It seems that most everybody wants to get rich quick. Or to become a raging success over night. Some may simply have a desire to find happiness, peace, and deep satisfaction. Others have a desire for all of these things in unison as though acquiring all of these in parallel leads to some sort of perfect trifecta of joy and bliss.
There is a misconception that that all of these are interrelated. So the thought goes, "If I become more successful, I'll have more money, which will provide me the opportunity to do the things that I have always wanted to do (really, you have an obligation to do this anyway, but that's an entirely different topic altogether), which will result in my happiness, which is really what the world is all about".
Chasing our desires is going to do nothing but leave us feeling depressed, frustrated, aggravated, and plain exhausted. Chasing, by its very meaning, indicates that we are trying to tackle an object that is perpetually moving. Every time that we appear to get closer to the reaching what we are in pursuit of, it moves, or we slip and fall, or something bigger than us steps out in front of us and gobbles up what we have been running after. Occassionally, we even chase it into someone elses eagerly waiting hands.
Unfortunately, people get caught up in the chase, and forget what it is that they started chasing in the first place. They start seeing many things to chase at one time. I see wealth over there, but hey, look, over there, happiness is much closer! If I can just get some happiness, I will feel more like chasing the money! So you run over to happiness, but once you get over to it, it darts off leaving you frustrated, bewildered, and at times betrayed.
I am not suggesting that there is nothing worth chasing. On the contrary, we have been designed and wired with intense desire and passion in our hearts and minds. If we had not been built with desire, then would have nothing worth working for. There would not be a reason to eat, or to drink, or even live. Unforunately, our desire and passion, however noble they may appear, are often misplaced and misdirected.
All that we really long for, desire, and need are provided, when we are willing to give our lives to a cause that is not about us, but is about others. It makes entirely no sense to me, but the more you work to achieve something, the harder you push, the farther you find yourself from reaching it, especially when it is a selfish pursuit. However, when you work for others, giving yourself over to the mission that you have been custom designed for without regard to your own needs, all that you were chasing seems to simply be provided.
Like my friend Scott was saying the other day, Growth = Less + Less, as opposed to the formula that we have been indoctrinated with (Growth = More + More + More).
Be mindful of what you are pursuing, and what it is that is driving you. Focus on the mission and work for others, and all that you have been chasing will begin to chase you.
January 29, 2009
January 27, 2009
Life Without Fuel
Without fuel of some variety, automobiles sit lifeless.
Without fuel in the form of the proper balance of proteins, calories, fats, and carbohydrates, our workouts are not as effective as they possible could be otherwise.
Likewise, the minds and bodies of all living things will not grow correctly without fuel.
Without fuel, great ideas grow moldy and rot in obscure journals, our minds, or are tragically lost forever.
Fuel is necessary for fire too. Fire keeps us warm, allows us to cook our food, and enables the refinement of precious metals and even land.
Fuel is what gets us to move past the barriers that are in front of us. Fuel feeds us so that we can overcome obstacles, achieve goals that are bigger than ourselves, and accomplish what we have been designed for.
Of course, fuel is not free. It costs each of us something. It costs us something globally too.
Fuel is exhaustible. Once it is used, you have to get more. But, fuel is necessary to get where you want to go. Without fuel, there is no momentum. Without momentum, there is no growth. Without growth, we cannot reach our goals.
We need to be appropriately fueled. If you spend too much time fueling, you never go anywhere. If you don't spend enough time fueling, your tank will not be full enough to reach the destination as quickly as you could, or could prevent you from getting to your destination at all.
Find what it is that fuels you. Observe the times of the day when you are most productive and most on fire. Identify the activities that ramp up your stores of energy, and then fill up the tank. The only thing left is to go and complete the mission and goals that you have been designed to complete, but always remember, you have to refuel eventually.
Without fuel in the form of the proper balance of proteins, calories, fats, and carbohydrates, our workouts are not as effective as they possible could be otherwise.
Likewise, the minds and bodies of all living things will not grow correctly without fuel.
Without fuel, great ideas grow moldy and rot in obscure journals, our minds, or are tragically lost forever.
Fuel is necessary for fire too. Fire keeps us warm, allows us to cook our food, and enables the refinement of precious metals and even land.
