your goals? Do you have a prize you are trying to attain? Do your goals lead you to a higher level and a better life?
Remember what I said earlier, “If you don’t know where you are going you may end up somewhere you don’t want to be!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Go For It
What is the burning desire of your heart? What is the one thing you would do if money weren’t the object? If you knew you could do something you always wanted to do and that it would be successful, what would you do? The answers to these questions reveal the true deep-seated God-given dreams for your life.
Now, let me ask you something else. What is holding you back? Why aren’t you actively pursuing the dream in your heart?
Great achievers are not those who just have great dreams, they are people that are determined to make them a reality. They aren’t content to have good ideas; they are focused on bringing them to pass. The difference between achievers and non-achievers is not the dreams or ideas, but what they do with them.
I saw a sign once that simply said, “Don’t just dream it, Do it!” There are millions of people with great ideas that never accomplish great things because they never go for it. As Denis Waitly says, “They live on someday I’ll.” Someday I’ll do great things. Someday I’ll start a business. Someday I’ll lose weight. Someday I’ll write a book and so it goes.
To have what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done. You can live your dreams and bring your ideas to fruition if you will simply begin to do something to make them happen.
How to go for it:
Make a list of your dreams and ideas. If you don’t have a concrete picture of what you want to accomplish chances are you never will. By making a list you not only understand what you want to do but also how to get started.
Start today. Procrastination keeps many from never achieving great things. Good intentions are not good enough. There must be positive action. Don’t put the journey to the fulfillment of your dreams off until tomorrow. Begin to live in the now. It’s what you do now that determines your tomorrow.
Let go of whatever is holding you back. Whatever is holding you back needs to be conquered if you are going to go for it. Face your fears, your insecurities and your excuses, defeat them and go on. Remember, every great achiever has had to face similar obstacles to their success.
Focus on the end result. As author Steven Covey so aptly says, “Begin with the end in mind.” Picture yourself having already accomplished your objectives in life. Get a mental picture of how things are going to be once you’ve gone for the dreams you posses. By staying focused on the end result it makes the effort worth it regardless of the how tough it may get.
Find a role model. Find someone from a similar background as yourself, that has accomplished their dream and model yourself after them. Talk to them. Ask them questions. Learn what they did to get where they are now. Allow them to coach you. Instead of learning from your own mistakes, learn from the successes and failures of others.
Believe in yourself and what you are doing. You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t believe you can. If you believe you can or believe you can’t you’re right. Believe in your talents, abilities, dreams, and potential. When everyone around you is telling you that you can’t do it refuse to listen to them. There will always be naysayers and dream stealers. Winners learn to ignore the negative input of others and believe in their objectives until they are realized.
Make up your mind to finish what you start. Don’t be a great starter. Be a great finisher. Be persistent. Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Don’t quit until you accomplish what you’ve started. A marathon runner doesn’t burst off the starting line to fast or he’ll burn out too soon. He steadily paces himself so he can endure the grueling race set before him. Even when he feels like quitting he refuses to do so until he crosses the finish line. Anyone can start, winners finish.
Believe in the God who believes in you. Realize that God is the source of the dream you have in your heart. He believes in your ability to realize that dream so much that He gave it to you in the first place. Not only does He give you the dream but the Bible says He gives you the power to accomplish it. The Apostle Paul penned these words. “For it is God who works in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” In other words, it is God who gives us the dream and the power to accomplish that dream. When you feel weak, allow His power in you to give you the strength you need to go for it!
What is the burning desire of your heart? What is the one thing you would do if money weren’t the object? If you knew you could do something you always wanted to do and that it would be successful, what would you do? The answers to these questions reveal the true deep-seated God-given dreams for your life.
Now, let me ask you something else. What is holding you back? Why aren’t you actively pursuing the dream in your heart?
Great achievers are not those who just have great dreams, they are people that are determined to make them a reality. They aren’t content to have good ideas; they are focused on bringing them to pass. The difference between achievers and non-achievers is not the dreams or ideas, but what they do with them.
I saw a sign once that simply said, “Don’t just dream it, Do it!” There are millions of people with great ideas that never accomplish great things because they never go for it. As Denis Waitly says, “They live on someday I’ll.” Someday I’ll do great things. Someday I’ll start a business. Someday I’ll lose weight. Someday I’ll write a book and so it goes.
To have what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done. You can live your dreams and bring your ideas to fruition if you will simply begin to do something to make them happen.
How to go for it:
Make a list of your dreams and ideas. If you don’t have a concrete picture of what you want to accomplish chances are you never will. By making a list you not only understand what you want to do but also how to get started.
