Steering Clear of the Next Storm
Claim – Just because you have foul weather gear doesn’t mean you have to use it.
Explain – A friend and thought leader Joe Calloway noted in his latest book, Be The Best At What Matters Most, the best way to avoid a storm is to become the best you can be within the box before you move to "outside the box" thinking. Too often we plot a zigzag course through our life and chase the latest greatest. The masses do this to their own demise. As James put it, “a dual minded man is unstable in all his ways; he is like a wave tossed about on the ocean.” Avoiding storms can best be accomplished by determining what matters most to you and then daily reminding yourself of the goodness inside that value. Staying focused on what matters most is best accomplished by keeping those values prominent in your life. Share them, display them, dream about them, and write them down daily. Then when faced with a choice, always run your alternatives by these values.
Story – When I first started Pro356, like so many other consultants, I took whatever someone offered to pay me. While financially prudent, I had the storm of haphazard work product appear. While traveling home from Montgomery, I listened to an interview with a London School of Economics professor talking about developing a personal mission statement. His class on personal mission statements is the only college class to form its own alumni association. That was my silver lining moment. By the time I was home, I had my statement down. Now before I make any decision, I use it as my compass. If an engagement allows me to “joyfully live out my faith by adding value to individuals through assisting them in discovery of their God given talents and purposes in life,” then I do it. My business and life continues to get smoother.
Questions to ask yourself:
What trend are you part of the herd?
What little daily action could change your course?
Next: Part 10 Teaching the Silver Lining Principle
Comments