Fuel is what gets us to move past the barriers that are in front of us. Fuel feeds us so that we can overcome obstacles, achieve goals that are bigger than ourselves, and accomplish what we have been designed for.
Of course, fuel is not free. It costs each of us something. It costs us something globally too.
Fuel is exhaustible. Once it is used, you have to get more. But, fuel is necessary to get where you want to go. Without fuel, there is no momentum. Without momentum, there is no growth. Without growth, we cannot reach our goals.
We need to be appropriately fueled. If you spend too much time fueling, you never go anywhere. If you don't spend enough time fueling, your tank will not be full enough to reach the destination as quickly as you could, or could prevent you from getting to your destination at all.
Find what it is that fuels you. Observe the times of the day when you are most productive and most on fire. Identify the activities that ramp up your stores of energy, and then fill up the tank. The only thing left is to go and complete the mission and goals that you have been designed to complete, but always remember, you have to refuel eventually.
December 16, 2008
So Focused That I Forgot To...
The other morning, I sat down to drink my coffee and write a bit before work. It was one of those sessions that come along when you least expect it, when you are in the midst of stress and chaos, with noise and distraction all around, and you struggle to hear yourself think. The words just seemed to flow from my fingers that morning. It was almost like I couldn't find the keys quickly enough to capture the train of thought that was carrying me on some journey to a destination that I always wanted to travel to, but never thought that I could afford the ticket. I hit a good stopping point, and looked up at the clock. Nearly thirty minutes had passed and I had not even thought of eating breakfast yet. Typically, my writing sessions are 10 -15 minutes long, with breakfast at some point during that period of time. However, the thought of eating did not even cross my mind. I was focused on being nourished in an entirely different, albeit just as important, way.
Have you ever found yourself so focused on something that you forget to do something that is a basic human need? Like eating? Maybe drinking? Sleeping? If the answer is yes, then you too have had the opportunity to glimpse into the life that is calling you into what you have been designed and created for. If your answer is no, then it is my hope that you will be divinely distracted to the point that food looses its flavor, that sleeping makes you uneasy, and that you find yourself so lost in what you are doing that you lose track of time.
Have you ever found yourself so focused on something that you forget to do something that is a basic human need? Like eating? Maybe drinking? Sleeping? If the answer is yes, then you too have had the opportunity to glimpse into the life that is calling you into what you have been designed and created for. If your answer is no, then it is my hope that you will be divinely distracted to the point that food looses its flavor, that sleeping makes you uneasy, and that you find yourself so lost in what you are doing that you lose track of time.
December 15, 2008
Recruiting Leaders
Your mission is not as important to everyone as you might think that it is.
The trouble is, not many people understand or acknowledge that they have a mission of their own either. Find out what makes people come alive, that activity that they get so wrapped up in that hours go by, yet they don't even realize that time has elapsed. Find out what it is that stirs deeply passionate emotions in them. Help people to find out what their mission is, what they have been created to put everything on the line for, and then use that as a catalyst for the fulfillment of the mission that you have been designed for. In doing this, you will be gaining the most momentum for your cause, and will be ensuring that you are empowering new leaders with bold ideas, burdens, and passion to become committed to the cause that you are fighting for.
If you are not fighting for a cause, then why are you here? If you haven't yet identified who you are willing to sacrifice everything for, then I will would say that you probably haven't identified your mission yet.
Leaders are needed now. Step up, take some ground, become missional, and empower others.
The trouble is, not many people understand or acknowledge that they have a mission of their own either. Find out what makes people come alive, that activity that they get so wrapped up in that hours go by, yet they don't even realize that time has elapsed. Find out what it is that stirs deeply passionate emotions in them. Help people to find out what their mission is, what they have been created to put everything on the line for, and then use that as a catalyst for the fulfillment of the mission that you have been designed for. In doing this, you will be gaining the most momentum for your cause, and will be ensuring that you are empowering new leaders with bold ideas, burdens, and passion to become committed to the cause that you are fighting for.
If you are not fighting for a cause, then why are you here? If you haven't yet identified who you are willing to sacrifice everything for, then I will would say that you probably haven't identified your mission yet.