Start today. Procrastination keeps many from never achieving great things. Good intentions are not good enough. There must be positive action. Don’t put the journey to the fulfillment of your dreams off until tomorrow. Begin to live in the now. It’s what you do now that determines your tomorrow.
Let go of whatever is holding you back. Whatever is holding you back needs to be conquered if you are going to go for it. Face your fears, your insecurities and your excuses, defeat them and go on. Remember, every great achiever has had to face similar obstacles to their success.
Focus on the end result. As author Steven Covey so aptly says, “Begin with the end in mind.” Picture yourself having already accomplished your objectives in life. Get a mental picture of how things are going to be once you’ve gone for the dreams you posses. By staying focused on the end result it makes the effort worth it regardless of the how tough it may get.
Find a role model. Find someone from a similar background as yourself, that has accomplished their dream and model yourself after them. Talk to them. Ask them questions. Learn what they did to get where they are now. Allow them to coach you. Instead of learning from your own mistakes, learn from the successes and failures of others.
Believe in yourself and what you are doing. You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t believe you can. If you believe you can or believe you can’t you’re right. Believe in your talents, abilities, dreams, and potential. When everyone around you is telling you that you can’t do it refuse to listen to them. There will always be naysayers and dream stealers. Winners learn to ignore the negative input of others and believe in their objectives until they are realized.
Make up your mind to finish what you start. Don’t be a great starter. Be a great finisher. Be persistent. Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Don’t quit until you accomplish what you’ve started. A marathon runner doesn’t burst off the starting line to fast or he’ll burn out too soon. He steadily paces himself so he can endure the grueling race set before him. Even when he feels like quitting he refuses to do so until he crosses the finish line. Anyone can start, winners finish.
Believe in the God who believes in you. Realize that God is the source of the dream you have in your heart. He believes in your ability to realize that dream so much that He gave it to you in the first place. Not only does He give you the dream but the Bible says He gives you the power to accomplish it. The Apostle Paul penned these words. “For it is God who works in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” In other words, it is God who gives us the dream and the power to accomplish that dream. When you feel weak, allow His power in you to give you the strength you need to go for it!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
ATTITUDE THE KEY TO WINNING
Your Attitude in life determines whether you win or lose. Simply defined, your attitude is your outlook on life. It is your point of view regarding the world that surrounds you. It is the way you look at circumstances and problems that you encounter in life.
A proper attitude is vital to success in all areas of life. Without a proper attitude you will be easily distracted, discouraged, disappointed and defeated.
Everyone has one. You can’t hide it. It stands out like a sore thumb or a black eye. Whether good or bad, glad or sad, positive or negative, your attitude is always showing. It is a state of mind the you always have control over.
Your attitude can:
· Help or hinder you
· Make or break you
· Make friends or enemies
· Make you uptight or at ease
· Make you a success or a failure
· Help you get better or get worse.
In order to have a better world to live in, your attitude needs to be evaluated. A better world does not depend on what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening within you.
The Bible has much to say on the subject of attitude. Notice these verses.
Numbers 14:24 “But my servant Caleb, Because he had another spirit, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereto he went; and his seed shall possess it.”
Daniel 6:3 “Then Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king set him over the whole realm.”
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
The word “spirit” as used in these scriptures, in the Hebrew lanuage, means “seat or organ of mental acts.” In other words it is your attitude.
A person with a proper attitude almost always looks on the bright side of things. They are always able to see something positive even in a negative situation.
The key to a proper attitude is found in the renewing of the mind. The Apostle Paul teaches us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1,2.)
Renewing the mind is simply changing the way you think. In computer lingo, it is “reprogramming your mental computer.” To renew the mind is to determine that you are not going to think the same way you always have.
You are the only one that can control your thought life. Others may influence the way you think, but only you have the power to make that choice. You can train yourself to be positive instead of negative. To believe God has your best interests at heart. To believe that something good is going to come out of your bad situation.
Determine today to take your attention off of the negative reports of others and instead begin to focus on what God’s word says about your situation. Begin to think in line with the promises of God’s word. See yourself the way God sees you.
As you begin to think in line with God’s word, you will begin to notice a change in the way you look at life and the circumstances that surround you. That’s what the scripture means when it says you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind. When you think of transformation, think of the caterpillar that becomes a beautiful butterfly. Now that’s transformation!
