Organize For Success

Anyone who has ever had the opportunity to work at or tour a manufacturing facility cannot miss the impressive setup and organization these establishments display.  In order to become highly efficient in what they are producing, it is critical that everything necessary in the way of parts or components is close at hand and all the tools and equipment needed are available.  Manufacturing companies continually make improvements so they can boost their output and at a lower cost.

This same concept is also critical for anyone who is serious about becoming successful.  Once a person begins to understand who they are, how God has made them and what talents and abilities they have been given, it is then time to begin the hard work and planning necessary to develop and hone those attributes.  As a person forms a vision of where they want to go and what they want to pursue, it is essential that they organize for the task ahead.

To begin, here are a few tips on things to consider:

• Organize a place to work
• Pull together the items you need to get started
• Start building a reference library on your subject
• Work on a Life Mission Statement
• Set some goals and lay out a strategy to attain those goals
• Establish a timetable
• Ask friends and family for advice
• And last, but by far the most important, pray for guidance and direction from God

The Importance Of Practice

The 2012 Summer Olympics opened this week in London, England, with the customary parade of athletes from all participating nations.  For every one of these athletes, their participation marked the culminations of years and years of practice.  For many this quest had begun when they were only youngsters and they had been required to invest thousands of hours of hard work and repetitive exercises in order to move up to the level of an Olympian.

No one becomes successful without the discipline of practice.  The development of skills always involves practice.  This is one of the reasons discovering your giftedness and talents is so critical.  When people attempt to do somethings they were not meant to do, they almost never have the commitment and desire to practice.  They also become discouraged because they experience little or no progress.

Practice is hard work.  It requires an investment of time and energy.  It is, by definition, repetitive and at times can be boring and sometimes even frustration.  It is a slow process which requires that you keep your mind on the desired goal.

We continually need to be reminded - there are no shortcuts to biblical success.  It is part of God's plan.  Many times the practice is more important for our lives than reaching the goal.


"As the Holy Spirit leads and directs us and as we develop our skills through practice, we grow and produce fruit."  Basics for Believers Vol. 2, pp. 38-139

Take Note And Be On Guard

One only has to examine self to see the destructive imprint of the Fall of man.  We are all affected, some more and some less, but all are flawed.  It is only when we accept this reality that we will begin to address one of the reasons our pursuit of worldly success is so far off the mark.

Worldly success at its center is driven by a preoccupation with "self."  Along with that overriding impulse, we are driven by greed and selfishness.  It is plain to be seen even in our little children.  Another driving force for success comes from the motive of envy and the desire to have what others have.  In other words," we are covetous.  Unchecked, these motives can develop into the dominate driving force of our life.

The solution to this condition is to accept what God has done for us in giving His Son, Jesus Christ, to offer us a new beginning--to make us new again.  Then, and only then, can we begin to depart from the destructive behavior which was part of our old nature and move towards true godly success.


"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."  (Philippians 2:3, 4) NKJV

Integrity

Yesterday marked a tragic culmination of what has become known as the Penn State University sex abuse case.  It was the day that the NCAA issued its penalties that are to be levied against the University and its football athletic program for the failed action of leadership of the University to act with integrity against a known child molester.

The sentence was harsh but one that few disagreed with.  It also marks the continuing disgrace of their legendary coach Joe Paterno.  Two days earlier, his larger than life statue was removed from its prominent position on campus.  The ruling also represents the tragic consequences of someone who has lost his long-standing reputation and role of being a model of integrity.

True success will only be realized by those who live their lives daily walking in integrity.  Integrity should be a part of everything we think and do.  It is imperative that we embrace and apply it in all situations of our lives.  Integrity is built on a foundation of honesty.  Without honesty there can be no integrity.  It also addresses purity of intention or motive.  It means that a person of integrity is steadfast, committed and beyond reproach.

Last, integrity is what determines the depth of a person's character - who they are and how they conduct themselves.  Integrity involves the whole of one's life.  It is not only important to begin well and maintain one's integrity, but most important, to finish well.

Beware of becoming consumed with the wrong kind of success.  Take heed that you do not turn a gift of God, like sports, into an idol.


"Ability without honor has no value." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

A Clue To Who You Are

People today enjoy the benefit of numerous tools that aid them in learning to understand who they are and what it is that they are good at.  An outstanding example is the book with enclosed survey STRENGTHS FINDER 2.0.  This tool can provide excellent information based on the answers you give to  the one hundred and forty questions asked in the survey.  Learning to understand who we are is critical to becoming successful.

Another element which can be helpful in this quest is to reflect on what are the things that you dream about; what are those subjects which frequently come to your thoughts?  What is it that you would most like to do and to become?  What do you think about most often and what do you believe would be the perfect job for you?

The Bible tells us that "without vision the people perish."  Without a vision you will never come to true success.

Take time to write down the answers to some of the questions mentioned above.  Also, in a quiet place, spend time with yourself to reflect on who you are right now and who you believe you should become.

Don't forget this critical point - we all have a purpose in this life and the gifts and abilities to fulfill that purpose.  The job before us is in discovering this purpose and investing the time to develop those gifts and abilities to their full potential.

          "Most people think they know what they are good at.  They are usually wrong...And yet,
          a person can perform only from strength."
          - Business Guru Peter Drucker

True Success Begins With God

Many in our society today live a life that is in "overload."  They are attempting to live a life that reflects "success" both in their work and in their home and family life.  Unfortunately, they have bought into a flawed meaning of success and the resulting stress reflects it.  Many are living a life that is out of balance and consumed with the wrong priorities.  Expressions like joy, peace, optimism and contentment are, for the most part, not words that describe their life.  Instead words such as stress, anxiety, uncertainty and disappointment characterize their existence.  That is why it is so critical to learn the true meaning of success and then to embrace it.