Leaders are needed now. Step up, take some ground, become missional, and empower others.
December 12, 2008
Non-Conformity in Our Organizations
What do you do with the non-conformity in your organization?
While hanging out with my family last night, we watched a classic Christmas movie, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The snowman, voiced by Burl Ives, stated that Rudolph's father attempted to hide his "non-conformity." His father, Donner, attempted to hide his bright shining nose from the world, rather than accepting it for it was. Even when he demonstrated that he had potentially superior flying ability, the arrogance and intolerance to his non-conformity made him the focal point of ridicule, and prevented him from being able to contribute to the efforts of the team.
This got me to thinking about how our organizations and tribes tend to treat non-conformity. Do we hide it, in an attempt to be more successful, or do we realize that the talents and gifts that each individual has been designed with will help us to achieve the strategic mission and goals that we have set out to achieve? Do we ridicule it and treat it as a hindrance, forcing it farther away, or do we cultivate and encourage people to have bold ideas that challenge the status quo, understanding that in so doing, we can possibly move farther faster than we could have otherwise? Finally, do our tribes and organizations attempt to break the non-conformity through the use of annual reviews, training initiatives, and growth plans, forcing each individual to break until they are tightly crammed into the box of our perception?
What would happen if our organizations, rather than breaking and molding our internal customers (remember, the people that get a paycheck from us are our customers too), took the time to identify their non-conformity and natural strengths and invested in developing and refining these unique gifts? What would happen if we actually allowed and encouraged the gifts of non-conformity and natural strengths to be used in our organizations for the benefit of tackling the mountainous goals and challenges (your organization has these I assume) that we have set out to take on?
When the stormy times arrive we may just count on this non-conformity to pull us through. It might be the one thing that we need in order to continue delivering on our mission and vision despite the clouds and darkness. However, if we have pushed it away, or have broken it to fit our own narrow view or focus, we might just find that the success and viability of our cause is cancelled after all, just as Christmas would have been if Rudolph hadn't been around to light up the night sky that night.
Identify the natural strengths and non-conformity in your organization. Encourage people to use the gifts and talents that they have given, and you will survive even in the most difficult of times.
While hanging out with my family last night, we watched a classic Christmas movie, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The snowman, voiced by Burl Ives, stated that Rudolph's father attempted to hide his "non-conformity." His father, Donner, attempted to hide his bright shining nose from the world, rather than accepting it for it was. Even when he demonstrated that he had potentially superior flying ability, the arrogance and intolerance to his non-conformity made him the focal point of ridicule, and prevented him from being able to contribute to the efforts of the team.
This got me to thinking about how our organizations and tribes tend to treat non-conformity. Do we hide it, in an attempt to be more successful, or do we realize that the talents and gifts that each individual has been designed with will help us to achieve the strategic mission and goals that we have set out to achieve? Do we ridicule it and treat it as a hindrance, forcing it farther away, or do we cultivate and encourage people to have bold ideas that challenge the status quo, understanding that in so doing, we can possibly move farther faster than we could have otherwise? Finally, do our tribes and organizations attempt to break the non-conformity through the use of annual reviews, training initiatives, and growth plans, forcing each individual to break until they are tightly crammed into the box of our perception?
What would happen if our organizations, rather than breaking and molding our internal customers (remember, the people that get a paycheck from us are our customers too), took the time to identify their non-conformity and natural strengths and invested in developing and refining these unique gifts? What would happen if we actually allowed and encouraged the gifts of non-conformity and natural strengths to be used in our organizations for the benefit of tackling the mountainous goals and challenges (your organization has these I assume) that we have set out to take on?
When the stormy times arrive we may just count on this non-conformity to pull us through. It might be the one thing that we need in order to continue delivering on our mission and vision despite the clouds and darkness. However, if we have pushed it away, or have broken it to fit our own narrow view or focus, we might just find that the success and viability of our cause is cancelled after all, just as Christmas would have been if Rudolph hadn't been around to light up the night sky that night.
Identify the natural strengths and non-conformity in your organization. Encourage people to use the gifts and talents that they have given, and you will survive even in the most difficult of times.
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