The same thing happens to you as you change your attitude. Instead of being negative all the time, you begin to be positive. Instead of seeing yourself as a loser you will begin to see yourself as a winner through Jesus Christ. No more will “I can’t” be a part of your vocabulary, but rather you will say with the Apostle Paul, “”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philipians 4:13).
As Zig Zigler so adequately says, “there are times we need a check up from the neck up!” It is time too get rid of all our “stinkin thinkin” and begin to have the attitude that god wants us to have.
Ephesians 4:24 declares, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” In other words change your attitude. At one time or another all of us must make adjustments in our attitudes. You probably need to change your attitude when:
· You don’t have enough time for yourself
· You don’t have enough time for God
· Others tell you, you need too
· Your relationships with others is strained
· Your view of others begins to lower
· Your view of life becomes cynical
Of the twelve spies that searched out the land of promise, only two, Joshua and Caleb, entered in. Why? Because they had the right attitude. Of all the people in leadership in Babylon, Daniel was promoted to second in command. Why? His attitude was excellent. Of all the kings that ruled over Israel, only David was known as a man after God’s own heart. Why? Because he knew how to accept the fact that at times he needed an attitude adjustment.
You can excel in life. You can be everything that God has created you to be. You can make an impact on those around you. All it takes is having a proper attitude. You see “Attitude Makes The Difference!”
Your Attitude in life determines whether you win or lose. Simply defined, your attitude is your outlook on life. It is your point of view regarding the world that surrounds you. It is the way you look at circumstances and problems that you encounter in life.
A proper attitude is vital to success in all areas of life. Without a proper attitude you will be easily distracted, discouraged, disappointed and defeated.
Everyone has one. You can’t hide it. It stands out like a sore thumb or a black eye. Whether good or bad, glad or sad, positive or negative, your attitude is always showing. It is a state of mind the you always have control over.
Your attitude can:
· Help or hinder you
· Make or break you
· Make friends or enemies
· Make you uptight or at ease
· Make you a success or a failure
· Help you get better or get worse.
In order to have a better world to live in, your attitude needs to be evaluated. A better world does not depend on what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening within you.
The Bible has much to say on the subject of attitude. Notice these verses.
Numbers 14:24 “But my servant Caleb, Because he had another spirit, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereto he went; and his seed shall possess it.”
Daniel 6:3 “Then Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king set him over the whole realm.”
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
The word “spirit” as used in these scriptures, in the Hebrew lanuage, means “seat or organ of mental acts.” In other words it is your attitude.
A person with a proper attitude almost always looks on the bright side of things. They are always able to see something positive even in a negative situation.
The key to a proper attitude is found in the renewing of the mind. The Apostle Paul teaches us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1,2.)
Renewing the mind is simply changing the way you think. In computer lingo, it is “reprogramming your mental computer.” To renew the mind is to determine that you are not going to think the same way you always have.
You are the only one that can control your thought life. Others may influence the way you think, but only you have the power to make that choice. You can train yourself to be positive instead of negative. To believe God has your best interests at heart. To believe that something good is going to come out of your bad situation.
Determine today to take your attention off of the negative reports of others and instead begin to focus on what God’s word says about your situation. Begin to think in line with the promises of God’s word. See yourself the way God sees you.
As you begin to think in line with God’s word, you will begin to notice a change in the way you look at life and the circumstances that surround you. That’s what the scripture means when it says you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind. When you think of transformation, think of the caterpillar that becomes a beautiful butterfly. Now that’s transformation!
The same thing happens to you as you change your attitude. Instead of being negative all the time, you begin to be positive. Instead of seeing yourself as a loser you will begin to see yourself as a winner through Jesus Christ. No more will “I can’t” be a part of your vocabulary, but rather you will say with the Apostle Paul, “”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philipians 4:13).
As Zig Zigler so adequately says, “there are times we need a check up from the neck up!” It is time too get rid of all our “stinkin thinkin” and begin to have the attitude that god wants us to have.
Ephesians 4:24 declares, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” In other words change your attitude. At one time or another all of us must make adjustments in our attitudes. You probably need to change your attitude when:
· You don’t have enough time for yourself
· You don’t have enough time for God
· Others tell you, you need too
· Your relationships with others is strained
· Your view of others begins to lower
· Your view of life becomes cynical
Of the twelve spies that searched out the land of promise, only two, Joshua and Caleb, entered in. Why? Because they had the right attitude. Of all the people in leadership in Babylon, Daniel was promoted to second in command. Why? His attitude was excellent. Of all the kings that ruled over Israel, only David was known as a man after God’s own heart. Why? Because he knew how to accept the fact that at times he needed an attitude adjustment.