Let me state again what I firmly believe is the meaning of true success based on a biblical worldview.
 
     "True success is achieving an inner peace which is a gift from God that comes from a
      correct understanding of how He made us and who we were meant to be, what is our true
      purpose in this life and the pursuit and work to fulfill that purpose."

As this definition implies, it is only from God that true success is possible.  He is the one who gives life genuine purpose and helps us to discover this purpose.  This discovery does not come quickly nor is it easy to gain.  It requires hard work, good planning, focus and commitment and most of all, prayer.  It requires that we discover our talents and abilities and work to strengthen them.  Last, it requires that we accept each day as an opportunity and challenge to be the best that we can be with God's help.

     "The whole premise of Game Plan For Life - Your Personal Playbook For Success is that
       God is in charge and that His plan for your life can be found in the Bible."
       (Joe Gibbs)

Focus on Fundamentals

Anyone who has ever participated in sports or other group activities such as the military knows that the first things addressed are the fundamentals or basics.  These are the elements or steps that are necessary  in order to advance in a particular pursuit.  They make up the foundation on which greater skills are built.  They are vital in order for one to become  successful.

Many people take shortcuts when it comes to addressing the basics of life.  Many are too eager to advance so they skip some of the steps in the basics of their respective objective.  Others mistakenly believe that they have little need of the basics, so they step over them and go to another level.  Eventually, this omission will catch up to them and they will realize the consequence of their mistake.

One of the main reasons elementary education is so critical is that it is intended to provide a student with the basics of learning.  Failure from those teaching, or from the student to grasp the art of mastering the basics, has lifelong implications.

Today we have opportunities to revisit areas where we may have failed to learn some of the basics.  If you recognize areas that you are weak in or key disciplines you lack, seek out a class that teaches those  specific basics.  Fill in your foundation so you can move ahead and become what you are capable of being.

Most of the topics I have written about in my previous blogs are "the basics for life and success."

     "Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life."
       -  Proverbs 19:20 (NLT)

Taking Control of What You Can

There are some things in this life we just can't control.  Weather is one of those we cannot.  Yes, it is true we have a much better ability to forecast what we expect the weather to be, but still we have no control over what the weather will actually be.  We have no control over who our parents are, no control over where we were born or what race or nationality we are.  We have no control over the formation of our DNA - the things that determine who we are and how we are "wired."

At the same time, there are many things God has given us the ability and opportunity to control.  Listed below are some of those things that each of us has the ability to utilize and manage:

     - the time we are given
     - the talents we were born with
     - the energy we have
     - the resources around us
     - the money available to us
     - the brain we have been given
     - the opportunities that come our way

Most people in this world have been given tremendous freedom to choose what they will control and how they will do it.  The choices we make on the list above will have a great impact on the level of our success.

Take time to reflect how well you take control of those things I have listed.

Poise and Confidence

It's never difficult to notice people who display pose and confidence.  They seem so comfortable with themselves, with the circumstances they are in and with life in general.  At the other end are people who are trying to display poise and confidence but it's easy to see right through them.  They put on an act, say the right things but still they lack what they are attempting to be.

Where does genuine poise and confidence come from?  What does it take to gain these enviable traits?

Poise and confidence come when a person has an understanding of who they are and how God has made them.  They use the natural gifts and abilities they have and work hard to develop and perfect them.  They reflect on what it is that captures their interest and the things they enjoy doing most.  They resist the worldly preoccupation with making money and accumulating more  things while nourishing the satisfaction that comes from excelling in what they do.

Poise and confidence occur through hard work and practice.  Those with poise and confidence have developed the mastery of the basic areas in which they focus.  Planning what it will take to become excellent in what they are going to do takes the investment of time and focus.

Successful people develop and display poise in what they are about and a confidence that comes from the investments they have made over time.  They stand on a foundation, though unseen, that is strong and secure.  They are comfortable being who they are and what they have endeavored to be.  They press onward, secure in where they have been, comfortable where they are and excited in where they are going.

          "Poise and confidence come with proper preparation."  - Coach John Wooden

A Model of Success

In May my wife and I attended the 50th reunion of my high school graduating class in Greenville, South Carolina.  We,  along with others of my class, also had the opportunity to take a tour of the rebuilt Wade Hampton High School, led by its principal Mr. Lance Radford.  Neither my wife nor I were sure what to expect but we were curious to get a look at the new school from which we had both graduated.  As it turned out, we received much more than just a tour of memory lane.

I came away from that encounter with a sense that I had witnessed what true success is all about.  I met someone who loves what he is doing in life and someone who is extraordinarily gifted to perform that role.  Most important, I witnessed someone who is having an impact on the world around them and on a host of young people who are fortunate enough to come into contact with this man.

It is obvious Principal Radford is passionate about the responsibilities he has worked hard to earn, and his enthusiasm radiates to all around him.  Not only does he demonstrate hard work, good planning, enthusiasm and vision, but one can sense the ownership and responsibility he feels.

Principal Radford spent many years of hard work in the school system of which he is a part and after a number of years as assistant principal, he earned his current position.  In my opinion, he is an outstanding model of the good that exists today in our public schools.  He is also a model of what real success is all about.  I hope and pray that God will continue to bless his work and increase his impact on the young lives that he has been given to guide and shape.

     "If we truly ordered our lives according to the biblical idea of work, we would ask ourselves
      and our work not 'How much will I make?' but 'Will this work use my abilities and gifts to
      to the fullest?'"
                      - Ben Patterson