What will remain in the shadow of our leadership 20, 30, 40, or 50 years from now? Is our legacy as a leader intentional? Will our leadership be a shield to protect and provide for others? What legacy will we leave?
A legacy of money will eventually be spent.
A legacy of possessions will quickly fade.
A legacy of service will soon be forgotten.
A legacy of security will be destroyed.
Only a spiritual legacy influences this present life and the life to come.
What determines happiness? Dale Carnegie once said, “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”
Most people look for happiness in one of three areas: 1) what we do (happiness comes with success), 2) what we have (happiness comes with material possessions or money), and 3) what others say about us (happiness comes with image or status).
Happiness is rarely associated with “what we think.”
By leading with this mindset and helping others learn how to think on the right things, positive change is inevitable.
Procrastination can be destructive in a leader’s life.
We often convince ourselves we are not quite ready, and so we wait…and wait.
I appreciate a statement from Lemony Snicket, ”If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives.”
If we decide to wait, what exactly will it take for us to get ready? More money or education? Greater opportunity? Time?
How will we know if we are ready?
There are times when patience is a virtue, times when waiting a little longer is beneficial. However, if we wait until we are ready, we may never be ready.
The search for happiness is a never ending pursuit for most people.
Some search for happiness in material things or vast wealth, as if money or stuff will make them happy.
Some pursue happiness through relationships, looking for “Mr. or Mrs. Right,” as though someone else can make them happy.
The list goes on, but all of these areas will end in disappointment.
Albert Einstein once said, “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”
As leaders, set a goal that will drive every breath, thought, and action.
Happiness will most likely follow.
Leaders should exemplify generosity. Leadership is built on giving our time, energy, money, emotions, and ability.
When leaders demonstrate generosity, others learn the value of the gift. However, our generosity must be checked.
Intention: What is the motive behind our gift?
Object: What is the object of our generosity? Work? Family? Church? Lord?
Planned dedication: Is there a planned purpose?
Action: Are we ready to start giving?
Self-examination: What are we losing by holding on to it?
What suits our giving? Do we give what is left over, easy and convenient, or is our generosity suited by the best?
Everyone wants to be happy, but what brings happiness? An attempt to answer this question fills every form of media. Dale Carnegie said, “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.”
Sadly, most believe happiness comes with success, material possessions, money, or a social image/status.
Rarely do we associate happiness with what we think. What do our minds dwell on daily? Read Philippians 4:8.
Leadership can influence happiness with the right mindset and helping others think on the right things.
Why do people avoid getting involved in the lives of others?
Fear: Apart from the unknown and uncertain, we fear rejection, disappointment, and someone taking advantage of us.
Time: Our time is premium, and our tightly oriented schedules of daily activities leave little room for anyone else.
Money: We are cautious about our money. Worse still is the idea that we are so overextended, we have no money.
Uncomfortable: When something, or someone, makes us feel uncomfortable we easily become standoffish.
Private: We may initially get involved, but the challenge is allowing others into our lives. We do not want others to know us.
What motivates us? Success? Money? Security? Relationships? Power? Survival? Growth?
Whatever it is, leaders are called upon to motivate others. The art of motivation involves knowing how to stimulate or excite action toward desired interests.
The New Testament provides a number of unusual examples.
The greatest in the kingdom are servants.
Those who receive have presented themselves as a living sacrifice.
The blessed first give to others.
Think about the spiritual leadership we offer. Have we set the example based on what motivates us in the same direction?
Here is where our leadership begins. We must be motivated to motivate others to an eternal home.