You can excel in life. You can be everything that God has created you to be. You can make an impact on those around you. All it takes is having a proper attitude. You see “Attitude Makes The Difference!”
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Building on Your Strengths
Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses. The difference between great achievers and those that aren't is that great achievers have learned to capitalize on their strengths and not be limited by their weaknesses.
In order to begin to experience success it is important to take personal inventory of your life. Make a list of your strengths (what you are good at) and of your weaknesses (what you aren't good at). By having a clear picture of your strengths you have an understanding of what you can build on.
While it is important to seek to improve your areas of weakness, it is more important to continue improving your strengths. Great athletes have learned this secret. One reason Tiger Woods is such a phenomenal golfer is because of his burning desire to continue to improve his skills. After winning the 2000 U. S. Open, by a record margin, he was talking about things that he needed to do to improve. This is what sets him apart from his peers.
Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player of all-time by continually striving to strengthen his strengths. The reason he could pull off seemingly impossible feats on the basketball court are because in practice he worked on developing his strengths. While some viewed his accomplishments under pressure as being lucky, the truth is they were the results of much practice and preparation. If he was lucky it was because he created his own luck by doing the right things consistently.
You too can enjoy extraordinary results if you will begin to spend more time developing your strengths than your weaknesses. Take your strengths and begin to improve them until they are stronger. In doing so you will begin to accomplish greater things then you ever expected.
Practice, practice, practice!
By continually working on your strengths you are constantly improving what you are good at. Just like Tiger Woods you become great not because you are lucky but because you work hard at improving what you are already good at. By honing your skills in practice you are insuring peak performance when the pressure is on. In the heat of the battle you will naturally do what you perfected in practice.
Don't focus on your weaknesses.
You will always go in the direction of your dominant thoughts. If you focus on what you aren't good at you will insure failure or defeat. However, if you begin to focus on what your strengths are you will move towards success. Simply put, "accentuate the positive!"
Find a coach or mentor.
Gain the assistance of someone that's "been there, done that!" Allow them to teach and train you. Learn from their experience and expertise. Let them motivate, inform, and correct you as necessary. Make yourself accountable to them.
Determine to do your best.
Always give yourself 100% to what you are doing. Make the decision to do the right thing the right way consistently. Demand excellence of yourself. Don’t settle for anything less than your best. Constantly seek to improve. Keep raising the bar of what you expect of yourself. You will be amazed at the outcome.
Believe you are created for greatness.
You have incredible potential and possibilities. There is no reason why you can't excel in life. God has given you the abilities you need to work with in order to succeed in life. You are made in God's image and likeness; therefore you have the right to greatness. You have the right to be a success.
Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses. The difference between great achievers and those that aren't is that great achievers have learned to capitalize on their strengths and not be limited by their weaknesses.
In order to begin to experience success it is important to take personal inventory of your life. Make a list of your strengths (what you are good at) and of your weaknesses (what you aren't good at). By having a clear picture of your strengths you have an understanding of what you can build on.
While it is important to seek to improve your areas of weakness, it is more important to continue improving your strengths. Great athletes have learned this secret. One reason Tiger Woods is such a phenomenal golfer is because of his burning desire to continue to improve his skills. After winning the 2000 U. S. Open, by a record margin, he was talking about things that he needed to do to improve. This is what sets him apart from his peers.
Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player of all-time by continually striving to strengthen his strengths. The reason he could pull off seemingly impossible feats on the basketball court are because in practice he worked on developing his strengths. While some viewed his accomplishments under pressure as being lucky, the truth is they were the results of much practice and preparation. If he was lucky it was because he created his own luck by doing the right things consistently.
You too can enjoy extraordinary results if you will begin to spend more time developing your strengths than your weaknesses. Take your strengths and begin to improve them until they are stronger. In doing so you will begin to accomplish greater things then you ever expected.
Practice, practice, practice!
By continually working on your strengths you are constantly improving what you are good at. Just like Tiger Woods you become great not because you are lucky but because you work hard at improving what you are already good at. By honing your skills in practice you are insuring peak performance when the pressure is on. In the heat of the battle you will naturally do what you perfected in practice.
Don't focus on your weaknesses.
You will always go in the direction of your dominant thoughts. If you focus on what you aren't good at you will insure failure or defeat. However, if you begin to focus on what your strengths are you will move towards success. Simply put, "accentuate the positive!"
Find a coach or mentor.
