Leadership

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I want to tell you about a true success story. It’s about two farmers that developed something we all enjoy today. One farmer was good at producing eggs. He had it down to a science and was really good at it. Another farmer had focused on developing a great heard of dairy cows. They were both good at what they did but they were even better when they mixed their strengths together to make batches of ice cream –known as the best ice cream in the country, Blue Bell.

There are so many lessons to be learned from businesses, from sports, science, and other disciplines. It’s so important to know what your strengths are and be confident. To know what others strengths are and to complement them. But of most importance is to lay claim to the one that unites us all, Jesus Christ who gives us the advantage needed to have true success.

We should know where we stand and where we want to go. Some float through life doing things for which they have no passion. They are consumed by their weaknesses. They never discover the benefit they could provide to our society. We should Identify the strengths that reflect God’s creative activity and uniquely distinguishes as one set apart by Him. My pastor, Steve Ramsdell once said in a sermon that each of us should discover who we are as individuals and the spark that we can provide. Be willing to let that spark shine bright in the dark places and accomplish the mission that God has for us.

My Dad was a coach when I was a young boy, it was great because I was allowed to travel with the team and help with things like making sure the players had water or Gatorade to drink. There was a player on one of the teams that had always been a lineman until the coaches noticed something. The player was not only big but was also fast. They ask the player to switch to running back before his junior year in high school. He went on to be an all American in both high school and college. In one college game, Roosevelt Leaks ran for over 350 yards. He was the first black all American football player from the University of Texas.

Sometimes we need help in knowing what our role should be and how our skills can best help the team. One idea is to do a Self-Evaluation Inventory by writing down priorities and praying about them. Write down the attributes, principles and qualities needed and dream of ideas to apply. This will help paint a clear picture of an individual’s present life. It will make the present and future crystal clear; giving empowerment to fulfill the dreams God has given.

Once we know what our priorities are, we can take action in a logical, reasonable, and organized fashion. Establishment of values and priorities helps to make decisions because we know where to go to next. Then we can develop a Game Plan which can be used as a road map to keep track as we journey through life. Each area of life (Faith, Family, Finances & Career, Fitness, and Fun) is like a system. To keep the system running efficiently, a few tasks are done on a daily basis, some are done weekly, others may be done monthly, and others may be done on a specific date. Each day, read a mission statement, highlight the task that needs to be done, and keep track of the time spent on each task. Every so often, think about each task and document any thoughts or ideas; continually looking for improvement.

When our eyes are clearly fixed on an objective, with intermediate points as guides, we follow an unswerving path to the goal line. I’ve read stories about Babe Ruth the great home run hitter for the New York Yankees. Sometimes he would point to the bleachers over the right field fence with his bat; letting everyone know where he planned to hit the ball. In the same way, we should be able to point to what we want to accomplish.

A football team studies the competition by looking at game film to know the upcoming opponents tendencies. We too face competition. It is anything that holds us back like fear, despair, or lack of time. So, study the film called life to come up with plans for tomorrow. Think accurately and make adjustments to get in a successful position.

As I was growing up, my Dad and I would spend time together in the back yard learning how to hit a baseball. My Dad’s goal was to teach me how to hit left handed first. He knew that lefties have the advantage over right-handed pitchers because the curve ball is not as effective. He knew it would be easier for me to naturally hit right-handed if I wanted to and be a switch hitter. This thinking helped tremendously throughout my career in little league, in high school, and in college.

Sharing wisdom is even more meaningful when we use it to connect our children and others to God. As my pastor Steve Ramsdell has said before, the Bible is God’s game plan. We can read, study, memorize, and apply God’s word. By asking questions and seeking answers, we can discover lessons found in the Bible. By documenting these lessons, learning from each other, and collecting pictures to help us see the intangible qualities of Christ, we can be on the clear path of success.

In 1969 as a boy growing up, I loved space and science. Probably one reason was because it was on the news back then. Today, you turn on the news and all you see is stories about violence, crime, and other negatives. I wish news organizations would look for some positives every once in a while. Of course, it might help if our leaders produced a climate where some positives could occur so kids today could dream like back in 1969. Go on line some time and do a web search or Google “Neil Armstrong One Small Step”. Look for videos and click to view - truly inspiring!

Throughout the next week, do that Self-Evaluation Inventory and continue to write down assets (talents and skills) and the benefits received from them.

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