Convictions

Do you know what you believe?

You should, because you're living it out. You're living out your beliefs, your convictions. Maybe by default, but you are living them out.

Convictions. We could say our convictions are those habits, manners and behaviors we could be accused and convicted of.

Do you want to change your behaviors? Start by identifying what you genuinely believe, where you want to be, how you want to act and then establish disciplines you can be convicted of. 

We operate off our convictions.

I contend most of us can't truly speak into our beliefs, what convicts us.

Something to ponder...We are spiritual beings, gifted with an intellect, living in a physical body.

If you can get a grip on that. If you believe that...then you must consider growing your entire self.

...it’s not just being more effective at completing daily tasks, being a better sales person, making more and better calls (my current struggle), having a good marketing campaign (another struggle). 

If we believe we’re spiritual beings, gifted with an intellect, living in a physical body, we owe it to ourselves, and God, to grow our entire selves.

Don’t disregard this, at least consider it before casting it aside. 

I believe it was Jim Rohne who said “some things are too important to be left un-researched.”

This is important.

Our Most Powerful Tool

The mind is our most powerful tool.  It has two parts - the conscious and the subconscious/unconscious (other than conscious). The mind can distract us or keep us focused.

It’s the mind that allows the late night ice cream binge or the discipline to eat right all day.

The mind will awaken us, without an alarm at 4:45 to start our morning routine, or the mind can cause us to sleep in and rush panicking into the day.

We can be conformed to this world by going with the norm of our existing thoughts and the world around us......or we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Renewing of our minds is a powerful principle. It’s out choice, our decision, our outcome! What we focus on, we’re more likely to get. Do our actions and habits produce the positive results we want? If not, change the way we think, practice daily disciplines to renew our mind. As a result, new actions and habits will follow.

What’s going into our mind through our senses is changing who we are in the inside that we live out on the outside. Who we are on the inside will determine who we are on the outside.

We cannot always change what just happened us, but we can control how we respond by controlling how we renew our minds.

We will all be different 5 years from today, than we are today. That difference is determined by who we associate with, what we watch, what we hear and what we read.

Pondering - Leadershift

I read Maxwell's "Leadershift" as I was shifting into a new role 6 months ago.

This new role has been an emotional shift and I'm surprised I've lasted. My 12WkYr Coach, coming into the new job, recommended my only goal should be "to show up every day."

Wise. Simple and wise.

This morning I find myself looking through this list of shifts Maxwell writes are necessary.

- SOLOIST TO CONDUCTOR

- GOALS TO GROWTH

- PERKS TO PRICE

- PLEASING PEOPLE TO CHALLENGING PEOPLE

- MAINTAINING TO CREATING

- LADDER CLIMBING TO LADDER BUILDING

- DIRECTING TO CONNECTING

- TEAM UNIFORMITY TO TEAM DIVERSITY

- POSITIONAL AUTHORITY TO MORAL AUTHORITY

- TRAINED LEADERS TO TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS

- CAREER TO CALLING

These recent months have further confirmed my belief that we (humans) perform best when we "manage processes and lead people." John gives a good explanation of my belief on page 1....

"Management systems and processes tend to be linear. They assume that similar inputs will result in similar outputs. In many situations, this holds true. Leadership, however, requires a more nuanced view of the world because it involves people: what motivates them, what their interests are, and how engaged they become."

To that end....I think I know what I'm rereading this weekend.

Time Stealer (adapted from Today Matters Bible Plan by John Maxwell)

There will always be distractions in life because we know from scripture that the agenda of the enemy is to steal, kill and destroy - (John 10:10 NIV). Because of his agenda to steal from us, the enemy knows if we can waste time then our purpose will never be realized, and our destiny will be aborted. 

Procrastination is a time stealer, and it simply means to put off intentionally doing something that should be done.

I have been guilty of this often, and  I have missed many wonderful opportunities to excel. In the Bible, (Matthew 25:1 – 13 NIV), a story of procrastination gripped my heart because of the greatest opportunity missed. 

The following parable was a real eye-opener for me because I realize every day we are gambling away our future with the notion we still have lots of time while being distracted by unimportant things like social media, television, games, text messages and the list can go on. Today I want to encourage you to look at what you are investing your time in and ask yourself, "What am I putting off intentionally that could hurt my future that I should be doing right now?" Once you have identified it simply decide not to put it off anymore; redeem your time!

The parable of the ten virgins tells of the preparation for the bridegroom's return. Five of the virgins were prepared with their lamps and oil, but five did not have oil. The story points out that the bridegroom was a long time in coming and the virgins became drowsy and fell asleep. Then suddenly at midnight, the alarm was sounded that the bridegroom was on his way. They all awoke, and the five prepared put their lamps together for his return. But the five who had sufficient time but intentionally put off getting the oil was left stranded and never made it to the wedding. 

Prayer: Lord, help me today to not be like the five virgins that gambled with their future. Help me to break off this time stealer of procrastination from my life and thank you for your hearing me!

Adapted from Today Matters Bible Plan by John Maxwell