Gain the assistance of someone that's "been there, done that!" Allow them to teach and train you. Learn from their experience and expertise. Let them motivate, inform, and correct you as necessary. Make yourself accountable to them.
Determine to do your best.
Always give yourself 100% to what you are doing. Make the decision to do the right thing the right way consistently. Demand excellence of yourself. Don’t settle for anything less than your best. Constantly seek to improve. Keep raising the bar of what you expect of yourself. You will be amazed at the outcome.
Believe you are created for greatness.
You have incredible potential and possibilities. There is no reason why you can't excel in life. God has given you the abilities you need to work with in order to succeed in life. You are made in God's image and likeness; therefore you have the right to greatness. You have the right to be a success.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Are You Determined?
Nothing is more powerful than a made up mind. In order to achieve greatness, determination is required. Someone once said, “A determined person will do more with a rusty monkey wrench, than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools of a machine shop.”
You win or lose because of your determination or lack thereof. Determined people are able to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to win in life. Malcolm Forbes said, “Your degree of determination determines your outcome.”
Ten things about determined people:
Determined people don’t know how to take the word “no” for an answer. Their philosophy of life is, “Find a way or make one.”
Determined people refuse to quit until they win. Their philosophy of life is “Nothing can stop me or keep me from winning. Victory belongs to me.”
Determined people realize that success comes little by little. Their philosophy is “Inch by inch anything’s a cinch!”
Determined people are not moved by what they see around them. Their philosophy of life is, “We walk by faith not by sight.” They choose to see what can be, instead of what is.
Determined people choose to be positive. Their philosophy of life is, “Positive anything is better than negative nothing!”
Determined people expect a positive outcome. Their philosophy of life is, “You get what you expect.”
Determined people understand the value of goal setting. Their philosophy of life is, "You can’t hit it if you don’t aim at it!”
Determined people believe in the value of planning. Their philosophy of life is, “Plan your work and work your plan.”
Determined people believe that success comes in cans not cannots. Their philosophy of life is, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
Determined people associate with winners. Their philosophy of life is, “Iron sharpens iron.” They recognize that you become better by being around better people.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Be A Person of Value
Albert Einstein wrote, “Try not to become a man of success, rather try to become a person of value.” In our society many are selling themselves short simply by trying to succeed at any cost. While success is the by-product of vision, goal-setting, planning, action and determination, it should not be your ultimate goal. You must not get caught up in the web of trying to be a success so others will think you are great.
Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. I have met countless numbers of people in my life who have experienced mental breakdowns, a loss of proper desires and emotional breakdowns because they chased success instead of letting it follow them.
It is startling to finally reach the top of the ladder only to realize it’s leaned against the wrong wall. Your life does not consist of the abundance of things you possess. Malcomb Forbes was asked before he died how much money he was going to leave his heirs. His response was "All of it!" When you die you will not be remembered for what you owned as much as for who you were and what kind of positive difference you made in your world and the lives you came in contact with.
In order to leave a positive lasting legacy you must seek to be a person of character. Seek to live a life based on principles, values, and integrity. Be a person that makes the difference in the lives of others. Live a life that exemplifies the life of Christ in all you do.
Albert Einstein wrote, “Try not to become a man of success, rather try to become a person of value.” In our society many are selling themselves short simply by trying to succeed at any cost. While success is the by-product of vision, goal-setting, planning, action and determination, it should not be your ultimate goal. You must not get caught up in the web of trying to be a success so others will think you are great.
Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. I have met countless numbers of people in my life who have experienced mental breakdowns, a loss of proper desires and emotional breakdowns because they chased success instead of letting it follow them.
It is startling to finally reach the top of the ladder only to realize it’s leaned against the wrong wall. Your life does not consist of the abundance of things you possess. Malcomb Forbes was asked before he died how much money he was going to leave his heirs. His response was "All of it!" When you die you will not be remembered for what you owned as much as for who you were and what kind of positive difference you made in your world and the lives you came in contact with.
In order to leave a positive lasting legacy you must seek to be a person of character. Seek to live a life based on principles, values, and integrity. Be a person that makes the difference in the lives of others. Live a life that exemplifies the life of Christ in all you do.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Persistence: The Key to Success
How many people do you know that have stopped just short of reaching their goal? How many times have you stopped short of what you desired to see become a reality? Unfortunately, the number is greater than it should be. Many times just one more try would have meant victory instead of defeat.
Persistence is defined as “continued effort or tenacity.” It is not accepting defeat and continuing on inspite of the obstacles in your path. It is doing the right thing, the right way consistently.
