Tag: Success

Focus

When athletes fall short of achieving success, it is generally attributed to a loss in focus.

Leaders cannot afford to lose focus.

Distractions pop up everywhere and usually when we least expect. When distractions arise, we must maintain our focus and not lose sight of our priorities.

Focus is a matter of choice.

People need leaders who help them maintain focus. When our focus is on spiritual life and maturity we help others focus on making the right choices.

Amazingly, when we do so, our focus enables us to handle the distractions with a gracious heart of gratitude.

Next Time Leadership

Too often we live life with a mentality of thinking “if only our circumstances were better, our life would be better.”

Imagine the difference if our approach was more next time. What we will do the next time an opportunity presents itself?

If we are waiting for something to accidentally happen so our world will suddenly be positive and successful, we might be waiting for a long time.

However, when we seek opportunities to help others succeed, then our entire worldview changes. The focus turns from an inward “all about me” way of thinking, to a “what I can do to benefit others” perspective.

A Leadership Environment

The influence of our environment is interesting and challenging. On one hand, the work environment we choose can provide encouragement and opportunities for stepping up to greater success.

On the other hand, our choice can shackle growth. Instead of spreading our wings and soaring to new heights of development, we are hindered from moving into areas that promote progress.

W. Clement Stone said, “You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success – or are they holding you back?”

Choose wisely.

Perseverance

Perseverance is a needed quality, certainly among leaders. The ability to hold on just a little longer is not always pleasant or easy.

What steps can help leaders grow in their ability to persevere?

1) Speak to God. Going to God always makes the difference.

2) Stay positive. Remembering our ability to succeed helps maintain a positive mindset.

3) Set short- and long-term goals. Success in the short-term builds confidence for the long-term.

4) Start small and build up. Each victory encourages greater success in higher matters.

5) See beyond present circumstances. Take a moment to look beyond and consider the ultimate end.

Benefits of Failure

What or who determines failure? Why is failure seen as negative? How can leaders learn and improve their leadership?

Recognize failure is inevitable. No matter who you are failure takes place.

Acknowledge and take responsibility. Do not ignore, deny, or cast blame when failure occurs.

Remember the words of Winston Churchill, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Do not hesitate to act. Waiting to act creates a perception of apathy.

Learn from failure and make changes to prevent the same mistakes.

Work to build a series of successful events or programs to reassure the strength of the leadership.

Love to Lead

I used to tell my children that if you don’t love what you are doing, then do something else. Life is too short to do something you don’t love.

Then, I found a quote from Al Lopez, ”Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it’s business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don’t love what you’re doing and you can’t give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short.”

How true! We face a crossroads between our talent and what we love to do. When we combine them, we find a beautiful combination of success.

Elevating Others

One of the greatest qualities a leader possesses is the ability to elevate or stimulate someone morally or spiritually.

Consider two key principles for leading:

1) We don’t always have a second chance to make a good first impression. Use those first few moments to focus on the other person and lift them up in conversation.

2) Perhaps the most significant need within each person is that of reaching their potential, improving, growing, and achieving success. Find a way to help them do so.

Much more could be said, but consider the importance and value of lifting others up in leading them. When we do, an amazing future awaits.

P B and J

Growing up, I knew what was on the menu when mom said, “P B and J.” A peanut butter and jelly sandwich seemed to speak of a healthy lunch, the perfect combination of protein and carbohydrates.

From a leadership perspective, P B and J carries another important thought.

Promise: Leaders hold promise for a better tomorrow.

Belonging:
Leaders make it possible for others to belong, the security of a stable environment.

Journey:
Success is not about a destination, it is the journey. Make it rich.

The next time you hear P B and J, maybe you can remember the leadership connection.

Progress or Progressive?

Progress involves an attribute associated with the development of an organization.

Progressive tends to fall into an area that describes a gradual step by step movement away from a conservative foundation to a more liberal one.

Numerous emotions are attached to the direction associated with both words. Considering the original definition of these words, however, points to a significant development in relationship to our leadership.

When leaders advance with a gradual step by step approach in an effort to move toward a destination, the opportunities for long lasting success are more secured.

Quick movements tend to only satisfy short-term needs.

Timeless Advice

We all enjoy learning timeless nuggets of advice, those pieces of information unaltered by time, generation, or culture. Often times, we can overlook them for something believed to have greater value.

Joshua was given one of these nuggets, “Be strong and very courageous.” God emphasized strength and courage three times in this context.

As we consider the timeless nature of this advice, there are powerful implications for spiritual leaders. God specifies that Joshua’s success depended on following this advice.

The success of our leadership today depends on following the same. How different would our world be if spiritual leaders had the strength and courage to do so?