Throughout scripture we are admonished to be people of persistence. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “That you be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12) The word patience could also be translated persistence. In this particular scripture, the word patience does not imply putting up with or coping with the circumstances at hand. Rather it means to continue doing what you are doing until the desired results are yours.
Scripture gives us Abraham as our example of a man who through faithful persistence received the fulfillment of God’s promises to him. (Hebrews 6:13-15) Abraham, the father of the faithful, had to persist in faith for twenty-five years before he saw the physical manifestation of God’s promise to him.
We live in an instant society. We tend to want everything, and we want it right now. When we don’t see what we are praying and believing for in a short period of time, we are apt to become discouraged and give up. Many times we give up just short of what God promised us becoming a reality.
If you are going to be successful at whatever it is that God has called you to do, you must become a person of persistence. You need bulldog faith. Bulldog faith is “faith that won’t let go!” Winston Churchill is reported to have said, “The reason a bulldogs nose is slanted backwards, is so that he can breathe without letting go.”
Here are some keys for developing persistence:
Keep your eyes on the goal.
You cannot lose sight of where you are going. It is imperative that you remain focused. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. God told Joshua “do not turn to the right hand or to the left. that you may prosper wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7)
Believe that you will meet with success.
There is nothing more powerful that positive faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23) The great motivator and trainer Dale Carnegie said, “Believe that you will succeed. Believe it firmly, and you will then do what is necessary to bring success about.”
Maintain a positive attitude.
When the going gets tough sometimes it is easy to lose perspective. Your attitude, which is your perspective or how you see things, must remain positive if you are going to succeed. You must look past the negative circumstances and see the victory that is yours if you will but persist. Paul wrote, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal and the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18) In other words, don’t look at what is, but rather at what can be. Keep the right attitude.
How many people do you know that have stopped just short of reaching their goal? How many times have you stopped short of what you desired to see become a reality? Unfortunately, the number is greater than it should be. Many times just one more try would have meant victory instead of defeat.
Persistence is defined as “continued effort or tenacity.” It is not accepting defeat and continuing on inspite of the obstacles in your path. It is doing the right thing, the right way consistently.
Throughout scripture we are admonished to be people of persistence. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “That you be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12) The word patience could also be translated persistence. In this particular scripture, the word patience does not imply putting up with or coping with the circumstances at hand. Rather it means to continue doing what you are doing until the desired results are yours.
Scripture gives us Abraham as our example of a man who through faithful persistence received the fulfillment of God’s promises to him. (Hebrews 6:13-15) Abraham, the father of the faithful, had to persist in faith for twenty-five years before he saw the physical manifestation of God’s promise to him.
We live in an instant society. We tend to want everything, and we want it right now. When we don’t see what we are praying and believing for in a short period of time, we are apt to become discouraged and give up. Many times we give up just short of what God promised us becoming a reality.
If you are going to be successful at whatever it is that God has called you to do, you must become a person of persistence. You need bulldog faith. Bulldog faith is “faith that won’t let go!” Winston Churchill is reported to have said, “The reason a bulldogs nose is slanted backwards, is so that he can breathe without letting go.”
Here are some keys for developing persistence:
Keep your eyes on the goal.
You cannot lose sight of where you are going. It is imperative that you remain focused. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. God told Joshua “do not turn to the right hand or to the left. that you may prosper wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7)
Believe that you will meet with success.
There is nothing more powerful that positive faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23) The great motivator and trainer Dale Carnegie said, “Believe that you will succeed. Believe it firmly, and you will then do what is necessary to bring success about.”
Maintain a positive attitude.
When the going gets tough sometimes it is easy to lose perspective. Your attitude, which is your perspective or how you see things, must remain positive if you are going to succeed. You must look past the negative circumstances and see the victory that is yours if you will but persist. Paul wrote, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal and the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18) In other words, don’t look at what is, but rather at what can be. Keep the right attitude.
Have a made up mind.
You must be determined. Determined people win in life because they don’t allow anything to break their focus. The great baseball manager Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” Someone else said, “It was through persistence that the snail got to the ark!”
You must be determined. Determined people win in life because they don’t allow anything to break their focus. The great baseball manager Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” Someone else said, “It was through persistence that the snail got to the ark!”
Find someone to stand in agreement with you.
“Two are better than one, and a threefold cord is not easily broke.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12) There is something powerful when you have others to stand with you on the path to success. There is strength in unity. You must understand that you cannot make it without the assistance of others. Successful people, regardless of their position in life, understand the value of teamwork. Together we stand, divided we fall.
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